The Kollam–Sengottai railway line (formerly known as Quilon–Shencottah or Quilon–Chenkotta line) is a railway line in South India which connects Kollam Junction in Kerala state and Sengottai (also spelled Shencottah, Shenkottai, Chengottai, Chenkottai, Senkottai) in Tamil Nadu. The Quilon–Shencottah railway line was the first railway line in the erstwhile Travancore state and is more than a century old. The Kollam–Sengottai section is part of the Kollam–Chennaimetre-gauge rail route commissioned by the British in 1904. The line has been completely converted to broad gauge and is now fully operational from Kollam Junction to Shengottai.
Kollam–Sengottai railway line
Metre-gauge train passing through Thirteen Arch railway bridge
The Kollam–Sengottai metre-gauge line was conceived and implemented by Maharajah Uthram Thirunal of Travancore. It was built jointly by South Indian Railway Company, Travancore State and the Madras Presidency. After a survey in 1888, work started in 1900 and was completed by 1902. The first goods train travelled on this route in 1902 while the first passenger train began its run in 1904. Metre-gauge services were inaugurated on 1July 1904 with the first passenger train flagged off from Kollam by Maharajah Moolam Thirunal of Travancore with a 21-gun salute. The railway line was constructed by the British in the foothills of the Western Ghats to transport forest products, spices and cashews from Kollam to Chennai, their southern headquarters.
Timeline
1888 Survey for Quilone-Madras rail started.
1899 - Survey for Quilon–Madras rail link completed[3]
1900 - Works for Kollam–Sengottai metre-gauge railway line started to connect the city of Quilon with Madras
1902 - Kollam–Sengottai Railway line works completed
1998 - Gauge conversion of Kollam–Sengottai Railway line officially started
2007 - On 1 May, rail services on Kollam–Punalur section withdrawn
2010 - On 10 May, Kollam–Punalur broad-gauge section thrown open for services[4]
2018 - On 31 March, the entire Kollam–Sengottai line thrown open for passenger train services.[5][6][7] The first passenger train on the stretch was Tambaram–Kollam–Tambaram special train service (06027/28) which completed the service by earning Rs 3.15 lakh as passenger ticket collection from its 879 passengers against a capacity of 712.[8]
About the route
The route was once a lifeline for the people of the southern districts of Kerala state and the Sengottai–Virudhunagar belt of Tamil Nadu. It served to create a strong link especially among the trading community of these areas in the two States. British tea estates and coffee plantations thrived on the labour of tribesman living in the Thenmala forests and workers from Tamil Nadu. The railway line contributed much to the development of a plantation economy in this area. The farmers of the Shencottah-Virudhunagar belt depended on the trains to market their produce in south Travancore. Huge quantities of vegetables, groceries and dairy products such as curd were brought into Kollam district from Tamil Nadu by trains that plied the route. The Palaruvi and Kazhuthurutti waterfalls and the Thenmala eco-tourism centre are on the fringes of this line, and the Courtallam waterfalls at the destination make this route popular with nature lovers.[9]
Notable landmarks on the route
View of 13 Kannara Bridge
Train passing over 13 Kannara Bridge in 2022
13 Kannara Bridge
The Pathimoonnu Kannara Bridge or 13 Arch Bridge (Pathimoonu kannara palam) is a 108–year–old bridge at Kazhathuruthi. The bridge consists of 13 arches and is a major landmark on the Kollam–Sengottai railway line as well as a testimony to the architectural abilities of the British. The bridge connects two hillocks and stands on thirteen granite pillars each almost a hundred feet tall. Sandwiched by the Kollam-Thirumangalam National Highway on one side and the River Kazhuthurutti on the other, the bridge is 102.72 metres (337.0 ft) long and 5.18 metres (17.0 ft) tall.
Aryankavu–Puliyara (Kottavasal) tunnel
The Aryankavu tunnel links Aryankavu in Kerala with Bhagavathipuram in Tamil Nadu. The tunnel was completed in 1903 and is 680 metres (2,230 ft) long. On both sides of the tunnel, the conch shell symbol of the Travancore rulers has been imprinted.
Train No:6105/6106 (earlier 105/106) Kollam–Chennai Egmore Mail
This train was introduced in 1904 after the completion of the Quilon–Sengottai–Virudhunagar metre-gauge line and was flagged off by the then Maharaja of Travancore, Moolam Thirunal. The train was later renamed the Quilon–Madras Mail. The train was extended to Trivandrum in 1918 after completion of the Quilon–Trivandrum metre-gauge line. This train was one of the early metre gauge trains to have a First Class. The train was truncated at Quilon after the Kollam–Trivandrum Central metre-gauge track was converted to broad gauge in 1979. The train went through to Madurai Junction railway station via Manamadurai Junction from 1996 when the Virudhunagar–Madurai line was converted to broad gauge. The train was discontinued in June 2000.
Train No:6383/6384 Tirunelveli–Kollam Express
Sengottai–Kollam passenger
This passenger train was the main means of transport among office workers and students along this route.
Broad gauge conversion
The Punalur–Sengottai section is part of the 325-km Kollam–Sengottai–Tenkasi–Tirunelveli–Tiruchendur gauge conversion project and part of the Tenkasi–Virudhunagar trunk route to Chennai. The gauge conversion of the Sengottai–Tiruchendur section has been completed and is open to traffic.
Abandoned Metre Gauge Rail
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 km line was converted to broad gauge and inaugurated on 10 May 2010. Passenger train services connecting Punalur to Kollam, Madurai, Guruvayur, Kanyakumari and Palakkad Junction are currently operational in this route.[1]
Punalur–Sengottai section
To facilitate the gauge conversion work on the Punalur–Sengottai section, train services on the section were withdrawn in September 2010. The 49.2-km Punalur–Sengottai section gauge conversion works were completed in December 2017 and the line was commissioned in March 2018. The inaugural Tambaram–Kollam special train (06027) ran through the section on 31 March 2018. The inaugural TBM–QLN special train was later extended to Chennai Egmore (MS) and then regularised w.e.f. 04.03.2019 where the inaugural run of the regular daily express train was flagged off. The regular train is 115 years old and re-started after 19 years. The train MS<>QLN EXP has train numbers 16101 (MS–QLN)/16102 (QLN–MS). The inaugural special run of the regular train had 06101 as the number and had a total of 14 coaches with 8 SL coaches & 2 3A coaches.
Stations
The railway stations in Kollam Junction–Sengottai railway line are
^J S Mundrey (2010). Railway Track Engineering (Fourth ed.). New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. p. 7. ISBN978-0-07-068012-8. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
^"Kollam Municipal Corporation". Retrieved 21 June 2017.
^"Kollam-Sengottai train service likely from May". The Hindu. Kozhikode. 21 December 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
^"Sengottai-Kollam railway line reopens after eight years". The New Indian Express. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^"Chennai to Kollam train will resume after eight years". The New Indian Express. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^"Special trains announced between Tambaram and Kollam". Times of India. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^"First train from Chennai on Punalur line has commuters ready to roll". Times of India. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^S. Binu, Raj (17 March 2010). "Whistling adieu". The Hindu. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
April 29, 2023
kollam, sengottai, chord, line, kollam, sengottai, railway, line, formerly, known, quilon, shencottah, quilon, chenkotta, line, railway, line, south, india, which, connects, kollam, junction, kerala, state, sengottai, also, spelled, shencottah, shenkottai, che. The Kollam Sengottai railway line formerly known as Quilon Shencottah or Quilon Chenkotta line is a railway line in South India which connects Kollam Junction in Kerala state and Sengottai also spelled Shencottah Shenkottai Chengottai Chenkottai Senkottai in Tamil Nadu The Quilon Shencottah railway line was the first railway line in the 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 in 1904 The line has been completely converted to broad gauge and is now fully operational from Kollam Junction to Shengottai Kollam Sengottai railway lineMetre gauge train passing through Thirteen Arch railway bridgeOverviewStatusActiveOwnerIndian RailwaysLocaleKeralaTamil NaduTerminiKollam JunctionSengottaiStations17Websitewww wbr sr wbr indianrailways wbr gov wbr inServiceTypeExpress trainPassenger trainServices4 Express 3 PassengerRoute number63 1 Operator s Southern Railway zoneDepot s KollamErnakulamGolden RockHistoryOpened26 November 1904 118 years ago 1904 11 26 Closed2010 13 years ago 2010 Reopened9 June 2018 4 years ago 2018 06 09 TechnicalLine length94 1 km 58 5 mi Number of tracks1Track gauge1 676 mm 5 ft 6 in Old gauge1 000 mm 3 ft 3 3 8 in Loading gauge4 725 mm 3 660 mm 15 ft 6 0 in 12 ft 0 1 in BG 2 ElectrificationYesOperating speed100 km h 62 mph Highest elevation272 m 892 ft Route mapKollam Sengottaibranch linekmto Trivandrum Central0 Kollam JunctionChemmamukku overpassKollam Bypassto Kayamkulam JunctionTVCMDU limitsNH 7446 Kilikollur8 Chandanattop HaltNH 18313 KundaraChittumala Road15 Kundara EastNH 74419 EzhukoneNedumankavu RoadNH 744Ampalathumkala overpassNH 744NH 74425 KottarakaraKottarakara Street overpassSH 1Mylom Thodu30 KuriThalavoor Road37 Auvaneeswarem45 PunalurKallada RiverSH 8NH 744NH 744Anapettakongal Road55 EdamannUrukkunnu Tunnel77 OttakkalTenmala Tunnel 166 ThenmalaTenmala Tunnel 2Tenmala Tunnel 3Tenmala Tunnel 413 arch bridgeAchankoil River70 Kazhuthurutty77 Edapalayam75 New Aryankavu79 AryankavuNH 744KeralaTamil NaduAryankavu TunnelNH 74487 Bhagavathipuram93 SengottaiElattur RoadSH 39A Tamil NaduNH 744102 Tenkasi Junctionto Virudhunagar Junctionto Tirunelveli Junction Contents 1 History 1 1 Timeline 2 About the route 2 1 Notable landmarks on the route 2 2 Popular metre gauge trains on the route 3 Broad gauge conversion 3 1 Kollam Punalur section 3 2 Punalur Sengottai section 4 Stations 5 See also 6 ReferencesHistory EditThe Kollam Sengottai metre gauge line was conceived and implemented by Maharajah Uthram Thirunal of Travancore It was built jointly by South Indian Railway Company Travancore State and the Madras Presidency After a survey in 1888 work started in 1900 and was completed by 1902 The first goods train travelled on this route in 1902 while the first passenger train began its run in 1904 Metre gauge services were inaugurated on 1 July 1904 with the first passenger train flagged off from Kollam by Maharajah Moolam Thirunal of Travancore with a 21 gun salute The railway line was constructed by the British in the foothills of the Western Ghats to transport forest products spices and cashews from Kollam to Chennai their southern headquarters Timeline Edit 1888 Survey for Quilone Madras rail started 1899 Survey for Quilon Madras rail link completed 3 1900 Works for Kollam Sengottai metre gauge railway line started to connect the city of Quilon with Madras 1902 Kollam Sengottai Railway line works completed 1904 On 1 June His Highness Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma of Travancore flagged off the first passenger train service on the Kollam Sengottai railway line at Kollam railway station 1998 Gauge conversion of Kollam Sengottai Railway line officially started 2007 On 1 May rail services on Kollam Punalur section withdrawn 2010 On 10 May Kollam Punalur broad gauge section thrown open for services 4 2018 On 31 March the entire Kollam Sengottai line thrown open for passenger train services 5 6 7 The first passenger train on the stretch was Tambaram Kollam Tambaram special train service 06027 28 which completed the service by earning Rs 3 15 lakh as passenger ticket collection from its 879 passengers against a capacity of 712 8 About the route EditThe route was once a lifeline for the people of the southern districts of Kerala state and the Sengottai Virudhunagar belt of Tamil Nadu It served to create a strong link especially among the trading community of these areas in the two States British tea estates and coffee plantations thrived on the labour of tribesman living in the Thenmala forests and workers from Tamil Nadu The railway line contributed much to the development of a plantation economy in this area The farmers of the Shencottah Virudhunagar belt depended on the trains to market their produce in south Travancore Huge quantities of vegetables groceries and dairy products such as curd were brought into Kollam district from Tamil Nadu by trains that plied the route The Palaruvi and Kazhuthurutti waterfalls and the Thenmala eco tourism centre are on the fringes of this line and the Courtallam waterfalls at the destination make this route popular with nature lovers 9 Notable landmarks on the route Edit View of 13 Kannara Bridge Train passing over 13 Kannara Bridge in 2022 13 Kannara BridgeThe Pathimoonnu Kannara Bridge or 13 Arch Bridge Pathimoonu kannara palam is a 108 year old bridge at Kazhathuruthi The bridge consists of 13 arches and is a major landmark on the Kollam Sengottai railway line as well as a testimony to the architectural abilities of the British The bridge connects two hillocks and stands on thirteen granite pillars each almost a hundred feet tall Sandwiched by the Kollam Thirumangalam National Highway on one side and the River Kazhuthurutti on the other the bridge is 102 72 metres 337 0 ft long and 5 18 metres 17 0 ft tall Aryankavu Puliyara Kottavasal tunnelThe Aryankavu tunnel links Aryankavu in Kerala with Bhagavathipuram in Tamil Nadu The tunnel was completed in 1903 and is 680 metres 2 230 ft long On both sides of the tunnel the conch shell symbol of the Travancore rulers has been imprinted Popular metre gauge trains on the route Edit Rail line towards Kollam Junction near Kuri Train No 6105 6106 earlier 105 106 Kollam Chennai Egmore MailThis train was introduced in 1904 after the completion of the Quilon Sengottai Virudhunagar metre gauge line and was flagged off by the then Maharaja of Travancore Moolam Thirunal The train was later renamed the Quilon Madras Mail The train was extended to Trivandrum in 1918 after completion of the Quilon Trivandrum metre gauge line This train was one of the early metre gauge trains to have a First Class The train was truncated at Quilon after the Kollam Trivandrum Central metre gauge track was converted to broad gauge in 1979 The train went through to Madurai Junction railway station via Manamadurai Junction from 1996 when the Virudhunagar Madurai line was converted to broad gauge The train was discontinued in June 2000 Train No 6383 6384 Tirunelveli Kollam Express Sengottai Kollam passengerThis passenger train was the main means of transport among office workers and students along this route Broad gauge conversion Edit The Punalur Sengottai section is part of the 325 km Kollam Sengottai Tenkasi Tirunelveli Tiruchendur gauge conversion project and part of the Tenkasi Virudhunagar trunk route to Chennai The gauge conversion of the Sengottai Tiruchendur section has been completed and is open to traffic Abandoned Metre Gauge Rail Kollam Punalur section Edit 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 km line was converted to broad gauge and inaugurated on 10 May 2010 Passenger train services connecting Punalur to Kollam Madurai Guruvayur Kanyakumari and Palakkad Junction are currently operational in this route 1 Punalur Sengottai section Edit To facilitate the gauge conversion work on the Punalur Sengottai section train services on the section were withdrawn in September 2010 The 49 2 km Punalur Sengottai section gauge conversion works were completed in December 2017 and the line was commissioned in March 2018 The inaugural Tambaram Kollam special train 06027 ran through the section on 31 March 2018 The inaugural TBM QLN special train was later extended to Chennai Egmore MS and then regularised w e f 04 03 2019 where the inaugural run of the regular daily express train was flagged off The regular train is 115 years old and re started after 19 years The train MS lt gt QLN EXP has train numbers 16101 MS QLN 16102 QLN MS The inaugural special run of the regular train had 06101 as the number and had a total of 14 coaches with 8 SL coaches amp 2 3A coaches Stations EditThe railway stations in Kollam Junction Sengottai railway line are Kollam Junction Kilikollur Chandanattop Kundara Kundara East Ezhukone Kottarakara Kuri Avaneeswaram Punalur Edaman Ottakkal Thenmala Kazhuthurutti Halt Edapalayam New Aryankavu Aryankavu Bhagavathipuram SengottaiSee also EditTenkasi Junction Tirunelveli JunctionRoute map Route mapReferences Edit a b Passenger Train time Table 2013 Punalur Kollam Punalur PDF Indian Railways Southern Railway zone p 54 Retrieved 9 January 2014 J S Mundrey 2010 Railway Track Engineering Fourth ed New Delhi Tata McGraw Hill p 7 ISBN 978 0 07 068012 8 Retrieved 9 January 2014 Kollam Municipal Corporation Retrieved 21 June 2017 Kollam Sengottai train service likely from May The Hindu Kozhikode 21 December 2016 Retrieved 21 June 2017 Sengottai Kollam railway line reopens after eight years The New Indian Express 1 April 2018 Retrieved 2 April 2018 Chennai to Kollam train will resume after eight years The New Indian Express 31 March 2018 Retrieved 2 April 2018 Special trains announced between Tambaram and Kollam Times of India 30 March 2018 Retrieved 2 April 2018 First train from Chennai on Punalur line has commuters ready to roll Times of India 1 April 2018 Retrieved 2 April 2018 S Binu Raj 17 March 2010 Whistling adieu The Hindu Retrieved 6 June 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kollam Sengottai Chord Line amp oldid 1143931540, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
