Villupuram–Pondicherry branch line

The Villupuram Junction–Puducherry (Pondy) branch line is a single electrified railway line run from Viluppuram Junction, where it split off the Chennai Egmore–Thanjavur main line, and Puducherry.

Villupuram–Pondicherry branch line
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleTamil Nadu
Termini
Service
Operator(s)Southern Railway zone
History
Opened16 December 1879 (16 December 1879)[1][2][3]
Technical
Track lengthBranch lines:
VMTooltip Viluppuram Junction railway station–PDYTooltip Puducherry railway station (38 kilometres (24 mi))
Electrification25 kV AC 50 Hz
Single-line electrification
Operating speed100 km/h (62 mph)
Highest elevationViluppuram Junction 45 metres (148 ft)
Puducherry 6 metres (20 ft)
Route map
km
Up arrow to Katpadi Junction
  Chennai Egmore Right arrow 
0
 Viluppuram Junction
  Left arrow Vriddhachalam Junction 
 LowerLeft arrow to Cuddalore Port Junction
10
 Valavanur
22
 Chinna Babu Samudram
Tamil Nadu
Puducherry
 NH332-IN.svg NH 332
30
 Villianur
 NH332-IN.svg NH 332
38
 Puducherry

History

The line was originally built in the late ninteeth century and crossed between British and French territory at the Sankaraparani River.[4] It opened on 16 December 1879.[4] The line once had spur to major textile mill in Pondicherry[5] as well as to its port. Before broad gauge conversion, trains between Puducherry and Villupuram halted at Palliyaneliyanur.[6]

As of 2019, there are plans to develop the intermediate station infrastructure to increase capacity on the line.[7]

Services

The branch line serves superfast express trains bound for Howrah, Bhubaneswar, and New Delhi. There are also standard express trains serving several destinations, and local trains that run among the whole branch line.[3]

Stations
Km Image Station Code Location Coordinates Elevation
0 Viluppuram Junction VM Viluppuram 11.9426°N 79.4997°E / 11.9426; 79.4997 44 metres (144 ft)
10 Valavanur VRA Viluppuram district 11.9180°N 79.5742°E / 11.9180; 79.5742 37 metres (121 ft)
22 Chinna Babu Samudram CBU NH 45A, Villupuram district 11.9203°N 79.6867°E / 11.9203; 79.6867 23 metres (75 ft)
30 Villianur VI NH 45A Sulthanpet, Villianur, Villianur taluk, Puducherry 11.9202°N 79.7583°E / 11.9202; 79.7583 11 metres (36 ft)
38 Puducherry PDY Pondicherry 11.9250°N 79.8281°E / 11.9250; 79.8281

Viluppuram Junction

Located in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, Viluppuram Junction railway station is where the branch line connects with the main line and several other branch lines that originate there.

Valavanur

Valavanur station is located in the Viluppuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, India.[8] It was once an import depot for the shipment of peanut oil.[9]

The station consists of 1 platform on a single track. As of 2019 there were plans to expand the station with a line block and siding to accommodate through service trains.[7]

Chinna Babu Samudram

Chinna Babu Samudram station is also located in the Viluppuram district. It was a former customs hub between the former British and French territories.[10] The station has three tracks, with a single side platform serving the southernmost track.

Villianur

Villianur station serves the town of Villianur. It consists of a single side platform serving a single track.[11] Like with Valavanur station, there are plans to implement a line block at this station.[7]

Puducherry

The Puducherry railway station, located in Pondicherry, is the terminus station.

References
  1. Revenue, Madras (India : Presidency) Board of (30 July 1882). "Reports on the Settlement of the Land Revenue of the Provinces Under the Madras Presidency for Fusli ..." H. Smith at the Fort St. George Gazette Press – via Google Books.
  2. "Bradshaw's Railway Manual, Shareholders' Guide, and Official- Directory ..." W. J. Adams. 30 July 1896 – via Google Books.
  3. "Trains from Puducherry, Puducherry to Chennai Trains, Pondy Train". www.puducherryonline.in.
  4. "SOUTHERN RAILWAY—TIRUCHCHIRAPPALLI DIVISION" (PDF). Indian Railways. Southern Railway zone. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  5. Prasad, S. (15 July 2019). "Anglo-French Textiles mills yet to come out of severe crisis". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 July 2022. Anglo-French Textiles, once known as Rodier Mill, was established in 1898 by a firm with its headquarters in London. In 1899, the mill was even provided with a railway branch line connecting the Puducherry-Villupuram railway mainline
  6. "Residents demand railway station". The Hindu. Puducherry. 6 January 2009. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  7. Nair, Rajesh B. (30 September 2019). "Railways unable to keep pace with demand for services". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 July 2022. Plans are afoot to develop the stations at Villianur and Valavanur so that the line capacity could be raised
  8. Godfernaux, Raymond (1911), Les chemins de fer coloniaux français, H. Dunod et E. Pinat
  9. Dymock, William (1893), Pharmacographia Indica: A History of the Principal Drugs of Vegetable Origin, Met with in British India, Volume 3 Index and Appendix, Harvard University Press
  10. Illustrated Guide to the South Indian Railway (Incorporated in England): Including the Tanjore District Board, Pondicherry, Peralam-Karaikkal, Travancore State, Cochin State, Coimbatore District Board, Tinnevelly-Tiruchendur, and the Nilgiri Railways. Asian Educational Services. 30 July 1926. ISBN 9788120618893 – via Google Books.
  11. "Woman's body found near railway track". The Hindu. Puducherry. 3 October 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
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