Remains of British-era bridge reappear in Dhanushkodi after 50 years

Remains of a road bridge at the coastal town of Dhanushkodi at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, which got buried under sand after a devastating cyclone struck more than five decades ago, reappeared on Saturday due to erosion caused by the rough sea.

The sides of the bridge, 20 feet wide and and 60 feet long, were intact though they were wet, officials said. The part of the bridge close to the shore remained covered under sand dunes for more than 50 years. The bridge resurfaced after strong winds and high tides caused erosion of the sand in the past few days.

Dhanushkodi, a holy destination for pilgrims and tourists at the south-eastern tip of Rameswaram island in Tamil Nadu, was a commercial centre since 1914, as the British operated goods ferry from this town to Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka.

Dhanushkodi was entirely swept off by tidal waves in 1964, after which both road and rail link to the town got disconnected, and it came to be known as a ‘ghost town’.

Velmurugan, a tourist guide in Rameswaram, urged the government to take steps the preserve the remains of the bridge.