Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line

The Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line is a railway line which runs through the districts of Ernakulam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha in Kerala state of India. This railway line starts as a branch line from Ernakulam Town railway station towards Kottayam and joins with the Ernakulam–Kayamkulam coastal line route via Alappuzha at Kayamkulam Junction. This line comes under the Thiruvananthapuram railway division of Southern Railway Zone of Indian Railways. The line has a total distance of 118 km (73 mi). The Ernakulam Town/Ernakulam Junction - Kottayam section opened in 1956-57[1] and Kottayam - Kollam section in 1957.[2]

Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line
Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line passes through Mavelikkara railway station
Overview
Native nameഎറണാകുളം-കോട്ടയം-കായംകുളം റെയിൽ പാത
StatusOperational
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleKerala
Termini
Stations18
Websitewww.sr.indianrailways.gov.in
Service
TypeRegional rail
Light rail
Operator(s)Southern Railway zone
History
Opened1956 (1956)
Technical
Line length118 km (73 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Loading gauge4,725 mm × 3,660 mm (15 ft 6.0 in × 12 ft 0.1 in) (BG)
ElectrificationFully Electrified. 25 kV 50 Hz AC
Operating speed100 km/h (62 mph)
Route map

Stations

There are 18 railway stations along the stretch. The major stations are Ernakulam Town, Kottayam, Chengannur, Tiruvalla, Changanacherry, Tripunithura, and Mavelikara. The details of the railway stations (excluding Ernakulam D Cabin - ERSD) is shown below.

Sl. No Station Name Code Category Entrances
1. Tripunithura TRTR NSG5 One
2. Chottanikkara Road (Kurikad) KFE HG3 One
3. Mulanturutti MNTT NSG6 One
4. Kanjiramittam KPTM HG2 One
5. Piravam Road PVRD NSG5 One
6. Vaikom Road VARD NSG6 One
7. Kaduturutti Halt KDTY HG3 One
8. Kuruppanthara KRPP NSG6 One
9. Ettumanur ETM NSG6 One
10. Kumaranallur KFQ HG3 One
11. Kottayam KTYM NSG3 One
12. Chingavanam CGV NSG6 One
13. Changanasseri CGY NSG4 One
14. Tiruvalla TRVL NSG4 One
15. Chengannur CNGR NSG3 One
16. Cheriyanad CYN NSG6 One
17. Mavelikara MVLK NSG5 One

**Note:-

  1. Stations written in bold letters - Stations generating Rs. 2,00,00,000(Rs. 2 Crore) or more in a financial year.
  2. The criteria for categorization of stations have now been revised to include footfalls at the station. The stations have been clubbed into three groups -- Non-suburban (NS), Suburban (S) and Halt (H). These groups have further been put in grades ranging from NSG 1-6, SG 1-3 and HG 1-3, respectively[3][4]

Significance

This line has significant role in connecting people to various social, economic, political and religious centers of middle part of Kerala. The railway stations at Chengannur, Kottayam and Tiruvalla act as the reception centers for people from various parts of country to the famous Hindu pilgrim center Sabarimala. The Chengannur station has been declared as the "Gateway of Sabarimala" by Indian Railways in 2009. During Sabarimala pilgrim (Mandala) season, state transport buses (KSRTC) operate from these stations (mainly from Chengannur and then Kottayam). Some of the major pilgrim centers and the nearest railway stations are shown below.

Station Major Pilgrim centers
Chottanikkara Road Chottanikkara Temple
Mulanthurutti Mulanthuruthy Marthoman Cathedral, Chottanikkara Temple
Piravam Road St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom (Rajadhiraja pally), Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil Temple, Karavelloor Mahadeva Temple, Desadhipan Amarkkulam Sreekrishna Swamy Temple, Mulakulam Mar Yohanon Ihidiyo Orthodox Syrian Church
Vaikom Road Vaikom Mahadeva Temple
Kaduthuruthy St. Mary's Knanaya Valiyapally, St. Mary's Syro Malabar Forane Church Kaduthuruthy
Ettumanur Ettumanoor Mahadeva temple, St. Mary's Forane Church-Athirampuzha (Pilgrim centre of St.Sebastian), Major Archiepiscopal Marth Mariam Archdeacon Church, Kuravilangad, St. Mary's Church Kudamaloor, St. Alphonsa Shrine Bharananganam
Kottayam Thirunakkara Sree Mahadevar Temple, Sabarimala Temple (110 km), Panachikkadu Temple (12 km), Manarcad Marth Mariam Cathedral (10 km) St. George Orthodox Church, Puthupally (10 km), Thazhathangady Juma Mosque, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam (Old Seminary), Devalokam Catholicate Palace
Changancherry Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple, Sabarimala Temple (100 km), Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple, St. Mary's Church-Parel, Perunna Subrahmanya Swami Temple, Kavil Bhagavathy Temple, Panachikkadu Temple, Neelamperoor Palli Bhagavathi Temple, Anikkattilammakshethram
Tiruvalla Sabarimala Temple (92 km), Parumala Church(Pigrim centre of St. Gregorios) (16 km), Chakkulathukavu Temple, St. George Forane Church-Edathua, Sreevallabha Temple, St. Marys's Valiyapally- Niranam (Founded by St. Thomas in AD 54), St. George Orthodox Church-Paliakkara (3.5 km)
Chengannur Sabarimala Temple (90 km), ThiruChengannur Old Syrian Church, Chengannur Mahadeva Temple, Pandalam, Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, Parumala Church, Maramon
Mavelikara Chettikulangara Sree Bhagavathi temple, Kandiyoor Sree Mahadeva Temple

Tourism/Others

Kottayam is the nearest railway station which caters to famous tourist destinations like Kumarakom. The Changanacherry Railway Station acts as a gateway to Kuttanad and to tourist spots of Idukki. Hill Palace, Infopark-Kochi, various industries like KEL, FACT etc. are situated in proximity to Tripunithura railway station.

History

Train service began in Travancore, erstwhile Kerala state on 26 November 1904, with the completion of the Kollam–Sengottai branch line, which was a part of Kollam - Chennai meter gauge route. On 4 November 1931, the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station was launched. In 1956 during the formation of Kerala, the total length of railway line in the State was 745 km. Ernakulam and Kollam were not connected by rail then. The Ernakulam - Kottayam and Kottayam - Kollam railway lines were completed in 1956 and 1958 respectively. In December 1971, a Rs.13.59 crore project was established to convert the Thiruvananthapuram - Ernakulam line (220 km) from meter gauge to broad gauge was sanctioned. The work was completed in 1976.

There are two tunnels, measuring 150 m (490 ft) and 175 m (574 ft) metres each, situated between the Chingavanam and Kottayam stations, quite near to Kottayam. These railway tunnels were built by ‘Metro man’ E Sreedharan during the early years of his career in 1955-56 at Kottayam. The two tunnels are part of the 1952 Ernakulam Town-Kollam railway line which was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Track doubling and other developments

The Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line is fully electrified and doubled. The doubling works through this line received the green light sanction back in 2001. After multiple delays, doubling works were systematically completed and commissioned in all and the last stretches from the Ettumanoor to Chingavanam section, which was completed in May 2022. The Railway Chief Zone Safety Commissioner Abhay Kumar Rai conducted the safety inspection of this stretch on 23 May 2022 and this was ultimately commissioned on 29 May 2022.[5] Thus, with the completion of doubling of the entire Ernakulam-Kottayam-Kayankulam line, it is expected that there would be a significant reduction in the late running of trains on this stretch, as well as the introduction of new trains.

Renovation works of railway stations on this stretch as part of the doubling works have mostly been completed, with introduction of new facilities to passengers. Recently Piravam Road, Vaikom Road, Kuruppanthara, Ettumanur, Chingavanam, Changanacherry, Tiruvalla, Chengannur were renovated as part of track doubling with either construction of new station buildings or renovation of platforms or new foot overbridges etc. Construction activities for relocating Ettumanur station to the middle of Neendoor and Athirampuzha roads are almost done.[6] Due to this relocation, the station will be easily accessible for the commuters coming from MG University, Medical College Kottayam and Mannanam. The Kottayam station, which is the main station along the route has also been renovated during progress of rail doubling works.

The iconic tunnels between Chingavanam and Kottayam (near Kottayam station) have been used as shunting lines after track doubling.[7] Although the initial plan was to build another tunnel, this idea was dropped after the topography was found to be unsuitable. Subsequently, a new double track has been made after removing earth for one kilometre on the side of the existing tunnels and railway overbridges have been deployed above the tracks. The existing tunnels will, in future, be used only for shunting as passenger traffic will be redirected to the new tracks.

Major Trains

The major trains running along this route:

Express trains like New Delhi - Thiruvananthapuram Kerala Superfast Express, Kanyakumari - Dibrugarh Vivek Superfast Express (longest running train in India) , Himsagar Express, Kanniyakumari - Pune Express, Amritha Express, Palaruvi Express, Malabar Express, Parasuram Express, Rajya Rani Express, Venad Express etc run along through this route.

Future Plans

Various plans are in consideration to connect the line to various regions of middle Kerala.

However the Government of Kerala is now focusing on the alignment for the semi high speed rail corridor from Kochuveli to Kasaragod (K-Rail Silver Line), which expects minimal land acquisition, faster means of travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod[16] under KRDCL.

See also

References
  1. "Railway Budget speech 1957-58 (final)" (PDF). www.indianrailways.gov.in. Government of India, Ministry of Railways. 14 May 1957.
  2. "Railway Budget speech 1958-59" (PDF). www.indianrailways.gov.in. Government of India, Ministry of Railways. 17 February 1958.
  3. "Minister of Railways directs to re-categorize railway stations taking into account earnings, passenger footfall, strategic importance". pib.nic.in.
  4. "Railways revise station categories to improve services". The Economic Times. PTI. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  5. "Finally, double track on Kottayam rail route gets ready, first train today evening".
  6. "Ettumanur railway station to be relocated". The Times Of India.
  7. "Journeys through Kottayam rail tunnels built by E Sreedharan to end soon..." The Mathrubhumi.
  8. "Kerala to pitch for seven rail projects". aanavandi.com.
  9. "Thiruvananthapuram-Chengannur Suburban Rail Corridor: DPR awaits Government nod". railnews.in.
  10. https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2023/04/26/railways-moots-chengannur-pamba-line-alternative-sabari-project.html
  11. "Confusion over rail lines announced for survey". The Hindu.
  12. "New Chengannur-Thiruvananthapuram rail line soon". The Hindu.
  13. "Upgrade Thiruvalla railway station". The Hindu. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  14. "Early implementation of Madurai-Kottayam line sought". The Hindu.
  15. "Feasibility report on Madurai-Kottayam BG line submitted". The Hindu Business Line.
  16. "Aerial survey for Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargod semi high-speed rail corridor completed". The Indian Express.

1.Ernakulam - Kayamkulam Passenger(via Kottayam)
https://indiarailinfo.com/train/timetable/ernakulam-kayamkulam-passenger-via-kottayam-56387/2729/52/57

2. Doubling work on speed track in 115 km long Ernakulam-Kottayam-Kayamkulam
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/amp/nation/current-affairs/270717/doubling-work-on-speed-track-in-115-km-long-ernakulam-kottayam-kayamkulam-section.html

3. Kerala Rail Development Corporation (KRDCL) Projects
http://krdcl.co.in/?page_id=12

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