Rameswaram (TN), Aug 12: Congress party president Sonia Gandhi will inaugurate the train service on the newly laid broad gauge track between Rameswaram and Manamadurai here later today.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson will also inaugurate the renovated 93-year-old Pamban Railway Bridge, which is India's longest sea bridge.

Sonia is also scheduled to flag off the Rameswaram-Chennai 'Sethu Express' at Madurai.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and many other leaders will attend the function.

Media reports quoted officials as saying that about 800 tickets had been booked for the inaugural run of the Rameswaram-Chennai Express.

The second phase of gauge conversion between Manamadurai and Rameswaram, covering 111 kilometres, has been completed at a cost of Rs 230 crore.

The Pamban Railway Bridge was converted into broad gauge standard using indigenous technology provided by the Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.

The 2.06-km long bridge connects the mainland at Mandapam with  
Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.

ANI>