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57-578: Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project ( lit.   ' Setu Ocean Shipping Canal Project ' ) is a proposed project to create a shipping route in the shallow straits between India and Sri Lanka . This would provide a continuously navigable sea route around the Indian Peninsula. The channel would be dredged in the Sethusamudram sea between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, passing through the limestone shoals of Rama Sethu . The project involves digging

114-519: A 44.9-nautical-mile (51.7 mi; 83.2 km) long deepwater channel linking the shallow Palk Strait with the Gulf of Mannar . Conceived in 1860 by Alfred Dundas Taylor , it received approval of the Indian government in 2005. The proposed route through the shoals of Ram Setu is opposed by some groups on religious, environmental and economical grounds. Five alternative routes were considered that avoid damage to

171-609: A diplomatic and economic foothold in Sri Lanka if the Indian government does not continue development in the region. In March 2021 the closure of the project was announced. On 12 January 2023, the Tamilnadu Government unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the project be revived. Some naval hydrographers and experts suggest that the project is unlikely to be financially viable or serve ships in any significant way. The time savings for ships sailing from Kanyakumari or Tuticorin

228-413: A living fossil that links invertebrates and vertebrates, has been recorded only at Kurusadai. Invertebrates Four species each of shrimp and lobster , 106 species of crab , 17 species of sea cucumber , and 466 species of mollusc including 271 gastropods , 174 bivalves , 5 polyplacophorans , 16 cephalopods and 5 scaphopods , 108 species of sponge , and 100 species of echinoderm occur in

285-462: A point where ships from Africa and Europe will not lose money from using the canal, the IRR of the project falls to 2.6%. This is a level at which even public infrastructure projects are rejected by the government. The canal is designed for ships of 30,000 metric tonnes and lighter. Most new ships weighing more than 60,000 tonnes and tankers weighing above 150,000 tonnes cannot use this canal. Axis Bank Ltd.

342-2602: A result of excessive coral mining. Kariyachalli, 16.46 ha 8°57′15″N 78°15′08″E  /  8.95409°N 78.25235°E  / 8.95409; 78.25235 Vembar group: (3 islands) Uppu Thanni, 22.94 ha, elevation 4 m 9°05′21″N 78°29′29″E  /  9.08921°N 78.49148°E  / 9.08921; 78.49148 Puluvini Challi, 6.12 ha, elevation 5.5 m 9°06′12″N 78°32′13″E  /  9.10320°N 78.53688°E  / 9.10320; 78.53688 Nalla Thanni, 101.00 ha, elevation 11.9 m (recently populated) 9°06′24″N 78°34′44″E  /  9.10667°N 78.57885°E  / 9.10667; 78.57885 Kilakarai group: (7 islands) Anaipar, 11.00 ha, elevation 2.1 m 9°09′11″N 78°41′41″E  /  9.15294°N 78.69481°E  / 9.15294; 78.69481 Vali Munai, 6.72 ha, elevation 1.2 m 9°09′13″N 78°43′50″E  /  9.15354°N 78.73052°E  / 9.15354; 78.73052 Poovarasan Patti, 0.50 ha, elevation 1.2 m 9°09′15″N 78°46′01″E  /  9.15413°N 78.76695°E  / 9.15413; 78.76695 Appa, 28.63 ha, elevation 6.4 m 9°09′57″N 78°49′33″E  /  9.16582°N 78.82596°E  / 9.16582; 78.82596 Talairi, 75.15 ha, elevation 2.7 m 9°10′53″N 78°54′24″E  /  9.18133°N 78.90673°E  / 9.18133; 78.90673 Valai 10.10 ha, elevation 3.0 m 9°11′03″N 78°56′19″E  /  9.18421°N 78.93866°E  / 9.18421; 78.93866 Mulli, 10.20 ha, elevation 1.2 m 9°11′11″N 78°58′05″E  /  9.18641°N 78.96810°E  / 9.18641; 78.96810 Mandapam group:(7 islands) Musal, 124.00 ha, elevation 0.9 m 9°11′57″N 79°04′31″E  /  9.19912°N 79.07530°E  / 9.19912; 79.07530 (recently populated) Manoli, 25.90 ha 9°12′56″N 79°07′42″E  /  9.21564°N 79.12834°E  / 9.21564; 79.12834 Manoli-Putti 2.34 ha 9°12′57″N 79°07′41″E  /  9.21581°N 79.12800°E  / 9.21581; 79.12800 Poomarichan 16.58 ha 9°14′43″N 79°10′48″E  /  9.24538°N 79.17993°E  / 9.24538; 79.17993 Pullivasal, 29.95 ha 9°14′13″N 79°11′28″E  /  9.23699°N 79.19100°E  / 9.23699; 79.19100 Kurusadai, 65.80 ha 9°14′49″N 79°12′34″E  /  9.24690°N 79.20945°E  / 9.24690; 79.20945

399-557: A sacred symbol to be appropriated for political purposes strengthened in the aftermath of protests against the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project . Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a protected area of India consisting of 21 small islands ( islets ) and adjacent coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar in the Indian Ocean . It lies 1 to 10 km away from

456-588: A series of parallel ledges of sandstone and conglomerates that are hard at the surface and grow coarse and soft as they descend to sandy banks. The Marine and Water Resources Group of the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) concludes that Adam's Bridge comprises 103 small patch reefs. One study tentatively concludes that there is insufficient evidence to indicate eustatic emergence and that

513-532: A shallow draft. The project was conceived in 1860 by Commander A. D. Taylor of the Indian Marines and has been reviewed many times without a decision being made. It has been part of the election manifestos of all political parties during elections. The Government of India appointed the Sethu Samudram Project Committee in 1955—headed by Dr. A. Ramasamy Mudaliar—which was charged with examining

570-409: A shipping ministry source said. The project would disturb the ecological balance and destroy corals and kill marine life. The area is an important fishing ground for Tamil Nadu and the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is in the vicinity of the proposed project. Opposition to the canal's planned route has come from local fishermen who are demanding alternative channels, which are available. They say

627-421: Is a chain of natural limestone shoals between Pamban Island , also known as Rameswaram Island, off the southeastern coast of Tamil Nadu , India , and Mannar Island , off the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka . Geological evidence suggests that the bridge was formerly a land connection between India and Sri Lanka. The feature is 48 km (30 mi) long and separates the Gulf of Mannar (southwest) from

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684-567: 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

741-571: Is between 10 and 30 hours. Ships from destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Mauritius and Europe, would save an average of 8 hours using the canal. At the present tariff rates, ships from Africa and Europe will lose US$ 4,992 on every voyage because the savings in time for these ships are considerably lower than what is calculated in the DPR. This loss is significant because 65% of the canal's projected users are from Africa and Europe. If tariffs are lowered to

798-481: Is equated to present-day Sri Lanka and the bridge is described as "Rama's Setu". Due to lowered sea levels during the Last Glacial Period (115,000–11,700 years Before Present ) where sea levels reached a maximum of 120 m (390 ft) below present values, the entirety of the relatively shallow Palk Strait (which reaches a maximum depth of only 35 m (115 ft)) was exposed as dry land connecting

855-768: Is equated to present-day Sri Lanka. However, such a correspondence is not explicit in the Ramayana and a few verses can even be held to be against such an identification; some Sanskrit sources of the first millennium emphasise on the distinction. Robert P. Goldman — who edited the Princeton translation of the epic into English — characterises most of the Ramayana, including the Lanka Kanda , as "kind of [an] elaborate fairy tale" by design ; attempts to probe into its historicity were misguided. John Brockington, noted for his scholarship on Hindu epics, concurs. In extant historical sources,

912-953: Is limited to glass-bottom boat rides. It was established as a National Park in 1986. The 560 km (220 sq mi) park is part of the 140 km long and 25 km wide Mannar barrier reef . It lies between 8° 47' to 9° 15' N latitude and 78° 12' to 79° 14' E longitude. The 21 islands vary from 0.25 hectares (0.62 acres) to 130 ha. (321.2 acres). The total area of the islands is 6.23 km (2.41 sq mi). The islands (listed southwest to northeast) Tuticorin group: (4 islands) Vaan, 16.0 ha 8°50′11″N 78°12′38″E  /  8.83639°N 78.21047°E  / 8.83639; 78.21047 Koswari, 19.50 ha 8°52′08″N 78°13′30″E  /  8.86879°N 78.22506°E  / 8.86879; 78.22506 Vilanguchalli, 0.95 ha 8°56′17″N 78°16′11″E  /  8.93815°N 78.26969°E  / 8.93815; 78.26969 , now 1 m below mean low tide level as

969-604: 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. 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

1026-774: Is the only endemic plant species. 12 species of sea grass and 147 species of seaweeds were recorded. This vegetation provides important feeding grounds for vulnerable marine mammals such as the dugong , endangered green turtles and olive ridley turtles . Vertebrates The dugong , a vulnerable marine mammal , is the flagship mammal of the park. It is an important habitat for the cetaceans : Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , finless porpoise , spinner dolphin , common dolphin , Risso's dolphin , melon-headed whale , and dwarf sperm whale . Larger whales include sperm whale , minke whale , Bryde's whale , sei whale , and critically endangered species including humpback whale , fin whale , and blue whale . About 510 (23%) of

1083-582: The Archaeological Survey of India found no evidence for the structure being anything but a natural formation. The Archaeological Survey of India and the government of India informed the Supreme Court of India in a 2007 affidavit that there was no historical proof of the bridge being built by Rama. In 2017 the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) announced a pilot study into the origins of

1140-459: The Dhanushkodi tip of India's Pamban Island . It ends at Sri Lanka's Mannar Island . Pamban Island is accessed from the Indian mainland by the 2 km (1.2 mi) long Pamban Bridge . Mannar Island is connected to mainland Sri Lanka by a causeway. The lack of comprehensive field studies explains many of the uncertainties regarding the nature and origin of Adam's Bridge. It mostly consists of

1197-534: The Islamic belief that Adam's Peak — where the biblical Adam fell to earth — is located in Sri Lanka, and that Adam crossed over to peninsular India via the bridge after his expulsion from the Garden of Eden . The ancient Sanskrit epic Ramayana (8th century BCE–3rd century CE) mentions a bridge constructed by the god Rama to reach the island Lanka and rescue his wife Sita from Ravana . In popular belief, Lanka

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1254-566: The Palk Strait (northeast). Some regions of the bridge are dry, and the sea in the area rarely exceeds 1 metre (3 ft) in depth, making it quite difficult for boats to pass over it. Ibn Khordadbeh 's Kitāb al-Masālik wa-l-Mamālik ( c.  850 ) refers to the structure as Set Bandhai (lit. Bridge of the Sea). The name Adam's Bridge appeared probably around the time of Al-Biruni ( c.  1030 ). This appears to have been premised on

1311-460: The 150,000 persons living along the coast. Nutrient and other pollution loads are high due to agriculture, deforestation, industry, urbanization and septic pollution. It appears that the coral reefs of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park seem to be healthy and in good condition, despite high rates of sedimentation and other threats. However, live coral cover is only about 35%. Various algae cover much of

1368-481: The 2,200 fin fish species in Indian waters are found in the Gulf, making it the most highly diverse fish habitat in India. Coral associated ornamental fishes of the family Chaetodontidae ( butterfly fish ), parrotfish , Amphiprion spp. ( clown fish ), Holocentrus spp. (squirrel fish), Scarus spp. ( parrot fish ), Lutjanus spp. (snappers) and Abudefduf saxatilis ( sergeant major ) are abundant. A unique endemic species of Balanoglossus – Ptychodera fluva ,

1425-572: The Government of India on the tsunami warning system—has said that the planned route may result in increased impact from tsunami waves. He wrote, "During the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004, the southern part of Kerala was generally spared from a major tsunami, mainly because the tsunami waves from Sumatra region travelling south of the Sri Lankan island, partially diffracted northward and affected

1482-414: The Gulf of Mannar, was initially spread across 16 hectares, but had shrunk alarmingly by around 10.3 hectares to its current 5.7 hectares in less than three decades. According to J K Patterson Edward, director of Suganthi Devadasan Marine Research Institute (SDMRI), Tuticorin,"Rampant coral mining by people of the fishing villages along the coast is the main cause of the devastation to the island. Coral mining

1539-519: The Gulf. The coral fauna includes 106 species from 30 genus of hermatypes and 11 species from 10 genus of ahermatypes , including 13 new species, giving a total of 117 species from 14 families and 40 genus. The reefs in this area are narrow fringing reefs located 150 to 300 m. from the shore of the islands and patch reefs rising up from depths of 2 to 9 m. and extending up to 2 km. long and 50 m. wide. Large areas of these reefs are in generally poor condition due to destructive human activities of

1596-506: The Union government to use land passages instead of cutting Adam's Bridge because of the several advantages of land passage. 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 400 km (250 mi) (nearly 30 hours of shipping time) off

1653-514: The central part of the Kerala coast. Since the tsunami is a long gravity wave (similar to tides and storm surges) during the diffraction process, the rather wide turn it has to take spared the south Kerala coast. On the other hand, deepening the Sethu Canal might provide a more direct route for the tsunami and this could impact south Kerala." On 21 April 2010, the Supreme Court of India decided to delay

1710-564: The channel were recommenced the next year. 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. 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. The Sethusamudram project committee in 1956 also strongly recommended to

1767-463: The coast near the park there are about 125 villages which support about 100,000 people who are mainly Marakeyars , a local community principally engaged in fishing. Experts say that Vaan Island, one of the four islands of the Tuticorn group, has split in two and if immediate efforts are not taken then the island would soon vanish under the sea. Vaan Island, which is the southernmost of the 21 islands in

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1824-546: The current proposal was economically viable and environmentally sustainable and that there were no other alternatives. 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 tsunamis . Some organisations oppose this project on economic and environmental grounds and claim that proper scientific studies were not conducted before undertaking this project. The Palk Strait Bridge

1881-555: The dead coral. Stony coral species of families Poritidae and Faviidae constitute the dominant reef builders here. Coral reefs near some of the islands have been heavily damaged by exploitation as raw materials for industrial ventures such as cement industries, brick manufacture, masonry work and lime kilns. Though legal quarrying of the reefs is now stopped, up to 250 m /day of reef were destroyed for many years. The islands are uninhabited except for Krusadai, Musal and Nallathanni islands where antipoaching sheds are operating. Along

1938-573: The desirability of the project. After evaluating the costs and benefits, this committee found the project feasible and viable. However it strongly recommended an overland passage instead of a channel cutting through Rama's Bridge. A land passage would have several advantages, such as avoiding shifting sandbanks and navigational hazards. Several reviews of the proposals followed until the United Progressive Alliance Government of India headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced

1995-407: The east coast of Tamil Nadu , India for 160 km between Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) and Dhanushkodi . It is the core area of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve which includes a 10 km buffer zone around the park, including the populated coastal area. The park has a high diversity of plants and animals in its marine , intertidal and near shore habitats . Public access inside the park

2052-582: The equation between the two islands appears for the first time only in the Kasakudi Copper Plates of Nandivarman II (r. late-8th century) pertaining to the conquest of Sri Lanka by one of his ancestors; as Ramayana took a life of its own under the succeeding Cholas, the identification profferred, justifying their imperial ambitions to invade the island. The link would then be co-opted by the Aryacakravarti dynasty of Jaffna in presenting themselves as

2109-440: 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. Eminent British geographer 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

2166-422: The guardians of the bridge. Nonetheless, two reputed medieval commentaries on the Ramayana — Ramanujiya (drafted c. 1500 by Ramanuja) and Tattvadipika (drafted c. 1550 by Mahesvaratirtha) — continued to make a distinction between Lanka and Sri Lanka. Muslim tradition holds that Adam's Bridge was crossed by Adam following his expulsion from the Garden of Eden . Religious beliefs that the geological structure

2223-450: The inauguration of the project on 2 July 2005. In 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appointed Rajendra K. Pachauri as the head of a six-member committee to look at an alternative alignment avoiding the sensitive Rama Sethu stretch. In 2013, the committee released its report calling the project "unviable both from the economic as well as ecological angles". The Indian government rejected the committee's report and decided to go ahead with

2280-450: The mainland Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. Following the rise to present sea levels during the Holocene , by around 7,000 years ago, the strait became submerged, including the region of Adam's Bridge/Rama Setu. The islands of Adam's Bridge became emergent again following sea level falls in the region from around 5,000 years ago to the present. The bridge starts as a chain of shoals from

2337-472: The new Tuticorn Port facilities. The park includes marine components such as coral reefs , seaweed communities, sea grasses , and mangroves . Mangroves dominate the intertidal zones of the park islands. They consist of species of the genera Rhizophora , Avicennia , Bruguiera , Ceriops and Lumnitzera . The introduced tree genus Prosopis is dominant on land in all the islands. The flowering herb Pemphis acidula (family Lythraceae )

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2394-477: 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. 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

2451-559: The planned route would destroy marine life and corals and would impact the trade in conch shells that is worth almost ₹ 150 crore (US$ 18 million) a year. Deposits of thorium , important for nuclear fuel requirements, would also be affected. Opponents also say that the dumping of dredged material from the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar in deeper waters would "endanger those areas, which are rich reserves containing 400 endangered species, including whales, sea turtles, dugongs and dolphins". Tsunami expert Professor Tad Murty —who advised

2508-722: The project in its current form. In 2014, the Modi government decided that the project would be implemented by deepening the Pamban pass which would save the Rama Setu from destruction. As of December 2020, the project remains unfinished. In July 2020, parliamentary leader T. R. Baalu presented a letter to Prime Minister Modi urging him to finish the project before 2024. In the letter, Baalu cited tensions between India and China over influence in Sri Lanka , claiming that China will gain too strong of

2565-549: The project until an Environmental impact analysis on the feasibility of a route through Dhanuskodi instead of Rama's Bridge had been carried out. Opposition to the project came from some Hindu groups that want to preserve the remains of the Rama’s Bridge from the ancient epic Ramayana . 9°05′38″N 79°32′48″E  /  9.09389°N 79.54667°E  / 9.09389; 79.54667 Rama Sethu Adam's Bridge , also known as Rama's Bridge or Rama Setu ,

2622-426: The protests against Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project . NASA noted: "The images reproduced on the websites may well be ours, but their interpretation is certainly not ours. Remote sensing images or photographs from orbit cannot provide direct information about the origin or age of a chain of islands, and certainly, cannot determine whether humans were involved in producing any of the patterns seen." A report from

2679-462: The raised reef in southern India probably results from a local uplift. In the vicinity of Adam's Bridge/Rama Setu, the water is typically only 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) deep. 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

2736-455: The region in late 18th century; he suggested that a "navigable passage could be maintained by dredging of the Ramisseram [sic]". Little notice was given to his proposal, perhaps because it came from "so young and an unknown officer", and the idea was only revived 60 years later. Efforts were made in 1838 to dredge the canal, but the passage did not remain navigable for any vessels except those with

2793-590: The shoals. Because of its shallow waters, Sethusamudram—the sea separating Sri Lanka from India—presents a hindrance to navigation through the Palk Strait. Though trade across the India-Sri Lanka divide has been active since at least the first millennium BCE, it has been limited to small boats and dinghies. Larger oceangoing vessels coming from the West have had to navigate around Sri Lanka to reach India' eastern coast. Eminent British geographer Major James Rennell surveyed

2850-490: The structure, but went on to shelve it. In 2007, the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority sought to promote religious tourism from Hindu pilgrims in India by including the phenomenon as one of the points on its "Ramayana Trail", celebrating the legend of Prince Rama. Some Sri Lankan historians have condemned the undertaking as "a gross distortion of Sri Lankan history". The idea of Rama Setu as

2907-494: The then-Governor of Tamil Nadu , and revived for serious consideration in 2023. As of August 2024, its status is that the feasibility studies are nearing completion. The ancient Sanskrit epic Ramayana , in the Yuddhakanda, mentions a bridge constructed by the god Rama with aid from an army of Vanaras (monkeys or forest-dwellers) to reach the island Lanka and rescue his wife Sita from Ravana. In popular belief, Lanka

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2964-480: 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

3021-572: Was appointed "loan arranger" for the project in 2005.Since its inception in 2004, costs have risen to at least ₹ 4,000 crore (US$ 480 million), interest rates have risen and old loan terms have lapsed. The loan sanctions, valid only up to ₹ 2,400 crore (US$ 290 million), lapsed. To secure more money, Sethusamudram Corp. Ltd would have to draw up new reports, sit with parliamentary committees and receive fresh approval. The project cost which originally were ₹ 24,700 crore (US$ 3.0 billion) will grow by almost ₹ 4,500 crore (US$ 540 million),

3078-527: Was constructed based their arguments on vague speculation, false implications, and the point that – as with many geological formations – not every detail of its formation has been incontrovertibly settled. Indian Geologist C. P. Rajendran described the ensuing media controversy as an "abhorrent" example of the " post-truth era, where debates are largely focused on appeals to emotions rather than factual realities". NASA said that its satellite photos had been egregiously misinterpreted to make this point during

3135-679: Was constructed by Rama have caused some controversy as believers reject the natural provenance of Adam's Bridge. S. Badrinarayanan, a former director of the Geological Survey of India , a spokesman for the Indian government in a 2008 court case, the Madras High Court , and an episode from the Science Channel series What on Earth? have claimed that the structure is man-made. In the What on Earth? episode, those claiming that Adam's Bridge

3192-457: 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, Sir Arthur Cotton (then an 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

3249-622: Was recently populated. Its surrounding shallow waters harbour three species of seagrass that are found nowhere else in India. Representatives of every animal phylum known (except amphibians) are found on this island. Shingle, 12.69 ha, elevation .6m 9°14′30″N 79°14′08″E  /  9.24174°N 79.23563°E  / 9.24174; 79.23563 Tidal amplitude in the area is about .5m. There were two more islands named Pandayan and Punnaiyadi at 8°46′51″N 78°11′43″E  /  8.78075°N 78.19536°E  / 8.78075; 78.19536 that were destroyed for construction of

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