AlbaTinker204: New New Details With Sources

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New New Details With Sources

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{{Short description|Railway line in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width = 28em
| name = Peralam–Karaikal Railway line
| other_name =
| color =
| logo =
| logo_width =
| logo_alt =
| image =
| image_width =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| type = [[Regional rail]] [[Heavy rail]] [[Light rail]]
| system =
| status = Under Construction
| locale = [[Tamil Nadu]]; [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]
| start = {{rws|Peralam Junction}} ('''PEM''')
| end = {{rws|Karaikal}} ('''KIK''')
| stations = 4
| routes = 1
| daily_ridership =
| ridership2 =
| planopen = December 2024
| open = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1898|3|14}}<ref name=hist>{{cite web|title=Communications - Railways|url=http://karaikal.gov.in/Administration/Communication/communications.htm|work=[[Karaikal district]]|accessdate=28 March 2014}}</ref>
| close = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1987}}
| reopen =
| owner = French East India Company (''former'') [[Indian Railways]] (''present'')
| operator = Great South Indian Railway (''former'') [[South Indian Railway Company]] (''later'') [[Southern Railway zone]] (''present'')
| character =
| depot = [[Diesel Loco Shed, Golden Rock|Golden Rock]]
| stock = [[0-6-0]]
| linelength_km =
| linelength_mi =
| linelength = {{convert|23|km|abbr=on}}
| tracklength_km =
| tracklength_mi =
| tracklength =
| tracks =
| gauge = {{RailGauge|1676mm}}
| old_gauge = {{RailGauge|1000mm}}
| load_gauge =
| minradius =
| racksystem =
| routenumber =
| linenumber =
| electrification = Yes
| speed_km/h =
| speed_mph =
| speed = {{convert|50|km/h|abbr=on}}
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
| elevation =
| website = {{URL|www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in}}
| map = {{Peralam–Karaikal–Nagapattinam (Velankanni)–Thiruthuraipoondi line}}
| map_state = hide
}}

The '''Peralam–Karaikal line''' is a [[branch line]] connects [[Peralam]], [[Tamil Nadu]] with [[Karaikal]], [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] in [[South India]]. It is the one and only unconverted railway line in [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry union territory]] and one of the few unconverted railway lines in southern railway zone. This line is one of the cauvery delta railway line which falls under [[Tiruchirappalli division]].

It was one of the 4 unconverted railway lines in south India. The other 3 were the [[Mayiladuthurai Junction railway station|Mayiladuthurai Junction]] to [[Tharangambadi railway station|Tranquebar]] railway line<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 April 2020|title=Restoration of Mayiladuthurai-Tranquebar rail link may be on the cards|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/restoration-of-mayiladuthurai-tranquebar-rail-link-may-be-on-the-cards/article31323191.ece|access-date=18 December 2020|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mayavaram-Tranquebar Railway - FIBIwiki|url=https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Mayavaram-Tranquebar_Railway|access-date=18 December 2020|website=wiki.fibis.org}}</ref><ref name="indiarailinfo">{{Cite web|title=Indian Railways Map - Railway Enquiry|url=https://indiarailinfo.com/atlas|access-date=18 December 2020|website=indiarailinfo.com}}</ref> and [[Tiruturaipundi Junction railway station|Thiruthuraipoondi Junction]] to [[Point Calimere railway station|Point Calimere]] Railway line <ref name="indiarailinfo"/><ref name="indiatimes">{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/sr-to-operate-goods-trains-on-newly-converted-gauge-line/articleshow/72100648.cms|title=Southern Railway to operate goods trains on newly converted gauge line | Trichy News|website=The Times of India|date=18 November 2019|accessdate=21 December 2020}}</ref> and [[Bodinayakkanur]] - [[Madurai]] railway line.The [[Madurai Junction railway station|Madurai]] to [[Bodinayakkanur railway station|Bodinayakkanur]] railway line section via [[Teni Junction railway station|Theni]] is already converted to broad gauge and electrified.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-06-15 |title=Train services from Bodinayakkanur resume after 13 years |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/train-services-from-bodinayakkanur-resume-after-13-years/article66973440.ece |access-date=2024-07-25 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

The three railway lines, Tranquebar railway line, Peralam-Karaikal railway line and Point Calimere railway line were closed during the 1980s due to poor patronage citing unviability. But now they are under consideration for conversion to [[broad gauge]] lines.

On the 2020–21 February Indian budget [[Indian rupee|₹]]88 crores<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rajaram|first=R.|date=2021-02-05|title=Karaikal-Peralam railway line project gets an impetus|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/karaikal-peralam-railway-line-project-gets-an-impetus/article33761412.ece|access-date=2021-02-11|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> were sanctioned for this line out of the total ₹177 crores.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rajaram|first=R.|date=2020-03-05|title=Karaikal-Peralam new broad gauge railway line project awaits release of funds|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/karaikal-peralam-new-broad-gauge-railway-line-project-awaits-release-of-funds/article30990197.ece|access-date=2021-02-11|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> And all railway work on this line is planned to be completed by December 2024.

== History ==
This [[metre gauge]] branch line between {{rws|Peralam Junction}} and {{rws|Karaikal}} was approved for construction by [[French India]] during December 1895. The French government invested about 1,201,840 {{dollarsign|FRF|lk=on}} (approximately {{INRConvert|1.51|c}} in 2014) for the construction, which was done by the then Great South Indian Railway (which was later merged with [[South Indian Railway Company]])<ref name=french>{{cite book|title=Southern India: Its History, People, Commerce, and Industrial Resources|year=1914|publisher=Asian Education Services|location=[[Chennai]]|isbn=9788120613447|pages=534, 595|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8WNEcgMr11kC&q=peralam+198&pg=PA534|author=Somerset Playne|author2=J. W. Bond|editor=Arnold Wright|accessdate=29 March 2014}}</ref> and opened on 14 March 1898.<ref name=hist/>

Due to persistent demand from various quarters, revival of line gained momentum for surveying the feasibility outside the purview of Railway Budget,<ref name=demand>{{cite news|title=Karaikal-Peralam rail line to be revived|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/karaikalperalam-rail-line-to-be-revived/article2308610.ece|accessdate=29 March 2014|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=30 July 2011|location=[[Karaikal]]}}</ref> which proposed a rough estimate of about {{INRConvert|110|c}}.<ref name=rough>{{cite news|last=P. V. Srividya|title=Salem-Karaikal line survey almost over|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/salemkaraikal-line-survey-almost-over/article2980290.ece|accessdate=29 March 2014|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=10 March 2012|location=[[Karaikal]]}}</ref> Officially, the line was taken up for survey as the announcement came in the 2013–2014 [[Railway Budget]],<ref name=budget>{{cite web|title=Railway Budget: 2013–2014 (Southern Railway)|url=http://www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in/ticker/1362486296326Budget%2013-14.pdf|work=Ministry of Railways (India)|publisher=[[Southern Railway zone]]|accessdate=29 March 2014|pages=1}}</ref> at an outlay of {{INRConvert|10|l}}<ref name=survey>{{cite news|title=Karaikal-Peralam line survey begins|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/karaikalperalam-line-survey-begins/article4511152.ece|accessdate=29 March 2014|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=15 March 2013|location=[[Karaikal]]}}</ref> and at an estimate of about {{INRConvert|120|c}} for full-fledged activities.<ref name=crore>{{cite news|title=Chennai-Karaikal rail project to be implemented soon: Union Minister V Narayanasamy|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-10-29/news/43495976_1_union-minister-v-narayanasamy-puducherry-railway-station|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140329135707/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-10-29/news/43495976_1_union-minister-v-narayanasamy-puducherry-railway-station|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 March 2014|accessdate=29 March 2014|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|date=29 October 2013|location=[[Karaikal]]}}</ref> Apart from retaining the four railway stations in the past and laying broad gauge tracks in the same old path, detour lines of about {{convert|1.5|km}} is planned at {{rws|Peralam Junction}} and about {{convert|2|km}} for Tirunallar [[rail yard|yard]].<ref name=yard>{{cite news|title=Committee to study Karaikal-Peralam line project proposal|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/committee-to-study-karaikalperalam-line-project-proposal/article4656019.ece|accessdate=29 March 2014|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=26 April 2013|location=[[Karaikal]]}}</ref> In June 2019 tenders were floated for the execution of the project, expecting to complete it by March 2021.<ref>{{cite news|title=Revival of Karaikal-Peralam line finally takes shape |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/revival-of-karaikal-peralam-line-finally-takes-shape/article27397169.ece|accessdate=31 December 2019|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=1 June 2019|location=[[Tiruchirappalli]]}}</ref>

== Route ==
With a route length of {{convert|23.5|km}}, the line had four stations Ambagarattur, Paruttikudi, [[Thirunallar]] and Karikovilpathu within a stretch of {{convert|15.5|km}} up to Karaikal, all falling within the territory of French India (now [[Karaikal district]]). The rest of {{convert|8|km}} between Ambagarattur and Peralam falls within British India region (now [[Tiruvarur district]]).<ref name=hist/>

== Operations ==

=== Passenger services ===
Though owned by French India, the operations were transferred to the then Great South Indian Railway in accordance with agreement signed in 1902.<ref name=hist/> There were 4 up-and-down services, but due improvement in road connectivity the earnings dropped and subsequently the services were reduced to one in 1943. After Indian Independence and Railway Re-organisation, the line fell into the jurisdiction of [[Tiruchirappalli railway division]]. In 1967, citing under utilisation of the line for passenger traffic in its transport survey, the National Council for Applied and Economic Research recommended for closure of the line.<ref name=pemkikpy>{{cite web|title=Chapter VII - Communications-Railways|url=http://statistics.puducherry.gov.in/gazetter/PDF/VII%20-%20RAILWAYS.pdf|work=Government of Puducherry|publisher=Directorate of Economics and Statistics|accessdate=29 March 2014|pages=3–6|archive-date=13 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413141632/http://statistics.puducherry.gov.in/gazetter/PDF/VII%20-%20RAILWAYS.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Freight services ===
This line provided rail connectivity to [[Karaikal port]] and transfer of goods through rail into [[British India]], as this line would give further connectivity to {{rws|Mayiladuthurai Junction}}, which falls on the [[Chennai Egmore–Thanjavur line|main line]]. Cement, fertilisers, tiles, timber, kerosene oil, rice, wheat, grains, pulses and paddy were the main goods involved in traffic. Raw materials like pressed cotton and coal for textile mills and iron billets for Pondicherry Rolling Mills were brought in, processed and the finished product was supplied all over the country.<ref name=pemkikpy/> Though the goods traffic density fared better, the passenger traffic slumped and services were called off except the rolling stock.<ref name=pykikpem>{{cite web|title=Chapter VII - Communications-Ferries and Bridges (Railways)|url=http://statistics.puducherry.gov.in/gazetter/PDF/VII%20-%20FERRIES%20&%20BRIDGES.pdf|work=Government of Puducherry|publisher=Directorate of Economics and Statistics|accessdate=29 March 2014|pages=1}}</ref>

== See also==

*[[Tiruchirappalli division]]
*[[Indian Railways]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

* [https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/17769-crore-sanctioned-for-laying-karaikal-peralam-railway-line/article26611268.ece ₹177.69 crore sanctioned for laying Karaikal - Peralam railway line]

== External links ==
* [http://www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in Southern Railways - Official Website]
{{Railways in Southern India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peralam - Karaikal line}}
[[Category:Trichy railway division|*]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1898]]
[[Category:Railway lines closed in 1987]]
[[Category:Transport in Karaikal]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Puducherry]]

Peralam–Karaikal line - Revision history

AlbaTinker204: New New Details With Sources