Jolarpettai–Shoranur line

The Jolarpettai–Shoranur line is a 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge railway line connecting Jolarpettai in Tamil Nadu and Shoranur in Kerala. Incoming from Chennai, the railway line branches from the Chennai Central–Bangalore City line at Jolarpettai and proceeds towards Shoranur before further radiating out.

Jolarpettai–Shoranur line
Line passing through Coimbatore Junction, 1930s
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Service
Operator(s)	Southern Railway
Depot(s)	Erode (Electric, Diesel)
Rolling stock	Indian Railways coaching stock
History
Opened	1861
Technical
Line length	366 km (227 mi) (Main)
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification	25 kV AC Overhead catenary
Operating speed	130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map v t e Jolarpettai–Shoranur line Legend km km Chennai-Bangalore line 0 Jolarpettai 8 Tirupattur 12 Molakarampatti to Bangalore City Yeshvantapur 229 19 Kagankarai to Hubli Lottegallohalli 225 25 Kunnathur Hebbal 222 Banaswadi 210 31 Samalpatti Chennai Central- Bangalore City line Belandur Road 197 39 Dasampatti Karmelaram 194 Heelalige 183 Ponnaiyar River NH 7 Anekal Road 173 48 Dodampatti Tamil Nadu Karnataka border Hosur 158 55 Morappur Kelamangalam 144 Periyanaga Thunai 135 61 Thonganur Rayakottai 119 Marandahalli 101 68 Buddireddippati Palakkodu 89 Hosur-Erode Road 78 Bommidi Dharmapuri 66 NH 7 88 Lokur Sivadi 55 Muttampatti 47 97 Danishpet Toppur 35 NH 7 104 Tinapatti Karuvalli 23 Mettur Dam 39 114 Karuppur Mecheri Road 27 Tolasampatti 19 NH 7 Omalur 11 Magnesite 3 117 Magnesite Salem 0 120 Salem to Vriddhachalam Salem Steel plant to Karur 128 Neykkarapatti 131 Virapandy Road 142 Magudanchavadi NH 544 154 Mavelipalaiyam 159 Sankaridurg SH 86 India Cements factory 167 Anangur SH 79 177 Cauvery SH 198 River Kaveri to Karur on Erode–Tiruchi line NH 381A 182 Erode Junction Outer Ring Road, Erode 189 Totiyapalayam 196 Perundurai 201 Ingur SH 96 209 Vijayamangalam 219 Uttukuli SH 81 SH 19A 222 Kulipalayam NH 381 SH 19 232 Tiruppur SH 166 240 Vanjipalayam Kousika River SH 165 250 Somanur 259 Sulur Road NH 544 265 Irugur Singanallur 14 282 Podanur Pilamedu 9 NH 209 0 Coimbatore Main Coimbatore North 3 Periyanayikanpalayam 17 SH 162 Karaimadal 28 Mettupalayam 36 to Pollachi Nilgiri Mountain Railway (narrow gauge) NH 209 ACC Limited plant 286 Madukkarai 291 Ettimadai Tamil Nadu Kerala border 300 Walayar 304 Chullimada 311 Kanjikode 319 Kottekad Malampuzha River 326 Palakkad NH 966 to Pollachi 334 Parli 342 Mankara SH 77 349 Lakkidi 353 Palappuram 357 Ottappalam 364 Mannanur to Shoranur– Cochin Harbour section SH 22 370 Shoranur to Nilambur– Shoranur line to Shoranur– Mangalore section km

History

The Madras Railway was established in 1845 and the construction on the first main line in South India between Royapuram in Madras and Arcot started in 1853, which became operational on 1 July 1856.^[1] Madras Railway extended its trunk route from Madras to Beypore near Kozhikode in 1862. The line passed through Jolarpettai connecting Coimbatore before passing through the Palghat gap and proceeded towards Shoranur.^[2][3] In 1908, Madras Railway merged with Southern Mahratta Railway to form the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway.^[4][5] In April 1951, the line became part of the Southern Railway zone after the Indian Railways was re-organized into six zonal systems.^[6]

Stations and depots

There are two locomotive sheds operated by Southern Railway at Erode. The Diesel Loco Shed holds WDM-3D, WAP-1, WAP-4, WAG-5 and WAG-7 locomotives. The Electric Loco Shed holds WAG-7, WAP-4 and WAP-7 locomotives.^[7] There is a trip shed at Jolarpettai and a MEMU shed at Palakkad.^[7][8] Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Palakkad, on the line, are among the major and top booking stations of the Indian Railways.^[9]

Network

Jolarpettai–Shoranur line is a 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge railway line stretching for 366 km (227 mi) from Jolarpettai in Tamil Nadu to Shoranur in Kerala. The main line is classified as a "Group B" line where trains can oeprate at speeds upto 130 km/h (81 mph).^[10] The line connects with several other main and branch lines:^[11]

Line	Start	End	Type	Gauge	Electrified	No. of Lines	Length	Connection with Line	Operator	Established
Chennai Central-Bangalore City	Chennai Central	Bangalore City	Main	Broad	Yes	2	213 km (132 mi)	Jolarpettai	SR	1864[12]
Shoranur-Mangalore	Shoranur	Mangalore					315 km (196 mi)	Shoranur
Shoranur-Ernakulam		Cochin Harbour					107 km (66 mi)
Salem-Mettur Dam	Salem	Mettur Dam	Branch				38.9 km (24.2 mi)	Salem		1929
Salem-Dindigul		Dindigul				1	159 km (99 mi)			2013[13]
Salem-Virudhachalam		Virudhachalam					139 km (86 mi)			1931
Omalur-Yesvantpur	Omalur	Yesvantpur			No		194 km (121 mi)	Omalur	SWR	1969[14]
Erode-Tiruchirappalli	Erode	Tiruchirappalli			Yes		141 km (88 mi)	Erode	SR	1866
Coimbatore North-Mettupalayam	Coimbatore North	Mettupalayam					32.8 km (20.4 mi)	Coimbatore North		1873[15]
Podanur-Irugur	Podanur	Irugur					10.9 km (6.8 mi)	Podanur		1873[15]
Podanur-Pollachi		Pollachi					40 km (25 mi)
Palakkad–Pollachi line	Palakkad						57.8 km (35.9 mi)	Palakkad		1932
Shoranur -Nilambur line	Shoranur	Nilambur Road					65.8 km (40.9 mi)	Shoranur

The mainline operates on 25 kV AC overhead catenary and was electrified in stages, starting with the Jolarpettai–Morappur sector in 1989–90. Electrification was completed from Morappur to Salem Junction in 1990–91 and was extended to Erode Junction in 1991–92, Coimbatore Junction in 1995–96, and Shoranur in 1996–97. The branch lines were electrified in different stages starting from the Magnesite–Mettur Dam sector in 1990–91 to the Coimbatore–Mettupalayam branch line in 2015.^[16][17]

References

1. "On Forgotten Road". The Times of India. 31 March 2013. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
2. "Podanur - welcoming in the first train". The Hindu. 22 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
3. "IR History–Early days". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 7 March 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
4. "Third oldest railway station in country set to turn 156". Indian Railways. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
5. The Cambridge Economic History of India. Vol. 2. Orient Longmans Private Limited. 2005. p. 755. ISBN 978-8-1250-2731-7.
6. "Southern Railways, about us". Southern Railway. Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
7. "Sheds and Workshops". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
8. "Memu rakes yet to reach Kerala". Deccan Chronicle. 18 May 2018. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
9. "Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
10. "Chapter II : The Maintenance of Permanent Way". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
11. Southern Railway Route Map (PDF) (Report). Indian Railways. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
12. Shekhar, Divya (3 August 2017). "Date with History: In 1864, first train chugged from Cantonment to Jolarpettai". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
13. "New passenger train chugs into grand reception at Karur junction". The Hindu. 26 May 2013. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
14. "The Kolar District Railway - Ian Manning on the Indian Railways: 1965-1969". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
15. Nilgiri Mountain Railway (PDF) (Report). Indian Railways. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
16. "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
17. "Coimbatore–Mettupalayam electric train service commences". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.