DMK-supporting propagandist Niranjan Kumar, a former face of Puthiya Thalaimurai and known for his Dravidianist commentary, has come under fire for spreading misinformation about the newly inaugurated Pamban Bridge. Shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first vertical-lift railway sea bridge on April 6, Niranjan took to X (formerly Twitter) and falsely claimed that the bridge had been damaged within minutes of its launch.
On his X handle, Niranjan wrote: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pamban Bridge today, but within minutes of his inauguration, the vertical suspension bridge was damaged.”
பிரதமர் நரேந்திர மோடி பாம்பன் பாலத்தை இன்று திறந்து வைத்த நிலையில் அவர் திறந்து வைத்த சில நிமிடங்களிலேயே செங்குத்து தூக்கு பாலத்தில் பழுது ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது#PMModi
— Niranjan kumar (@niranjan2428) April 6, 2025
The post, which appeared to mock the infrastructure project, quickly gained traction among critics of the government.
However, the claim was promptly debunked by Indian Railways, which issued a categorical denial later the same evening.
Adding to the controversy, Tamil news outlet Thanthi TV, often accused of promoting Dravidianist narratives, echoed similar claims. At 8:39 AM IST on April 6, the channel posted on its X handle (@ThanthiTV): “செங்குத்து தூக்கு பாலத்தில் பழுது” (Translation: “Fault in the vertical-lift bridge”), alleging that the bridge could not be lowered properly due to a defect, leading to uneven alignment and technical issues. The report stated that officials were attempting to rectify the situation.
#Breaking || செங்குத்து தூக்கு பாலத்தில் பழுது
புதிதாக திறக்கப்பட்ட செங்குத்து தூக்கு பாலத்தை
கீழே இறக்க முடியாமல் பழுதுதூக்கு பாலம் ஒருபுறம் ஏற்றம், இறக்கமாக
உள்ளதால் சிக்கல்பழுது நீக்கும் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள அதிகாரிகள்#Rameswaram #Bridge #Modi pic.twitter.com/pLK7o7oxu2
— Thanthi TV (@ThanthiTV) April 6, 2025
This narrative fueled skepticism online, with several social media users questioning the quality of the project and mocking the inauguration.
But the Indian Railways responded forcefully. At 6:27 PM IST, the Madurai Division of Southern Railway issued an official statement via X, tagging Thanthi TV directly. The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Madurai, wrote, “The New Pamban Bridge was successfully inaugurated and train services have commenced. It is receiving an enthusiastic response. We request not to spread rumours. The bridge is strong and safe—please avoid carrying false or misleading information.”
Don’t spread rumour. The 16104 Rameswaram–Tambaram Express departed on time and successfully crossed the new pamban bridge. Please watch the video in the link below.https://t.co/8ZbAJKHIUk
— Southern Railway (@GMSRailway) April 6, 2025
The Railways’ rebuttal made it clear that it viewed Thanthi TV’s report as not only inaccurate but a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.
The New Pamban Bridge, constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of over ₹550 crore, is a 2.07-kilometer engineering marvel that replaces the 110-year-old structure decommissioned in December 2022. Inaugurated on Ram Navami, the bridge features a 72.5-meter vertical-lift span that allows the passage of ships beneath and supports train speeds of up to 80 kmph. The Rameswaram–Tambaram Express was the first train to cross it.
Indian Railways clarified that the bridge had undergone rigorous safety checks before inauguration, including a detailed inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) in November 2024, and successful trial runs at speeds of up to 90 kmph. Minor design deviations flagged in the CRS report were addressed ahead of the launch.
Despite these facts, neither Niranjan nor Thanthi TV issued a correction or retraction at the time of reporting. Critics have pointed out that this is not the first time the channel or its former associates have pushed narratives without verification.
Railway officials reiterated their stance, stating: “This project is a milestone in Indian infrastructure and has been completed with the highest engineering standards. Allegations of malfunction are baseless.”
As the controversy fades, the bridge continues to operate without incident—bringing renewed rail connectivity to Rameswaram and a fresh round of scrutiny to media accountability in politically charged environments.
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