Karaikkudi Junction
Indian Railways station
General information
Location	Ariyakudi Road, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu India
Coordinates	10°04′04″N 78°47′33″E / 10.0678°N 78.7924°E / 10.0678; 78.7924
Owned by	Indian Railways
Operated by	Southern Railway zone
Line(s)	Thiruvarur–Karaikudi, Tiruchirappalli–Karaikudi, Karaikudi-Manamadurai
Platforms	5
Tracks	8
Connections	Taxi, Auto rickshaw, town buses are available
Construction
Structure type	A–grade, Category NSG4
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Other information
Status	Functioning
Station code	KKDI
Zone(s)	Southern Railway zone
Division(s)	Madurai
Fare zone	Indian Railways
History
Opened	1 July 1930
Rebuilt	2008 (2008)
Electrified	Yes
Services
Preceding station Indian Railways Following station Kottaiyur towards Tiruchirappalli Junction Southern Railway zone Tiruchirappalli–Manamadurai line Devakottai Road towards Manamadurai Junction Preceding station Indian Railways Following station Kandanur Puduvayal towards Thiruvarur Junction Southern Railway zone Thiruvarur–Karaikudi line Devakottai Road towards Manamadurai Junction
Route map km to Mayiladuthurai Junction to Nidamangalam Junction to Nagapattinam Junction 0 Thiruvarur Junction 5.1 Mangudi 8.9 Mavur road 13.0 Tirunellikaval 15.4 Ammanur 18.4 Alattambadi 21.4 Manali Halt to Nagapattinam Junction ( under construction ) 26 Tiruturaipundi Junction to Point Calimere 40.3 Tillaivilagam 49.1 Mutupet 63.2 Adiramapattinam to Nidamangalam Junction ( under construction ) 75.7 pattukkottai to Thanjavur Junction ( under construction ) 87.7 Ottankadu 96.1 Peravurani 110.4 Ayingudi 121.5 Aranthangi 132.4 Valaramanikkam 138.0 Periyakottai 142.5 Kandanur Puduvayal TPJ MDU Limit to Tiruchchirappalli Junction 148.7 Karaikudi Junction to Manamadurai Junction
Location
Karaikkudi railway station Location in Tamil Nadu##Location in India
Interactive map

Karaikkudi Junction (station code: KKDI) is one of the major passenger rail head and major junction located in Sivaganga district and serving the city of Karaikudi and surrounding places.^[1]

Karaikudi Junction Railway Station Entrance

History

The station was constructed as a part of Pudukkottai–Sivaganga railway line during the 1930s.^[2] Initially during its older days this station acted as an ordinary railway station when the Tiruturaipundi Aranthangi line was extended to karaikudi, it became a junction railway station. It became as a junction by connecting all the three terminal lines they are Manamadurai Sivagangai Railway line, Trichinopoly Pudukkottai Railway line and Tiruturaipundi Aranthangi Railway line. Being a junction station, three rail lines emerge from the station, one towards Tiruchirappalli Junction, another to Thiruthuraipoondi junction and the third and final one Manamadurai Junction.

Overview

Being a Junction station, three rail lines emerge from the station, one towards Tiruchirappalli Junction,^[3] another to Manamadurai Junction^[4] and the third and final one towards Thiruthuraipoondi Junction.^[5][6][7] It is one of the two Junctions present in Sivagangai District. One is Manamadurai Junction and the other is Karaikudi Junction.

Administration

It falls under the operational limits of Madurai railway division of the Southern Railway zone and it is a major as well as an important passing station present on the Tiruchirappalli–Manamadurai railway line.^[5][8]

It also operates an inland container depot (railway goods shed) at Chettinad railway station.^[9] Due to lack of land availability and due to the operation of Meter Gauge Goods Terminal at Karaikudi Junction, the railway goods shed is constructed at Chettinad railway station at Kanadukathan which is very near to Karaikudi. But now the Meter Gauge Goods terminal is not in use since all the meter gauge lines were converted into broad gauge lines. But still the meter gauge goods terminal isn't dismantled from the junction.

The Thiruvarur–Karaikudi railway line falls under Tiruchirappalli railway division and all other railway lines fall under Madurai railway division.

Assistant Divisional Engineer Head Office for North East area of Madurai Division is located at Karaikudi Junction. Whose sub offices were located at Pudukkottai, Sivagangai and Mandapam. A railway running room facility is available for loco pilots which is necessary for them to take rest after their duty.

Suburban stations

• Kottaiyur Station
• Chettinad Station
• Kandanur Puduvayal Station
• Periyakottai Station
• Devakottai-Road Rastha Station

Services

Karaikudi is well connected with the capital city Chennai. Most of the trains bound to Chennai, Manamadurai, Rameswaram and Kanyakumari from Tiruchirappalli pass through this station, with every train having a stoppage here for a minimum of 5–10 minutes.^[5] Only Firozpur Rameswaram Humsafar Express skips this Junction. This railway junction act as a source station for Pallavan superfast express, Tiruchirappalli-Karaikudi-Tiruchirappalli DEMU and Tiruvarur-Karaikudi-Tiruvarur DEMU as these train originates and terminates at this Junction.

Retairing Room with one Non-AC Double Bed Room Facility is available within this Junction as passenger amenities but it can be booked only through Railway Junction Ticket Counter Facility only. Apart from that, General waiting hall, First Class passenger waiting hall, Platform Tea stalls are also available in this Junction.

• BG single line towards Thiruvarur Junction – main line via Aranthangi, Pattukkottai, Thiruthuraipoondi Junction
• BG Electrified single line towards Tiruchirappalli Junction via Pudukkottai
• BG Electrified single line towards Manamadurai Junction via Sivaganga

New rail line proposal

Below projects are surveyed and waiting for funds since long time.^[10]

Madurai–Melur–Tirupattur–Karaikudi new BG line: Reconnaissance Engineering cum Traffic Survey for a new BG line between Karaikkudi and Madurai via Melur and Thirupattur (85.70 km) was conducted and Survey Report was sent to Railway Board on 27.11.2014. This project was shelved by Railway Board.

Karaikudi-Natham-Dindigul new BG line: Reconnaissance Engineering cum Traffic Survey for a new BG line between Karaikkudi and Dindigul via Thirupattur and Natham (105.60 km) was conducted and Survey Report was sent to Railway Board on 06.07.2015. This project was shelved by Railway Board.

Karaikudi-Devakottai-Ramanathapuram-Tuticorin new BG line: Reconnaissance Engineering cum Traffic Survey for a new BG line between Karaikkudi and Tuticorin via Devakkottai and Ramanathapuram (214.81 km) was conducted and Survey Report was sent to Railway Board on 30.08.2011. This project was shelved by Railway Board.

References