The foundation stone for Kanyakumari Railway station was laid by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 6 April 1972. Both the railway line (consisting of 71.05 km of tracks from Thiruvananthapuram to Nagercoil) and Kanyakumari railway station were officially opened seven years later on 15 April 1979 by Indira Gandhi's successor Prime Minister Morarji Desai.
The line was later extended.
History
The Madras government of the South Indian Railway wanted to extend their rail links into Travancore (Thiruvithamkoor) for commercial interests of both the states, during 1873. The Chief Engineer of Travancore, Mr. Barton, suggested a proposal to link Travancore by a railway line drawn from Kovilpatti of Madras state to Thiruvananthapuram through Shencottah in the Chittar mountain area, and from Thiruvananthapuram to Quilon (since renamed Kollam), the commercial centre of Kerala.
Although the "South Indian Railway Company were inclined to make a survey of the southern route via the Aramboly pass to Thiruvananthapuram, the balance of opinion was in favour of the Northern route, [so] they obtained permission to survey that as well". The Dewan of Travancore, Mr. Ramiengar, "suggested that a line from Kovilpatti to Quilon through Shencottah would be the one most advantageous."
About the close of 1881, the Consulting Engineer for Railways ordered a trial survey of the line from Tirunelveli to Thiruvananthapuram via Shenkottai, Aryankavu and Quilon. Immediately the Chief Engineer of S.I.R took up the survey of both the Southern and Northern routes to Thiruvananthapuram. In 1882, he submitted the report wherein he discussed the merits and demerits of both the routes. He held that the southern route would be cheaper and more beneficial than the northern one. But Dewan Ramiengar was strongly in favour of the northern route which would better promote its commercial interests of the country since Thiruvananthapuram was no more important commercially than Quilon.
So the northern route was approved by the S.I.R. authorities and work started to link Tirunelveli Quilon via Tenkasi, Shencottah and Aryankavu.[1] In 1913, the Secretary of State for India sanctioned the extension of railway line from Quilon to Thiruvananthapuram beach (present Pettai Station) and it was opened for traffic on 1 January 1918. In 1926, the extension of this line from Thiruvananthapuram Beach to the heart of the city, that is Thampanoor (the present-day Thiruvananthapuram Central), was completed in 1931. Hence the rail link ended at Thiruvananthapuram. At that point, when the work of extension of the railway line from Quilon to Thiruvananthapuram was taken up, there was no proposal or plan to extend it to Nagercoil.
Travancore government objected
In 1925, a survey was undertaken between Palamcottah and Punnagudi and the Travancore Government objected to taking it up to Nagercoil. The survey disclosed that the line would cost Rs. 22 lakhs.[2]
Section
Date of Opening
Length in miles
Owner/section
Tirunelveli-Kallidaikurichi
1 June 1902
19.13
British Section
Kallidaikurichi-Near Shengottah
1 August 1903
31.28
British Section
Quilon-Punalur
1 June 1904
28.28
Travancore Section
Punalur-Near Shengottah
26 November 1904
29.77
Travancore Section
Quilon-Thiruvananthapuram
1 January 1918
37–91
Travancore Section
Nobody requested or represented to the Maharaja or Dewan in this respect. But, in 1928, a request was made to extend the rail link up to Nageroil. The very first man from South Travancore who made a claim at the Sree Moolam popular Assembly (headed by the Dewan of Travancore) to extend the Railway line up to Nagercoil was a Tamilian by name Mr. D. Francis of Ramanpudur on 1 March 1928 who was nominated as a member to the Sree Moolam popular Assembly by the Maharaja himself. The then Dewan Mr. Rajagopala Chariyar replied negatively, expressing the state’s inability to comply with his request,
as the Govt. have vested their attention to implement the Chakkai – Trivandrum Rail link, through Nagercoil extension was Surveyed and found feasible.
Once again, the Tamil people of South Travancore were refused their request. After Mr. D.Francis, nobody raised this issue either at Sree Moolam Popular Assembly or at Chithira Popular Assembly for a rail link in to the Tamil area of Travancore, till Mr. Nesamony, the father of Kanyakumari District raised this issue at the Indian parliament, on 8 March 1965, wherein he requested extension of the railway line from Tirunelveli to Kanyakumari and then to Trivandrum Via Nagercoil. This was accepted by the Government of India in principle but he could not see it implemented during his lifetime as he expired on 1 June 1968.
The foundation stone for Kanyakumari Railway station was laid on 6 April 1972 by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Sri.K.Kamaraj, the sitting Member of Parliament, was not invited for the laying of foundation stone as he had split with Indira Gandhi in 1969 and formed the INC(O) and captured his seat.
However, as the function was performed in his constituency, he made it a point of attending and sat in the first row provided for the public. On seeing him, Indira Gandhi invited him to the dais. Seven years later, the railway line and the Kanyakumari railway station was inaugurated Prime Minister Morarji Desai on 15 April 1979.
1979 Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil-71.05km opened on 16 April 1979[6]
1979 Nagercoil -Kanniyakumari-15.51km opened on 16 April 1979[6]
1979 Thiruvananthapuram division of SR created on 2 October 1979[6]
1981 Nagercoil-Tirunelveli-73.29km opened on 2 April 1981[6]
1986 Tirunelveli- Milavittan (Tuticorin) parallel new BG line51km opened May 1986
1988 July 8 Bangalore-Thiruvananthapuram Island Express derails and plunges into Ashtamudi lake near Kollam, Kerala, killing 107. It is said that a freak tornado was the cause.[6]
1993 Dindigul-Madurai Parallel B.G-64.32km OPENED ON 14 April 1993[6]
1993 Madurai-Virudunagar BG 40km opened in June 1993
1993 Virudunagar-Maniyachchi 27km opened on 21 October 1993[6]
1993 Milavittan-Tuticorin −7.00km opened on 21 October 1993[6]
1995 May 14: 52 killed as Madras-Kanyakumari Exp. collides with goods train near Salem.
1999 Tiruchchirappalli-dindigul-93.00km opened on 6 January 1999[6]
2009 Dindigul-Madurai 65.35km second BG line (earlier MG alignment) opened for traffic on 31 July 2009
2012 Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil-Kanyakumari electrified line opened for passenger traffic.
2013 Nagercoil Tirunelveli electrified line commissioned (with goods traffic)
Transfer Division
The Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil-Kanyakumari railway line was opened on 15 April 1979, and was then under Madurai Division. Thiruvananthapuram division was formed on 2 October 1979 carving out certain sections from Madurai division. The Meter Gauge sections of Madurai division were retained, while all the newly-laid Broad Gauge Sections of Madurai Division were transferred to Thiruvananthapuram Division. Thus, the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil-Kanyakumari BG line, and the under-construction Tirunelveli-Nagercoil BG line were transferred to Thiruvananthapuram Division.
It was then mentioned that when the Nagercoil-Tirunelveli line is completed, the sections falling under Kanyakumari district and Thirunelveli District would be transferred back to Madurai Division. The Nagercoil-Tirunelveli line was converted into BG line on 8 April 1981 and ever since people from South Tamil Nadu have been demanding the merger of Kanyakumari BG line with Madurai Division.
Projects
Terminal Development
Doubling
Kanniyakumari – Thiruvananthapuram=87 K.M
First Survey = 2005–06
First Survey ROR =0.77%
Survey cost =526 core
Second Survey = 2013–14
Second Survey ROR=7.03%
Survey cost = 617 core
Announce Year = 2015–16
NITI Aayog Approval = 26-04-2017
Cabinet Approval= 02-08-2017
Foundation stone = 23-01-2018
Execution of the project = Southern Railway, Construction wing
1988 Initially Island Express was running from Bangalore-to Kochi.- Subsequently, extended to Thiruvananthapuram. This train was extended- to Nagercoil from 1 November 1988 and to Kanniyakumari from 1 July 1992.
1992 Bangalore – Nagercoil Island Express to Kanyakumari
1992 Extension of Gandhidham – Thiruvananthapuram weekly express to Nagercoil
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