Sabarimala Railway

Sabarimala Railway is a proposed 111 kilometres (69 mi) railway line from Angamaly to Erumeli, near Sabarimala that had been sanctioned in the year 1998 by Indian Railways. According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Kerala State and the Ministry of Railways on 27 January 2016, commercially viable railway projects will be identified and handed over to the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to be fast-tracked on a 51:49 per cent equity basis. SPV has discussed about the extension to Punalur. The currently proposed Sabarimala railway is under PMO - Pro active governs and timely implementation (Pragati); will be monitored by the Prime Minister's Office. The proposed railway line will be a great relief to the transportation problems faced by Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts.

Sabarimala Railway
Overview
Native nameശബരിമല റെയിൽവേ
StatusConstruction
(Under progress)
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleKerala
TerminiAngamaly(Ernakulam)
Erumeli(Kottayam)

Punalur(Kollam) Nedumangad(Trivandrum)

Nemom(Trivandrum)
Stations20 (Proposed)
Websitewww.sr.indianrailways.gov.in
Service
TypeRegional rail
Heavy rail
Light rail
Services1
Operator(s)Southern Railway zone
Depot(s)Kollam
Ernakulam
Rolling stockWDP-4
Technical
Line length111 km (69 mi)
Number of tracks1
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)

Background
Sabarimala Railway Construction across Periyar river

Kerala's government started the land acquisition for the construction of this Sabarimala railway project and established special Thahasildhar offices at Perumbavoor and Palai in 2006 and at Muvattupuzha in 2010 for the land acquisition of Sabarimala railway. Railway and revenue department has conducted joint survey for the land acquisition of this railway line, laid boundary stone for the acquired land and notification for land acquisition up to proposed Ramapuram railway station in Kottayam district. 90% of railway line construction up to Kaladi railway station 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) was completed by 2010.

The revenue department of the Government of Kerala completed all formalities of land acquisition in Chelamattom village, Perumbavoor village, Koovapady village, Vengoor West village, Rayamangalam village, Asmannor village (on 19 August 2008) and Muvattupuzha village (on 28 October 2011) and declared the land value of acquired land for this railway line. But land price distribution to the land owners of these villages has not happened due to the lack of funding from the Railway Ministry of the Government of India. Although the Railway board has approved the revised estimate of Angamali- Perumbavoor reach of this railway line ₹203 crore (US$28 million), has not given any fund for the completion of revised estimate approved reach. The Railway board has written to the Kerala government that without 50% of cost sharing by the state government, they could not allocate any further funding to Sabarimala railway project. The Railways have started the pre-non interlocking works in the Angamali Railway station on 3 August 2017 which aims at connecting the Sabarimala railway to the main line of Ernakulam-Shoranur. They also have decided to open the railway offices at Perumbavoor and Muvattupuzha for the fast acquisition of lands.

Idukki, one of the districts in Kerala which has no railway station, will get railway connectivity and two railway stations through the line. The railway line will help the wood–based and rice–based industries concentrated in the Perumbavoor–Kalady area, and the tourist destinations of Ernakulam, Idukki and Kottayam districts.

Stations

Proposed new railway stations in I Phase are Kalady, Perumbavoor, Odakkali, Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha, Vazhakulam, Thodupuzha, Karimkunnam, Ramapuram, Palai, Erattupetta, Kanjirappally and Erumeli. During II Phase stations at Ranni, Adoor, Pathanamthitta, Konni, Koodal, Pathanapuram will be connected to Punalur and there join Kollam–Sengottai branch line. Since it provides a railway facility to Sabarimala pilgrims and the number of pilgrims visiting Sabarimala temple is more than the total population of Kerala, this railway line was named Sabarimala railway. It is operated by Thiruvananthapuram division of the Southern Railway zone.[1]

Stations in Phase-1

Stations in Phase-2

Stations in Phase-3

Complete alignment[3]

References
  1. Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (2 December 2015). "State nod to share Sabari rail costs". The Hindu. Thiruvananthapuram. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  2. New India Express, date:29 May 2017, Kottayam Edition
  3. "Trivandrum Division System Map" (PDF). Indian Railways. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2019.

Geographic data related to Sabarimala Railway at OpenStreetMap

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