Sengottai railway station

Sengottai railway station (station code: SCT) is a railway station serving the town of Sengottai in Tamil Nadu, India. Sengottai railway station on the Kollam–Sengottai branch line.


Sengottai railway station
Express train and Passenger train station
Sunset time 12662/12661 Podhigai SF Express ready to start from PF NO. 1
General information
LocationRailway Station Rd, Viswanathapuram, Sengottai, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, 627810
India
Coordinates8.9873°N 77.2420°E / 8.9873; 77.2420
Elevation181 m (594 ft)
Owned byIndian Railways
Operated bySouthern Railway zone
Line(s)Kollam–Sengottai branch line
Platforms4
Tracks6
ConnectionsBus stand, taxicab stand, auto rickshaw stand
Construction
Structure typeStandard (on-ground station)
ParkingYes
Other information
StatusFunctioning
Station codeSCT[1]
Zone(s) Southern Railway zone
Division(s) Madurai
ClassificationNSG-5
History
Opened1901
ElectrifiedYes
Services
Preceding station Indian Railways Following station
Bhagavathipuram
towards ?
Southern Railway zone Tenkasi Junction
towards ?
Route map
km
Left arrow
0
Tirunelveli Junction
Right arrow
LowerRight arrow
3
Tirunelveli Town
7
Pettai
19
Cheranmahadevi
22
Karaikkurichi
25
Viravanallur
30
Kallidaikurichi
35
Ambasamudram
41
Kizha Ambur
45
Azhwarkurichi
48
Ravanasamudram
50
Kizhakadaiyam
57
Mettur
62
Pavurchatram
69
Kizha Puliyur
UpperLeft arrow
72
Tenkasi Junction
80
Sengottai
LowerRight arrow
Location
Sengottai is located in Tamil Nadu
Sengottai
Sengottai
Location in Tamil Nadu
Sengottai is located in India
Sengottai
Sengottai
Location in India

The station lies on the century-old Quilon–Madras rail line built during the British Raj.[2] The Kollam–Shencottah railway line is the first railway line in erstwhile Travancore state and is more than a century old. The Kollam–Sengottai section is part of the Kollam–Chennai metre-gauge rail route commissioned by the British during 1904. The line which was metre gauge has been completely converted into broad gauge and train services started.

Overview

The Sengottai railway station is in the Southern Railways zone/Madurai division of Indian Railways and falls on the Virudhunagar to Kollam line. The station code is SCT.

History

The first idea of rail link from Tirunelveli to Kollam which was the trading capital of the Travancore Kingdom was conceived in 1873. The line was sanctioned by the Madras Presidency in 1899 and the survey was completed in 1900.The railway line was built jointly by South Indian railway, Travancore state and Madras Presidency.It was the ruler's desire to create a rail link between Kollam, the then commercial capital of his State and Madras. The meter gauge line from Kollam to Punalur was inaugurated by on 1 June 1904. The Punalur–Sengottai railway line was inaugurated on 26 November 1904. The construction of the metre-gauge rail route between Kollam–Punalur and Punalur–Shenkottai (Ghats section) along the scenic mountain terrain was started in 1873 by the British engineers and was completed in 1902. Travancore rulers in association with the British prepared the plan for the track through the challenging mountain terrain as it involved construction of long arch bridges over steep valleys and tunnels across the rocky mountains of Western Ghats.

The first goods train travelled on this route in 1902 and a train carrying its first passengers began its run in 1904. It makes for a thrilling train journey as it passes over five big bridges and hundreds of tiny ones while negotiating mountain streams and valleys. Passengers are also treated to a breath–taking view of the Western Ghats. The train also passes through five tunnels on this stretch, including the one-kilometer long tunnel between Bhagawathipuram and Arayankavu. The station at Punalur was equipped with locomotive service centre, Parcel and Timber Depot, Train parking bays, Storage Tanks for water and oil, etc. The scenic Punalur–Shencotta railway lies across the western ghats, providing a valuable link across the southern states. The journey through the western ghats is incredible.

Layout

The station has four platforms, of which all are functional. It also has six tracks used for passenger and shunting purpose.

Gauge conversion

The Punalur–Sengottai section is part of the 325 kilometres (202 mi) KollamSengottaiTenkasiTirunelveliThiruchendur gauge conversion project and part of the Tenkasi–Virudhunagar trunk route to Chennai at an estimate of 320 crore (US$40 million). The gauge conversion of the Thiruchendur-Sengottai section has been completed and is open to traffic. In Kollam JunctionShenkottai section the broad gauge conversion is also finished. Now it is serving as the shortest rail-route from Kochi port to Tuticorin port. Infrastructure of the station will be changed as proposed in tune with handling demands and matching to the glory of past.[3]

Kollam–Punalur section

The Kollam Junction–Punalur metre-gauge railway line to broad-gauge conversion works foundation stone was laid in 1998 at Punalur. Services on the Punalur–Kollam metre-gauge section were withdrawn on 1 May 2007, to facilitate the gauge conversion work. The gauge conversion took almost 11 years to complete after the foundation stone was laid. The 44 kilometres (27 mi) line was converted to broad gauge and inaugurated on 10 May 2010. Express and Passenger train services connecting Punalur to Chennai, Tirunelveli Junction, Palakkad Junction, Kollam Junction, Madurai, Guruvayur and Kanyakumari are currently operational in this route.[4]

Punalur–Sengottai section

To facilitate the gauge conversion work on the Punalur–Sengottai section, train services on the section were withdrawn in September 2010.[5] The 49.2 kilometres (30.6 mi) Punalur–Sengottai section gauge conversion works is in progress currently and expected to get completed by 2017.[6] Sections like Punalur–Edamon reach and Sengottai–Bhagavathipuram reach have been completed and open for traffic,[7][8][9][10][11][12]

Services

The station presently handles seventeenth express and Passenger trains services to Kollam Junction, Ernakulam Junction, Palakkad Junction, Tirunelveli Junction, Velankanni, Chennai Egmore, Mayiladuthurai Junction and Madurai Junction especially four express services ply to Chennai Egmore.

Future

Rail Electrification works between Kollam – Sengottai – Tirunelveli section started and was expected to complete March 2022. New Express trains connecting Ernakulam to Velankanni, Ernakulam to Tuticorin, Mangalore to Tuticorin, Guruvayur to Rameshwaram, Karaikkal to Kochuveli, Nizamuddin to Kochuveli and Bangalore to Kochuveli is also proposed in this route, waiting for RB approval.

Timetable

Trains Arr/Dep From Sengottai

Train No/Name Origin Destination Sengottai Arr Time Sengottai Dep time Service
16791/TEN – PGT Palaruvi Exp Tirunelveli Jn Palakkad Jn 12:40am 12:45am Daily
16792/PGT – TEN Palaruvi EXP Palakkad Jn Tirunelveli Jn 02:40am 02:45am Daily
16101/MS-QLN QUILON MAIL Chennai Egmore Kollam Jn 03:45am 03:50am Daily
16362/VLNK-ERS BI-WEEKLY EXP(SUN,MON) Vellankanni Ernakulam Jn 04:15am 04:20am MON,WED
06682/SCT-TEN UR Exp Sengottai Tirunelveli Jn -- 06:40am Daily
16848/SCT-MV UR EXP Sengottai Mayiladuthurai Jn -- 07:05am Daily
12661/MS-SCT Podhigai SF Exp Chennai Egmore Sengottai 08:00am -- Daily
20681/MS-SCT SILAMBU SF EXP(W,F,SA) Chennai Egmore Sengottai 08:30am -- THU,SA,SUN
06685/TEN-SCT UR Exp Tirunelveli Jn Sengottai 09:05am -- Daily
06684/SCT-TEN UR Exp Sengottai Tirunelveli Jn -- 10:05am Daily
06504/Madurai – Sengottai Express Special (UR) Madurai Jn Sengottai -- 10:35am Daily
20683/TBM-SCT Tri-Wkly SF Exp (Via:Tirunelveli Jn) Tambaram Sengottai 10:50am -- SUN,TUE,THU(From Tambaram)
06681/TEN-SCT UR Exp Tirunelveli Jn Sengottai 11:50am -- Daily
06664/SCT-MDU UR Express Sengottai Madurai Jn -- 12:10pm Daily
06658/SCT-TEN UR Exp Sengottai Tirunelveli Jn -- 02:35Pm Daily
16102/QLN-MS QUILON Mail Kollam Jn Chennai Egmore 03:00pm 03:05pm Daily
16327/Madurai – Guruvayur EXP Madurai Jn Guruvayur 03:20Pm 03:25Pm Daily
16328/Guruvayur- Madurai Express Guruvayur Madurai Jn 03:40Pm 03:45pm Daily
06687/TEN-SCT UR Exp Tirunelveli Jn Sengottai 04:10pm -- Daily
20684/SCT-TBM Tri-Wkly SF Exp (Via:Tirunelveli Jn) Sengottai Tambaram -- 04:15pm MON,WED,FRI(From Sengottai)
20682/Silambu Super Fast Express Sengottai Chennai Egmore -- 04:50pm Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
06686/SCT-TEN UR Exp Sengottai Tirunelveli Jn -- 05:50Pm Daily
12662/Pothigai Superfast Express Sengottai Chennai Egmore -- 06:20pm Daily
16361/Ernakulam – Velankanni Bi-wkly Exp (Via Pattukottai) Ernakulam Jn Velankanni 08:00pm 08:05pm SAT,MON
06657/TEN-SCT UR Exp Tirunelveli Jn Sengottai 08:20pm -- Daily
16847/Mayiladuthurai – Sengottai Express (UnReserved) Mayiladuthurai Jn Sengottai 09:30pm -- Daily

References

  1. "Sengottai Railway Station". Mustseeindia. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  2. "Kollam–Sengottai train service likely from May". The Hindu. Kozhikode. 21 December 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  3. Ignatius, Pereira (28 February 2008). "Punalur-Shencottah gauge conversion to begin in May". The Hindu. Kollam. Archived from the original on 4 March 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  4. "Kollam-Punalur line opening today". The Hindu. Thiruvananthapuram. 12 May 2010. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  5. "Metre gauge line to be closed". The Hindu. Madurai. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  6. "Punalur–Shencottah gauge conversion may miss deadline". The Hindu. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  7. "A better deal for Southern Railway in Railway Budget". The Hindu. Chennai. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  8. "New Gauge Conversion Projects Sanctioned in 2012-13". Ministry of Railways. New Delhi: Press Information Bureau. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  9. J Arockiaraj (15 March 2012). "Mixed response in south Tamil Nadu to rail budget". The Times of India. Madurai. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  10. Ignatius, Pereira (30 September 2013). "Gauge conversion project faces hurdles in Aryankavu". The Hindu. Kollam. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  11. Ignatius, Pereira (25 December 2013). "Shencottah train in the siding, yawning gap ahead". The Hindu. Kollam. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  12. Ignatius, Pereira (8 February 2014). "Punalur–Shengotta rail gauge conversion work set to resume". The Hindu. Kollam. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
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