Chord Line, Tamil Nadu

The Chord Line connects Viluppuram Junction and Tiruchirappalli Junction in Tamil Nadu. It is the shortest route connecting Chennai Egmore and Trichy. This rail route is 40 km shorter than the main line.

Chord Line
Overview
Other name(s)	Viluppuram - Trichy railway line
Native name	கார்டு லைன்
Type	Regional rail Heavy rail Light rail
Status	Operating
Locale	Tamil Nadu
Termini	Viluppuram Junction (VM) Tiruchirappalli Junction (TPJ)
Stations	29
Services	1
Website	www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in
Operation
Opened	1 February 1929 (1929-02-01)
Owner	Indian Railways
Operator(s)	Southern Railway zone
Depot(s)	Golden Rock
Technical
Line length	178 km (111 mi)
Number of tracks	Double Line (Triple line between GOC and TPJ)
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Old gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ^3⁄8 in)
Loading gauge	4,725 mm × 3,660 mm (15 ft 6.0 in × 12 ft 0.1 in) (BG)[1]
Electrification	25 kV AC 50 Hz
Operating speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
Route number	21/21A[2]
Route map km to Chennai Egmore to Katpadi Junction 0 Viluppuram Junction NH 45A to Puducherry to Cuddalore Port Junction 8 Kandambakkam Thenpennai River 16 Tiruvennainallur 25 Parikkal Gadilam River 36 Ulundurupet National Highway 45 41 Meppuliyur 49 Puvanur to Salem Junction to Cuddalore Port Junction State Highway 69 55 Virudhachalam Junction Vellar River State Highway 16 National Highway 532 65 Vriddhachalam Town 70 Talanallur 74 Pennadam State Highway 141 Manjal River 79 Ichchangadu 83 Mathur 92 Sendurai 95 Vellur (Halt) 100 Ottakovil Madras Cements State Highway 27 109 Ariyalur Perambalur-Ariyalur Road 116 Sillakudi NH 227 123 Kallagam 134 Kallakudi Palanganatham 138 Pullambadi 147 Kattur Trichy-Paramsivapuram Road 152 Lalgudi 155 Mandurai 158 Valadi NH 227 162 Pichchandarkovil NH 45 164 Uttamarkovil Kollidam River 167 Srirangam Kaveri 170 Tiruchirappalli Town to Manjatidal (Golden Rock Byepass line) Diesel Loco Shed, Golden Rock Golden Rock Railway Workshop 176 Golden Rock to Tiruchirappalli Goods yard to Karur Junction Good shed road overpass 178 Tiruchirappalli Junction Junction overpass to Pudukkottai Rail yard to Dindigul Junction

History

Until 1927, Viluppuram Junction and Tiruchirappalli Junction were only connected by Main line that traversed through Kumbakonam and Mayavaram, which was 240 kilometres (150 mi). Hence, the need for shorter route arose and construction began on 22 August 1927 for a new railway line via Virudhachalam Junction in phases. Initially, the stretch between Viluppuram Junction and Virudhachalam were completed and opened on 1 December 1927, the Srirangam - Golden Rock stretch on 22 August 1927, Bikshandarkoil - Srirangam stretch on 12 December 1927 and the entire stretch began its operations since 1 February 1929. This line gradually reduced the Madras - Colombo journey by around four hours.[3]

.

Gauge conversions

The conversion from metre gauge to broad gauge was effected during 1992-93 and completed during September 1998.[4]

Electrification

This stretch was proposed for electrification phase by phase by CORE. The electrification was completed during 2010.[5]

Operations

Passenger services

The line experiences a heaviest traffic[6] handling about 30 passenger and 56 express trains passing through every day in addition to goods train, particularly during night.[7][8][9]

Despite the fact that multiple south Tamil Nadu bound trains pass via chord line, there are no 'A' grade stations in the chord line between Trichy and Villupuram.

Freight services

The line has a number of Industrial establishments[10] which utilises their nearby railway stations for their logistics and transports such as Central Workshop (Golden Rock), Cement and gypsum factories at Trichy, Perambalur and Ariyalur,[11][12][13] and the Sugar factories at Villupuram and Vridhachalam,[14]

References

1. J S Mundrey (2010). Railway Track Engineering (Fourth ed.). New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-07-068012-8. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
2. "Trains at a Glance July 2013 - June 2014". Indian Railways. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
3. R. P. Saxena. "Indian Railway History Time line". Irse.bravehost.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
4. "Works And Contract Management". Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
5. "Electrification work from Villupuram to Tiruchi completed: E. Ahamed". The Hindu. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
6. R.Rajaram (15 May 2013). "Dindigul-Villupuram project set to cross another milestone". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
7. R.Rajaram (10 July 2010). "Tiruchi-Chennai line to get decongested". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
8. "Doubling work on 25-km stretch completed in Trichy division". The Times of India. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
9. "Kallakudi Palanganatham-Ariyalur railway line nearing completion". The Hindu. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
10. "Southern Railway - Tiruchchirappalli Division" (PDF). Southern Railway zone. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
11. "Analysis of alternatives" (PDF). Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
12. M. V. L. Manikantan (21 December 2013). "Proposed Karaikal-Peralam line to boost freight traffic". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
13. T. E. Raja Simhan (1 February 2010). "Karaikal scores high on rail connectivity". The Hindu. Business Line. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
14. W. Francis; Frederick Nicholson; C. S. Middlemiss; C. A. Barber; E. Thurston; G. H. Stuart (2002). Gazetteer of South India. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. p. 127. Retrieved 1 January 2014.

External links

• Southern Railways - Official Website