Guruvayur–Thrissur spur line

Guruvayur–Thrissur section is a spur line functioning under Trivandrum railway division of Southern Railway Zone. This is a single Broad Gauge line which begins at Thrissur city and ends at Guruvayur in Thrissur District of Kerala. The 23 kilometres (14 mi) section was opened for traffic in the year 1994. The line connects the Cultural Capital of Kerala, Thrissur to the Temple Town of Kerala, Guruvayur, the fourth biggest temple in India in terms of the number of devotees per day.[1][2][3]

Guruvayur–Thrissur spur line
View of Thrissur railway station
Overview
Type	Regional rail
System	Electrified
Status	Operational
Locale	Thrissur District
Termini	Thrissur Guruvayur
Stations	2
Services	1
Website	http://www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in/
Operation
Opened	9 January 1994 (1994-01-09)
Owner	Southern Railway zone
Operator(s)	Thiruvananthapuram railway division
Technical
Line length	23 kilometres (14 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	Fully
Route map km 0 Guruvayur 15 Amala Nagar to Shoranur Junction 21 Punkunnam 23 Thrissur to Ernakulam Junction

History

In 1983, Kamalpati Tripathi, then Minister of Railways (India) announced the construction of Thrissur-Guruvayur-Kuttipuram section. But following stiff opposition from the local people, Kuttipuram was dropped. After carrying out detailed studies and examining various alternatives, it was decided to connect Tanur, on the Shoranur - Mangalore Section, to Guruvayur. On 19 January 1985 Indian Railway officially notifies Guruvayur-Tanur line for construction as temple town is a notified pilgrimage area. Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India in 1987 inaugurated the first alignment line of Guruvayur-Tanur section.

On 9 January 1994 the first phase of the Thrissur-Guruvayur section was inaugurated by Prime Minister of India, Narasimha Rao. On 17 December 1995, Suresh Kalmadi and then Chief Minister of Kerala Kannoth Karunakaran inaugurated the work for the Guruvayur-Kuttipuram line. But later Kuttipuram was dropped once more and Indian Railways in 1997 give the green signal for Guruvayur-Tanur line. 51.25 km Guruvayur-Tanur railway line survey report was submitted to Indian Railways in July 1998. The project, estimated at Rs 138 crores, was sanctioned in 1999. The final surveys were done for the Guruvayur-Tanur railway line in January 2003, which will cover 51 km. The funds allocated for the project since 1999-2000 had lapsed. A sum of Rs 5 crores was allocated in the Railway Budget 2006 also. In October 2009, Guruvayur-Tirunavaya alignment was chosen by Indian Railways.[2][4][5]

Commemorative plaque of Kuttipuram-Guruvayoor section in Guruvayoor Railway Station

The project is in limbo ever since then. Successive Kerala Governments showed no interest to revive this project by paying fair compensation acquire land and handover to Indian Railways. People expected some announcement on this regard from PM Modi on his visit to the temple after 2019 Elections. But nothing happened. In all sense this project is a no beginner if implemented it would have been of great help to Malabar people and would have provided an alternative route between Kochi and Mangalore bypassing busy Shoranur.

One of the biggest ironies of this rail line is that the incomplete section passes through Metro man E Sreedharan's native place.

References

1. "Hunger strike for Tanur-Guruvayur railway line". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 9 November 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
2. "Guruvayur-Tanur rail line project in limbo". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 24 June 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
3. "Guruvayoor Temple". Pilgrimage India. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
4. "Guruvayur-Tirunavaya rail line soon: Ahamed". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 24 June 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
5. "Guruvayur-Kuttipuram railway line turns 17". Thrissur: Mangalam. 28 January 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.