Shoranur–Mangalore section

The Shoranur–Mangalore section, also known as Shoranur–Mangaluru section, is a railway segment of IR functioning under Palakkad Division of Southern Railway Zone. This is a 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge electrified line which begins at the Shornur Junction railway station in Kerala and ends at the Mangalore Central railway station in Karnataka. This line passes through major towns including Tirur, Kozhikode, Vatakara, Thalassery, Kannur, Payyannur, Kanhangad and Kasaragod.^[3]

Shoranur–Mangalore section
A view of Kannur Railway Station.
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod and Dakshina Kannada
Termini	Shoranur Junction Mangalore Central
Stations	40+
Website
Service
Type	Regional rail
Operator(s)	Palakkad Railway Division of Southern Railway zone
History
Opened	1907
Technical
Line length	328 km (203.81 mi)
Track length	328 km (203.81 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	25 kV AC 50 Hz
Operating speed	110 km/h (68 mph)
Route map Shoranur–Mangalore section Legend km 328 Panambur to Konkan Railway 325 Thokur 322 Jokatte 313 Kulashekara to Mangalore–Hassan–Mysore line 311 Padil Bypass Cabin 309 Mangalore Junction 307 Mangalore Central Bunder Goods Shed 305 Nethravathi Netravati River 302 Tokkottu Ullal overpass 299 Ullal Talapady Rivulet Karnataka Kerala Border 290 Manjeshwar Manjeswaram River 283 Uppala Shiriya River Kumbla River 274 Kumbla Mogral River Nellikunnu overpass Thayalangadi overpass 261 Kasaragod Chandragiri River 258 Kalanad Chembirika Tunnel Kalanad River SH 57 252 Kotikulam Bekal River Pallikere overpass SH 57 247 Bekal Fort Chithari River 238 Kanhangad NH 66 Kariangode River Nileshwaram overpass 231 Nileshwar NH 66 Karyangod River 224 Cheruvathur Cheruvathur overpass Padne Road 220 Chandera 215 Thrikaripur Kavvayi River Payyanur overpass 209 Payyanur Perumba River 206 Ezhimala 197 Pazhayangadi Payangadi underpass Kuppam River Thavam overpass 190 Kannapuram Irinave River 184 Pappinisseri Pappinisseri overpass Valapattanam River Valapattanam underpass 182 Valapattanam Alavil-Valapattanam Road 180 Chirakkal Manjapalam underpass 175 Kannur Thavakkara underpass 172 Kannur South Kanaam River 163 Etakkot NH 66 Anjarakandi River 159 Dharmadam Dharmadam overpass Ummanchira River Kuyyali River 155 Thalassery SH 30 Kodiyeri Road 152 Jaganath Temple Gate Kerala Puducherry Mahé River 145 Mahe Puducherry Kerala Chombala overpass 142 Mukkali 138 Nadapuram Road Kainatty overpass NH 66 Thazhe Angadi Road 133 Vatakara Kuttiady River 129 Iringal 123 Payyoli 120 Tikkotti NH 66 116 Vellarakkad 111 Quilandi SH 34 NH 66 105 Chemancheri Vengalam overpass Akalapuzha River 98 Elattur Vengali overpass 91 West Hill 88 Vellayil Vellayil overpass CH overpass Old Railway overpass 86 Kozhikode Francis Road Mampuzha River 84 Kallayi Panniyankara overpass Meenchanda overpass Beypore Road Chaliyar River 76 Ferok Karuvanthiruthy underpass 71 Kadalundi Kadalundi River 66 Vallikkunnu Chettipadi Road SH 65 Parappanangadi underpass 61 Parappanangadi Poorapuzha River 53 Tanur Devdar overpass Meenadathur overpass Tirur River 45 Tirur SH 71 Tirur River Tirunnavaya overpass 36 Tirunnavaya Tirur River NH 66 30 Kuttippuram 26 Perssannur Kunthipuzha River 21 Pallippuram 16 Kodumunda 12 Pattambi SH 39 6 Karakad to Nilambur–Shoranur line Nedungottur overpass 0 Shoranur Junction to Jolarpettai–Shoranur line Shoranur B-cabin to Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section km Sources[1][2] This diagram: view talk edit

This line covers entire Districts of Malabar region in Kerala except Wayanad district and terminates at Dakshina Kannada District of Karnataka after crossing the Nethravathi River.

The Shoranur–Mangalore section is a strategic route and the lifeline of Malabar's economy that interconnects the important cities of this regions and also serves as a threshold to Tulu Nadu, Konkan and Mumbai from Kerala.^[4]

History

This railway line came into existence through South West line of Madras Railway a private colonial rail enterprise that existed in British Raj.^[5]

The first section of this line was established between Tirur and Beypore in 12 March 1861 and this line was 30.5 km (19 miles) long.^[6] This happens to be the first railway line in present day Kerala.

This line was subsequently extended 14.5 km till Kuttippuram on 1 May 1861 and from there till Pattambi for a distance of 37 km in 23 September 1862 so as to link with 105 km long Pattambi - Podanur section which got commissioned on 14 April 1862. In 2 January 1888 the rail head at Beypore was abolished and line was extended to Kozhikode via Ferok.^[7] The line was further extended till Mangalore in phases by 1907. On 31 August 1956 this entire section came under Palakkad railway division.^[8]

In 1998, following the opening of Konkan railways, many trains like Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express, Marusagar Express etc. were routed through this section.

In 2014, this section got completely converted to double line traffic and by 2017 entire section got completely electrified.^[9][10] On 25 April 2023, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi flagged of the first Vande Bharat Express through this route between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod.^[11]

Accidents

• 1921 November 19 - Wagon tragedy
• 1986 February 28 - Thalassery train disaster that claimed 26 lives during Jagannath Temple festival.^[12]
• 2001 June 21 - Kadalundi train derailment
• 2023 April 2 - Elathur train attack

See also

• Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section
• Nilambur–Shoranur line
• Jolarpettai–Shoranur line
• Palakkad–Pollachi line
• Mangalore–Hassan–Mysore line
• Guruvayur–Thrissur spur line

References

1. Google Maps
2. indiarailinfo.com/train/coimbatore-mangaluru-fast-passenger-56323/7092/44/1470
3. Budget Archived 23 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Southern Railway, Retrieved 3 October 2018
4. Sailent Features^{[permanent dead link]}, Southern Railway, Retrieved 3 October 2018
5. Records of the Madras Railway Company. <corpname>Madras Railway Company</corpname>. 1852–1937.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
6. "'Lifeline' of Malabar turns 125". The Hindu. 28 December 2012. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
7. "A milestone". The Hindu. 19 October 2012. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
8. "History of Palakkad Division" (PDF).
9. Sastry, Anil Kumar (13 February 2017). "Mangaluru-Shoranur electrified rly. line awaits safety clearance". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
10. "Mangalore-Shoranur track doubling complete, commissioned". The Times of India. 27 January 2014. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
11. "PM to flag off Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Vande Bharat today. Details here". mint. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
12. "Religious Celebrants Hit by Train, 26 Dead". AP NEWS. Retrieved 3 May 2023.