Editing Adam's Bridge (section)

==Transport corridor==
[[File:Adams bridge map.png|upright=1.3|thumb|left|Historical map of Adam's Bridge and environs, before the cyclone of 1964]]
[[File:Pearling crew 1926.JPG|thumb|Pearl fishing in the [[Gulf of Mannar]], c. 1926]]
In the vicinity of Adam's Bridge/Rama Setu, the water is typically only {{cvt|1–3|m|abbr=on}} deep.<ref name=":4" /> Due to the shallow waters, Adam's Bridge presents a formidable hindrance to navigation through the Palk Strait. Though trade across the India–Sri Lanka divide has been active since at least the first millennium BC, it was limited to small boats and dinghies. Larger ocean-going vessels from the west have had to navigate around Sri Lanka to reach India's eastern coast.<ref name = Francis>{{cite book|last=Francis Jr.|first= Peter|title=Asia's Maritime Bead Trade: 300 B.C. to the Present| publisher = University of Hawaii Press| year = 2002| isbn=978-0-8248-2332-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zzZBdGQN_TIC&pg=PA4}}</ref> Eminent British geographer [[James Rennell|Major James Rennell]], who surveyed the region as a young officer in the late 18th century, suggested that a "navigable passage could be maintained by dredging the strait of Ramisseram {{sic}}". However, little notice was given to his proposal, perhaps because it came from "so young and unknown an officer", and the idea was only revived 60 years later.

In 1823, [[Arthur Cotton|Sir Arthur Cotton]] (then an [[Ensign (rank)#United Kingdom|ensign]]) was assigned to survey the [[Pamban channel]], which separates the Indian mainland from the island of Rameswaram and forms the first link of Adam's Bridge. Geological evidence indicates that a land connection bridged this in the past, and some [[Ramanathaswamy Temple]] records suggest that violent storms broke the link in 1480. Cotton suggested that the channel could be dredged to enable passage of ships, but nothing was done until 1828, when Major Sim directed the blasting and removal of some rocks.<ref name = "Gazeteer 1886">{{cite book|last=Hunter|first= Sir William Wilson|author-link=William Wilson Hunter|title=The Imperial Gazetteer of India| publisher = Trübner & co.| year = 1886|pages= 21–23}}</ref><ref name = "Cotton">{{cite book|last=Digby|first= William |author-link=William Digby (writer) |title=General Sir Arthur Cotton, R. E., K. C. S. I.: His Life and Work|url=https://archive.org/details/generalsirarthur01hope| publisher = Hodder & Stoughton| year = 1900|pages = [https://archive.org/details/generalsirarthur01hope/page/15 15]–16}}</ref>

A more detailed marine survey of Adam's Bridge was undertaken in 1837 by lieutenants F. T. Powell, Ethersey, Grieve, and Christopher, along with draughtsman Felix Jones, and operations to dredge the channel were recommenced the next year.<ref name = "Gazeteer 1886"/><ref name = "Dawson">{{cite book|last=Dawson|first= Llewellyn Styles|title=Memoirs of hydrography|url=https://archive.org/details/memoirshydrogra00dawsgoog| publisher = Keay| year = 1885 |page= [https://archive.org/details/memoirshydrogra00dawsgoog/page/n64 52]|isbn=978-0-665-68425-8}}</ref> However, these and subsequent efforts in the 19th century did not succeed in keeping the passage navigable for any vessels except those with a light draft.<ref name= EB/>

=== Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project ===
{{Main|Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project}}
[[File:Alternative Alignments.png|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Opposition parties demanded implementation of the Sethusamudram canal project using one of the alternative alignments considered earlier by the government, without damaging the structure of Adam's Bridge.]]

The [[government of India]] constituted nine committees before independence, and five committees since then, to suggest alignments for a Sethusamudram canal project. Most of them suggested land-based passages across Rameswaram island, and none recommended alignment across Adam's Bridge.<ref>[http://sethusamudram.gov.in/History.asp Sethusamudram Corporation Limited–History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014012322/http://sethusamudram.gov.in/History.asp |date=14 October 2007 }}</ref> The Sethusamudram project committee in 1956 also strongly recommended to the Union government to use land passages instead of cutting Adam's Bridge because of the several advantages of land passage.<ref>{{cite news| title= Use land based channel and do not cut through Adam bridge:Sethu samudram project committee report to Union Government| url= http://www.india-forum.com/articles/10327/1/Rama-Setu-and-setusamudram-channel-conspiracy| date= 30 September 2007| access-date= 15 October 2007| quote= ""In these circumstances we have no doubt, whatever that the junction between the two sea should be effected by a Canal; and the idea of cutting a passage in the sea through Adam's Bridge should be abandoned."| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071013125126/http://www.india-forum.com/articles/10327/1/Rama-Setu-and-setusamudram-channel-conspiracy| archive-date= 13 October 2007| url-status= dead| df= dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2005, the government of India approved a multi-million dollar [[Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project]]. This project aims to create a ship channel across the [[Palk Strait]] by dredging the shallow ocean floor near [[Dhanushkodi]]. The channel is expected to cut over {{cvt|400|km}} (nearly 30 hours of shipping time) off the voyage around the island of [[Sri Lanka]]. This proposed channel's current alignment requires dredging through Adam's Bridge.

Indian political parties including the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP), [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (AIADMK), [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]] (RJD), [[Janata Dal (Secular)]] (JD(S)) and some [[Hindu]] organisations oppose dredging through the shoal on religious grounds. The contention is that Adam's Bridge is identified popularly as the causeway described in the [[Ramayana]]. The political parties and organisations suggest alternate alignment for the channel that avoids damage to Adam's Bridge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newkerala.com/oct.php?action=fullnews&id=3715|title=Ram Setu a matter of faith, needs to be protected: Lalu|work=NewKerela.com|date = 21 September 2007|access-date=24 September 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=53581 |title=Rama is 'divine personality' says Gowda |work=MangaoreNews.com |date=22 September 2007 |access-date=24 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421223657/http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=53581 |archive-date=21 April 2008 }}</ref> The then state and central governments opposed such changes, with the Union Shipping Minister T. R Baalu, who belongs to the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] and a strong supporter of the project maintaining that the current proposal was economically viable and environmentally sustainable and that there were no other alternatives.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/story/218827.html |title=IndianExpress.com–Sethu: DMK chief sticks to his stand |access-date=8 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421144230/http://www.indianexpress.com/story/218827.html |archive-date=21 April 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newkerala.com/oct.php?action=fullnews&id=5789|title=Latest India News @ NewKerala.Com, India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/sunday/story/220089.html |title=indianexpress.com |access-date=8 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421144411/http://www.indianexpress.com/sunday/story/220089.html |archive-date=21 April 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Opposition to dredging through this causeway also stems from concerns over its impact on the area's ecology and marine wealth, potential loss of [[thorium]] deposits in the area and increased risk of damage due to [[tsunami]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200708051654.htm|title= Thorium reserves to be disturbed if Ramar Sethu is destroyed|work = [[The Hindu]]|date = 5 August 2007|access-date=24 September 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071012213012/http://hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200708051654.htm| archive-date= 12 October 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> Some organisations oppose this project on economic and environmental grounds and claim that proper scientific studies were not conducted before undertaking this project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2005/jul/19inter.htm|title=The Sethusamudram canal project|website=www.rediff.com}}</ref>

=== Proposed Road and Rail Bridge ===
{{Main|Palk Strait Bridge}}

The [[Palk Strait Bridge]] is a proposed road and rail sea bridge and tunnel that would cross the Palk Strait roughly over, or parallel to, Adam's Bridge.  It would span from [[Dhanushkodi]] at the tip of [[Pamban Island]] in India, to [[Talaimannar]] on [[Mannar Island]] in Sri Lanka, and would be used for both industrial/economic purposes and to boost tourism.  The bridge was first seriously proposed by the Indian and Sri Lankan governments in 2002, shelved after security-related objections by the then-Governor of [[Tamil Nadu]], and revived for serious consideration in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Raju |first1=Adluri Subramanyam |title=Bridge that could boost India and Sri Lanka ties |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-insight/international-affairs/bridge-that-could-boost-india-and-sri-lanka-ties-101720425419763.html |website=Hindustan Times |access-date=26 August 2024 |language=en |date=2024-07-08}}</ref>  As of August 2024, its status is that the feasibility studies are nearing completion.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-16 |title=Feasibility study on proposal to establish land connectivity with India in final stages, says Sri Lankan President |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-sri-lanka-land-connectivity-feasibility-study-on-proposal-in-final-stages-sri-lankan-president-9395903/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>