>Outlander07: Restored revision 1037034520 by Philipnelson99 (talk): Reverting useless allegations.

2021-08-04T07:10:45Z

Restored revision 1037034520 by Philipnelson99 (talk): Reverting useless allegations.

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{{short description|Railway line runs along coastal areas of Alappuzha}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width = 25em
| name = Ernakulam metropolitan –Kayamkulam city Coastal line
| other_name =
| native_name =എറണാകുളം നഗരം-കായംകുളം പട്ടണം തീരദേശ തീവണ്ടി പാത
| native_name_lang = ml
| color =
| logo =
| logo_width =
| logo_alt =
| image = Cherthala railway station, Jan 2016.jpg
| image_width =
| image_alt =
| caption = [[Cherthala railway station]] on Ernakulam–Kayamkulam line
| type = [[Regional rail]]<br />[[Light rail]]
| system =
| status = Operational
| locale = [[Kerala]]
| start = {{rws|Ernakulam Junction}}
| end = {{rws|Kayamkulam Junction}}
| stations = 20
| routes = 1
| daily_ridership =
| ridership2 =
| open = {{Start date and years ago|df=yes|1989|10|16}}
| close =
| owner = [[Indian Railways]]
| operator = [[Southern Railway zone]]
| character =
| depot =
| stock =
| linelength_km =
| linelength_mi =
| linelength = {{convert|102|km|abbr=on}}
| tracklength_km=
| tracklength_mi=
| tracklength =
| tracks = 1
| gauge = {{RailGauge|1676mm}}
| old_gauge =
| load_gauge = {{convert|4725|x|3660|mm|ftin|abbr=on}} ([[Broad gauge|BG]])
| minradius =
| racksystem =
| routenumber =
| linenumber =
| electrification =
| speed_km/h =
| speed_mph =
| speed = {{convert|100|km/h|abbr=on}}
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
| elevation =
| website = {{URL|www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in}}
| map = {{Ernakulam–Alappuzha–Kayamkulam–Kollam line}}
| map_state = show
}}

'''Ernakulam–Kayamkulam coastal line''' is a railway line which runs along the coastal areas of [[Alappuzha]], [[Ernakulam]] districts in [[Kerala]] state of India. The coastal railway line starts as a branch line from [[Ernakulam Junction railway station|Ernakulam Junction]] railway station towards [[Alappuzha railway station|Alappuzha]] and joins with the route via [[Kottayam railway station|Kottayam]] ( [[Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line|Ernakulam-Kottayam-Kayamkulam line]]) at [[Kayamkulam Junction railway station|Kayamkulam Junction]]. The coastal line has a total distance of {{convert|102|km|abbr=on}}. This is the shortest route connecting major cities Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam and saves a considerable amount of time when compared to the circuitous route via [[Kottayam]].

==History==
The initial survey for the Ernakulam–Kayamkulam line via [[Alappuzha]] was started in 1975. The initial proposed alignment of the railway line from [[Ernakulam Junction railway station|Ernakulam Junction]] to Alappuzha has been changed after protests from various quarters. This line was mentioned in 1977-78 final budget.<ref name="budget77">{{cite web |url=http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/1977-78_final.pdf|date=11 June 1977|title= Railway Budget speech 1977-78 (final)|website=www.indianrailways.gov.in|publisher=[[Government of India]], [[Ministry of Railways (India)|Ministry of Railways]]}}</ref> The final alignment of the route which was approved was Ernakulam–Konthuruty–Nettor–[[Kumbalam, Ernakulam|Kumbalam]]–[[Aroor]]–[[Cherthala]]–Alappuzha. The construction of railway line was started on 15 April 1979 and the construction has been divided into two reaches as Ernakulam–Alappuzha reach and Alappuzha–Kayamkulam reach.<ref>E Sreedharan-Autobiography DC Books, 2014, pages 47-51</ref>

===Ernakulam–Alappuzha section===

The construction of this coastal railway line in [[Ernakulam Junction railway station|Ernakulam Junction]]–[[Alappuzha railway station]] section was started in 1979. Construction of Alleppey-Ernakulam new B.G. Railway line has been included in the budget for 1979-80, with a proposed outlay, of Rs. 1 crore in the coming financial year 1979-80.<ref>https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/2057/1/lsd_06_07_01-03-1979.pdf Page no. 26</ref>
Around 140 hectares of land was acquired for laying the railway lines. 11 new railway stations and 6 major bridges have been constructed along this route. The Aroor Bridge is the Longest Bridge in this section having length of {{convert|1849|m|ft|abbr=on}} The total cost outlay was 7 crores and the total length of the railway line is {{convert|58|km|abbr=on}}. The line was opened to railway traffic on 16 October 1989.

===Alappuzha–Kayamkulam section===
The construction of Alappuzha–Kayamkulam section was started as part of second phase of coastal railway development and the alignment was via [[Alappuzha]]–[[Punnapra]]–[[Ambalappuzha]]–[[Haripad]]–[[Kayamkulam]]. The total length of the railway line was {{convert|44|km|abbr=on}} and the line was opened to railway traffic on 1992. Thus, the [[Ernakulam Junction railway station|Ernakulam Junction]]–[[Alappuzha railway station|Alappuzha]] coastal railway line has been connected to [[Kayamkulam Junction railway station]]–[[Kollam Junction railway station|Kollam Junction]] main railway line.

==Stations==
There are 18 stations along this route. [[Alappuzha railway station|Alappuzha]], [[Cherthala]], [[Haripad]], and [[Ambalappuzha]] stations are the major stations along this route.

== Electrification and track doubling ==
[[Ernakulam Junction railway station|Ernakulam Junction]]–[[Alappuzha railway station|Alappuzha]]–[[Kayamkulam Junction railway station|Kayamkulam]] railway line is fully electrified. The double line work on {{convert|14|km|abbr=on}} Kayamkulam–[[Haripad]] section has been completed and the double line track was commissioned in January 2012. The track doubling work for Haripad– Ambalapuzha was also commissioned. Hence there is a double line from Kayamkulam to Ambalapuzha. Doubling of the {{convert|1849|m|ft|abbr=on}} Long Aroor Bridge has started in 2019.

The doubling works for the Ambalapuzha- Ernakulam junction sector is painfully slow. There is not even a sign of any earth works or anything happening in this stretch at present.
However, as of June 2021, The Railways has sanctioned an additional Rs 510 crore for acquiring land for the doubling of the line from Ernakulam to Thuravoor<ref>https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2021/06/29/kerala-rail-projects-rs-985cr-more-allowed-for-land-acquisition.html</ref>

==Rail traffic==
The Ernakulam–Alappuzha–Kayamkulam coastal line has 20 express trains and 7 passenger trains running along this route. Superfast trains connecting the cities of [[Thiruvananthapuram Central|Thiruvananthapuram]] and [[Ernakulam Junction|Kochi]] are increasingly preferring this route to the one via [[Kottayam]] because this route is shorter and saves considerable amount of time in reaching these cities. Major trains like [[Calicut Jan Shatabdi Express|Thiruvananthapuram-Kozhikode Jan Shatabdi Express]] and [[Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express|Thiruvananthapuram-Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express]], Trivandrum-Chennai Super AC Express, kochuveli-Chandigarh Kerala Sampark Kranti, Tirunelveli-Gandhidham Humsafar Express, and the Kochuveli-Mangalore Antyodaya Express run via Alappuzha. Mail /Express trains terminating at Alappuzha also use this route.

At present{{when?|date=September 2020}} there are no trains towards[[Salem-Bangalore (via Hosur)]], [[Palakkad–Pollachi line]], [[Kollam–Sengottai branch line]], and [[Nilambur–Shoranur line]] passing through this coastal line.

== Needed development ==

* A bypass line connecting [[Cochin Harbour Terminus railway station]] line with Alappuzha line near Kochu Kadavanthra and Thevara. It will help decongest [[Ernakulam Junction railway station]] and help start more south bound trains via Alappuzha.
* Timely completion of doubling of line and improvement of signalling in a manner such that headway will be minimum. This will help start Kollam - Alappuzha - Kochi suburban trains.
* Building a connection between Aroor Halt and Kanjiramattom on [[Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line]] so that a circular suburban rail network can be developed around Kochi. And decongest Ernakulam yard.

==See also==
*[[Kayamkulam Junction railway station|Kayamkulam Junction]]
*[[Alappuzha railway station]]
*[[Ernakulam South]]
*[[Kollam Junction railway station|Kollam Junction]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Railways in Southern India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ernakulam - Kayamkulam coastal line}}
[[Category:Transport in Alappuzha district]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Alappuzha district]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Kerala]]
[[Category:Thiruvananthapuram railway division|†]]
[[Category:5 ft 6 in gauge railways in India]]
[[Category:Transport in Ernakulam district]]
[[Category:Transport in Kottayam district]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Transport in Kollam district]]
[[Category:Transport in Kochi]]

Ernakulam–Kayamkulam coastal line - Revision history

>Outlander07: Restored revision 1037034520 by Philipnelson99 (talk): Reverting useless allegations.