Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram trunk line

Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram line
An evening view of Kollam Junction railway station and Kollam MEMU Shed from the foot-over bridge
Overview
Type	Regional rail
System	Electrified
Status	Operational
Locale	Kerala
Termini	Kollam Junction Thiruvananthapuram Central
Stations	18
Services	1
Website	http://southernrailway.gov.in/sr/indexhome.jsp
Operation
Opened	4 January 1918
Owner	Southern Railway zone (Indian Railways)
Operator(s)	Thiruvananthapuram railway division
Character	Long-distance and suburban
Depot(s)	Kollam
Rolling stock	WAP-1, WAP-4 electric locos; WDS-6, WDM-2, WDM-3A, WDP-4 and WDG-3A, WDG-4
Technical
Line length	65 kilometres (40 mi)
Track length	65 kilometres (40 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) (broad gauge)
Old gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ^3⁄8 in) (metre gauge)
Electrification	Fully
Operating speed	82 kilometres per hour (51 mph)
Route map Legend Kms to Kayamkulam Junction to Punalur Overpass 0 Kollam Junction Chinnakada Overpass FCI Siding SP Office Overpass 4 Eravipuram Arattukulam 9 Mayyanad Paravur Lake 12 Paravur Ollal Overpass Kilimukkam Lake 17 Kappil 20 Edavai 24 Varkala Sivagiri Underpass 30 Akathumuri Anchuthengu Kayal 33 Kadakkavoor Vamanapuram River 36 Chirayinkeezhu 40 Perunguzhi Kadinamkulam Lake 43 Murukkampuzha 47 Kaniyapuram 51 Kazhakoottam 54 Veli Veli Lake 58 Kochuveli 62 Thiruvananthapuram Pettah 65 Thiruvananthapuram Central Overpass to Nagercoil Junction

Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram trunk line is a busy railway corridor in Southern Railway zone between the cities of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram in the state of Kerala, India. The line was opened on 4 January 1918 as the extension of Madras–Quilon line during metre gauge era. This double line is fully electrified and holds 60 pairs of services (including 25 pairs of daily trains). All trains operating from/to Thiruvananthapuram run along this route, making it the second busiest railway corridor in Kerala after the Shoranur–Ernakulam line (which serves both Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram bound trains).

The Kollam-Thiruvananthapuram connects with Thiruvananthapuram–Kanyakumari line in South, Kollam–Kayamkulam line in North and Kollam–Punalur–Sengottai line in the East. The line is under the control of Thiruvananthapuram railway division of the Southern Railway zone.^[1][2]

History

South Indian Railway Company has opened the Quilon–Sengottai railway line in 1902 with an intention to connect Quilon (Kollam), the commercial capital of Travancore with Madras. Great Port of Quilon and the city's commercial reputation has urged the British rulers to connect the city of Quilon with Madras for the smooth transportation of goods including Pepper, Cashew, and spices.^[3] Later on 4 January 1918, Thiruvananthapuram South Indian Railway Company has opened the Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram extension up to Chala. The terminus was shifted to Trivandrum Central (Thampanoor) and was inaugurated in 1931.^[4]

Stations

No.	Station	Class/Category	Platforms
1	Kollam Junction	A	6
2	Eravipuram	F	2
3	Mayyanad	E	2
4	Paravur	D	3
5	Kappil	E	2
6	Edava	F	2
7	Varkala	B	3
8	Akathumuri	E	2
9	Kadakkavoor	D	3
10	Chirayinkeezhu	D	2
11	Perunguzhi	F	2
12	Murukkampuzha	E	2
13	Kaniyapuram	E	2
14	Kazhakoottam	D	3
15	Veli	F	2
16	Kochuveli	B	3
17	Pettah	E	2
18	Thiruvananthapuram Central	A1	5

Stations in between Kollam & Thiruvananthapuram with more than 1 crore of annual passenger ticket revenue

No.	Station	Annual earnings during 2012–2013
1	Paravur	Rs. 1,87,22,851[5]
2	Varkala	Rs. 5,24,99,240[6]
3	Kadakavur	Rs. 1,35,09,334[7]
4	Chirayinkeezhu	Rs. 2,01,27,938[8]
5	Kochuveli	Rs. 5,43,95,996[9]

References

1. "History of Quilon". Retrieved 15 June 2015.
2. "Cochin Harbour Terminus - Jimmy Jose". Retrieved 15 June 2015.
3. "Kollam Municipal Corporation". Retrieved 15 June 2015.
4. "History of Quilon". Retrieved 15 June 2015.
5. "Annual Passenger Earnings details of Paravur Railway Station during 2013-2014 - RTI Response No.V/C. 50/067/RTI/15". Retrieved 8 June 2015.
6. "RTI Response-3 from Southern Railway". Retrieved 27 January 2015.
7. "RTI Response-2 from Southern Railway". Retrieved 27 January 2015.
8. "RTI Response-1 from Southern Railway". Retrieved 27 January 2015.
9. "Categorization of stations in Thiruvananthapuram Division - Southern Railway" (PDF). Retrieved 27 January 2015.