Kozhikode railway station

Kozhikode railway station (also known as Kozhikode Main railway station)(station code: CLT^[2]) is an NSG–2 category Indian railway station in Palakkad railway division of Southern Railway zone. It was given by Kallingal Madathil Rarichan Moopan to the British Indian Railways for a lease agreement of 99 years. ^[3] It is one of the largest and major railway stations in the state of Kerala. At ₹200 crore (equivalent to ₹249 crore or US$29 million in 2023) in financial year 2018–19, it is the largest in terms of passenger revenue in the division.^[4] The station has four platforms, two terminals and a total number of six tracks. The first platform has a capacity to accommodate trains with 24 coaches and second & third platform has the capacity to accommodate 20 coaches; and the fourth one has the capacity to accommodate 24 coaches.^[5] It has a daily turnout exceeding 25,000 passengers. It is one of the major railway stations in Kerala with trains connecting the city to other major cities in India. The other railway stations in the city include Ferok, Kallayi Kozhikode South, Vellayil and West Hill.

Kozhikode
Express train and Passenger train station
General information
Other names	Kozhikode Main Railway Station
Location	Railway Station Road, near Apsara Theatre, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Coordinates	11.2465°N 75.7805°E / 11.2465; 75.7805
Elevation	11 m (36 ft)
Owned by	Indian Railways
Operated by	Southern Railway zone
Line(s)	Shoranur–Mangalore section
Platforms	4(1,2,3,4)
Tracks	6
Connections	Bus stand, Taxicab stand, Auto rickshaw stand
Construction
Structure type	Standard (on-ground station)
Parking	Yes
Accessible
Other information
Status	Functioning
Station code	CLT
Zone(s)	Southern Railway zone
Division(s)	Palakkad
History
Opened	2 January 1888; 137 years ago (1888-01-02)
Electrified	Yes
Previous names	Calicut Railway Station
Passengers
2016–17	28,463 per day[1]
Rank	2 (in Kerala) 1 (in Palakkad division)
Location Interactive map

An integrated security system was installed at the station in 2012 featuring baggage scanners, CCTVs and vehicle scanners.^[6] The 125th anniversary of the station was celebrated on 2 January 2013.^[7]

History

The railway line to Kozhikode was opened to traffic on 2 January 1888 and at that time was western terminus of the Madras Railway. The first line in Malabar was laid between Chaliyam and Tirur, the former an important port town, back then. With the arrival of the new line to Calicut and its growth as an administrative centre, Chaliyam diminished in significance and the railway line to it was subsequently abandoned.^[8]

The station houses several vintage fixtures including a recreation club named the Railway Institute built by the British adjacent to the station in 1888 to serve as a venue for the social life of the Railways' employees, and a cast iron mechanical pump set that was imported from England to pump water into steam locomotives.^[9][10] The 125th anniversary of the station was celebrated on 2 January 2013. It has been ranked as "The Cleanest Railway Station of India" in January 2018 .^[11]

Infrastructure

The station has four platforms and two terminals. The first platform has a capacity to accommodate trains with 24 coaches and the third platform 20 coaches. The fourth one has the capacity to accommodate 24 coaches.^[12] It heralds as the only A–1 graded station in Palakkad railway division with a daily turnout exceeding 25,000 passengers.^[13]

Trains starting from Kozhikode

#	Train No.	Route	To	Distance
1	12075/12076	Kozhikode–Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi Express	Thiruvananthapuram Central	400 km
2	06454/06455	Kozhikode-Shornur Express	Shoranur Junction	86 km
3	06495/06496	Kozhikode-Shornur Express [a]	Shoranur Junction	86 km
4	06481	Kozhikode-Kannur Express	Kannur	89 km
5	56652/56653	Kozhikode-Kannur Express	Kannur	89 km
6	16610	Mangaluru-Kozhikode Express	Mangaluru Central	221 km

1. In view of corridor block for facilitating maintenance and safety works in various divisions over Southern Railway train no.06496 stands cancelled

Major trains passing through Kozhikode

• Kozhikode-Thiruvananthapuram Central Jansatabdi Express (Via Alappey)
• Mangaluru Central–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express (via Alappuzha)
• Kasaragod–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express (via Kottayam)
• Thiruvananathapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express (via Alappey Konkan)
• Thrivanathapuram North-Chandigarh Kerala Sambarkkranti Express (via Alappey Konkan)
• Ernakulam-Hazrat Nizamuddin Mangala Lakshadweep Express (via Kozhikode Konkan)
• Manglore central-Dr.MGR Chennai Central Westcoast Superfast Express (via Palakkad Erode jn)
• Manglore central-Thiruvananthapuram central Malabar Express (Via Ernakulam Town Kottayam)
• Manglore central-Thiruvananthapuram Central Maveli Express (Via Ernakulam Jn Alappey)
• Manglore Central-Nagercoil Jn Parasuram Express (Via Ernakulam Town Kottayam
• Manglore Central-Nagercoil Jn Ernad Express (Via Ernakulam Jn Alappey
• Kannur-Thiruvananthapuram jansatabdi Express (Via Ernakaulam Town Kottayam)
• Yeswantpur Jn- Kannur express

Services

It is one of the major railway stations in Kerala with trains connecting the city to other major cities in India such as Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Bangalore, Mangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Surat, Pune, Jaipur, Visakhapatnam, Jammu Tawi, Goa, and so forth. Other railway stations in the city include Ferok (code: FK), Kallayi Kozhikode South (code: KUL), Vellayil railway station (code: VLL) and West Hill railway station (code: WH).^[14][15]

Facilities

An integrated security system was installed at the station in 2012 featuring baggage scanners, CCTVs and vehicle scanners.^[16]

• Reservation counters are open between 6:00 am to 8:00 pm
• Retirement Rooms (transit lodging facility)
• Cyber cafe
• Parcel booking Office
• Railway Mailing service (RMS) office
• Railway Protection Force – Circle office
• IRCTC Restaurants
• ATMs
• Pre-Paid autorickshaw counters^[17]
• Pre-paid parking space^[18]
• Escalator and elevator systems^[19]
• Battery operated car facility for differently abled persons and senior citizens

ATMs

The following bank-ATMs are available at the railway station:

• Indian Bank
• Indian Overseas Bank
• Canara Bank
• State Bank of India
• Punjab National Bank

See also

• List of railway stations in Kerala
• Koyilandy railway station