Bridging the gap with the Hyundai Alcazar

We never miss a chance to drive down the Coromandel Coast. The views are stirring, of course, especially the stretches where the ocean glimmers in the distance, such as on the East Coast Road between Chennai and Pondicherry. There’s also loads of history as everyone from the Portuguese, to the British, and even the Danes have trampled down these parts and left crumbling reminders of their presence. And there is glorious spicy food – biryanis, fiery Chettinad cuisine and more.

The eastern coast of Tamil Nadu is just over a 1,000 kilometres, ending in Kanyakumari, and as things stand, we are enjoying a glorious monsoon drive in the Hyundai Alcazar, which is just the car for epic hauls such as this one. 

It’s tough to believe that the Alcazar has been around for just a year – Hyundai’s new SUV has effortlessly found a place for itself on Indian roads, and that bold grille appears to have its presence felt in several cities. 

Three rows of seats and, consequently, loads of space – the Alcazar has the longest wheelbase in its class, mind you – is not the only trick this Hyundai has up its sleeve. The 157bhp, 2.0-litre petrol engine loves hauling in the miles, without missing a beat. There’s loads of torque across the rev range and the distinct pleasure that comes from driving a smooth, naturally aspirated petrol engine.

Our destination this month, for the Inspirational India series, is not an actual place. Instead, it is an engineering marvel that has helped millions of people get to one for well over a 100 years.

Queen of Indian bridges

Pamban Island lies some 250km up the coast from Kanyakumari, and about 500km south of Chennai. It is also home to the holy town of Rameshwaram. Bridges connecting islands to the mainland are always a sight to behold, and obviously so, but very few are as spectacular as the Pamban Bridge. The Pamban Bridge, which connects Rameshwaram to the mainland, is India’s first sea bridge, and, at 2.2km, it was the longest until Mumbai’s Bandra-Worli Sea Link dethroned it. The bridge, which was designed by Scherzer Rolling Life Bridge Company of Chicago, features 143 piers and reportedly took only around two years to construct. The bridge opened up to allow movement of small ships, and during the first few decades of its life, it was fondly called the Queen of Indian Bridges. Which it was. The Pamban Sea Bridge not only provided a vital link to Rameshwaram, but it was also the only surface transportation link between the island and the mainland until 1988 when the Indira Gandhi Road Bridge that runs alongside it was built. 

Fit for Kings

The Alcazar excels at swallowing up tens of small towns along the eastern coast of India, which is a vibrant and bustling region characterised by the soothing green of paddy fields and palm trees. Another thing Hyundai’s big SUV is good at is keeping its passengers at ease and making them feel at home. And we are not talking about the much praised ventilated seats, 10.25-inch screen with connected car tech and the Bose sound system. With an armrest, cup holders and even a second wireless phone charger for the second row, along with  USB ports and AC vents with their own blower on the third, our camera crew chilled throughout the journey. The Alcazar’s ride quality is plush, and just as well as the roads were just the best as we neared Mandapam, the gateway to Rameshwaram, a little town with several pristine beaches. 

The Queen of the Bridges appears suddenly before your eyes. One minute you are on the flyover leading out of Mandapam, and the next you are up above the ocean on the road bridge, with the Pamban Rail Bridge stretched out below it. Driving the Hyundai Alcazar across the road bridge was a stirring experience, and those of you who have driven across such crossings across the world would clearly know what we are talking about. 

Town & Country

Rameshwaram is a lot like any town in India, except that it is studded with grand temples such as the Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Shiva, and famed for its long corridors and aesthetically carved pillars. The Alcazar might seat seven, but it can drive like a little car, and, thanks to its small turning radius, squirting the massive SUV out of tight situations was never a challenge. If piety or religious architecture is not your thing, there is always the ghost town of Dhanushkodi. The 1964 cyclone, which ravaged these parts, turned this once thriving settlement into a ghost town, and today, its crumbling homes are a major draw for tourists.

The Pamban Bridge looks even better at second sight, but rising alongside it is another rail bridge – the new Pamban Bridge. The dual-track, state of the art bridge will be the country’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge. The new bridge, which is 2.7km long, will help the Indian Railways run trains at higher speeds, carry more weight, and increase the volume of traffic between the mainland and Rameshwaram. 

The new bridge will also feature electrification, enabling trains hauled by electric locomotives to come into the picture. It is expected to be operational by the year-end and will replace the existing rail bridge. The old Pamban Bridge withstood the elements for over a century, including ferocious cyclones, but it has to ultimately make way for new. As we exited Rameshwaram and got onto the road bridge, our drone camera framed the two together, side by side, painting an eloquent picture of the old preparing to give way to the new.