 Office of TPJ Divisional Headquarters | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Tiruchirappalli,Tamil Nadu, India |
| Reporting mark | TPJ |
| Locale | Tamil Nadu andPuducherry |
| Dates of operation | 16 May 1956; 69 years ago (1956-05-16)–present |
| Predecessor | South Indian Railway |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) |
| Previous gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) |
| Electrification | 25 kV AC,50 Hz |
| Length | 1,026.55 km (637.87 mi) |
| Other | |
| Website | www |
Tiruchirappalli railway division is one of the six railway divisions under the jurisdiction ofSouthern Railway zone of theIndian Railways.[1] It has its administrative headquarters located atTiruchirappalli. It serves most of the districts of delta region and Central Tamil Nadu.[2][3]
The history of division dates long back to 1853, when theGreat Southern of India Railway Company was established with its headquarters at England and first line was constructed betweenNegapatnam andTrichinopoly in 1859.[4] Tiruchirappalli railway division was formed while consolidating all other railways of pre-independence era on 16 May 1956. It is the second largest division of the zone having a route length of about 1,026.55 km (637.87 mi),[5] spread over 13districts of Tamil Nadu.[6] Also this could be the only division in the world that is serving the railway lines of erstwhileSouth Indian Railway Company and Pondicherry Railway Company developed by theBritish empire andFrench empire respectively.[7][8][9]
The division comes underSouthern Railway zone, which is headed by General Manager, A. K. Agarwal.[10] The division is headed by Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Manish Agarwal.[11] It was also once headed by Manjula Rangarajan, a 1983 batchIndian Railway Accounts Service officer, who became the first woman to head the division in its 150-year history.[12][a] The divisional railway office (DRO) is located close toTiruchirappalli Junction,[13] which is one of the busiest railway junctions in India and second biggest railway station in Tamil Nadu only next toChennai Central.[14]Commercial Controller 2464469
The division spans toTiruchirappalli,Thanjavur,Nagappattinam,Mayiladuthurai,Cuddalore,Vellore,Tiruvannamalai,Ariyalur,Viluppuram,Tiruvarur, andPerambalur districts of Tamil Nadu state andUnion Territory of Puducherry includingKaraikal. The total area covered by the division is about 1,026.55 km (637.87 mi), of which BG accounts to 843.26 km (523.98 mi) (including electrified lines) and MG is 183.29 km (113.89 mi), which are all under Gauge conversion.[2]
The 2.8 km (1.7 mi)stretch betweenGolden Rock andTiruchirappalli Junction is operating with Triple line, as Both Chord Line and Main Line runs parallel between these stations and for extensiveshunting and maintenance purpose due to the proximity ofCentral Workshop,Diesel loco shed[15] and a newly established electric locomotive trip shed,[16] the entire division hassingle lines[11] except for Trichy–Viluppuram Section ofChord Line which has been completely Upgraded to Double Line Electrified Section (FEDL).
| From[17] | To | Line | Gauge | Track | Traction[18] | Chainage from | Chainage to | Distance (in km) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiruchirappalli Fort | Tiruchirappalli Junction | Branch Line | BG | Single | Diesel/Electric | 136.43 | 141.10 | 5 | Active |
| Viluppuram Junction | Tiruchirappalli Junction | Chord line | BG | Double | Diesel/Electric | 161.60 | 341.60 | 180 | Active |
| Viluppuram Junction | Katpadi (Excluding) | Branch line | BG | Single | Diesel/Electric | 0.00 | 159.10 | 159 | Active |
| Viluppuram Junction | Puducherry | Branch line | BG | Single | Diesel/Electric | 0.00 | 37.62 | 38 | Active |
| Viluppuram Junction | Tiruchirappalli Junction | Main line | BG | Single/Doublea | Diesel/Electricb | 162.76 | 406.80 | 244 | Active |
| Cuddalore Port Junction | Vridhachalam Junction | Branch line | BG | Single | Diesel | 0.00 | 58.27 | 58 | Active |
| Mayiladuthurai Junction | Karaikkudi Junction | Branch line | BG | Single | Diesel/Electricc | 0.00 | 187.03 | 187 | Active |
| Tiruturaipundi Junction | Kodiyarkarai (point Calimere) | Spur Line | BG | Single | Diesel | 0.00 | 36.91 | 37 | Active |
| Thanjavur Junction | Karaikal | Branch line | BG | Single | Diesel/Electric | 0.00 | 96.46 | 96 | Active |
| Nidamangalam Junction | Mannargudi | Spur line | BG | Single | Diesel | 0.00 | 13.96 | 14 | Active |
| Nagapattinam Junction | Velankanni | Spur line | BG | Single | Diesel | 0.00 | 10.40 | 10 | Active |
| Peralam | Karaikal | Branch line | MG | Single | Diesel | 0.00 | - | 23.06 | Under Gauge Conversion |
| Mayiladuthurai Junction | Taragambadi (trabquebar) | Spur line | MG | Single | Diesel | 0.00 | - | 29.20 | Under Gauge Conversion |
^a Doubline line is available between Tiruchirappalli Junction and Thanjavur Junction only.
^b Electric Traction available between Mayiladuthurai Junction and Thanjavur Junction.
^c Electric Traction is available between Mayiladuthurai Junction and Tiruvarur Junction.
The list includes the stations under the Trichy railway division and their station category.[19][20]
| Category of station | No. of stations | Names of stations |
|---|---|---|
| A-1 Category | 1 | Tiruchirappalli Junction |
| A Category | 4 | Thanjavur Junction,Viluppuram Junction,Kumbakonam,Mayiladuthurai Junction |
| B Category | 4 | Nagapattinam Junction,Puducherry,Vriddhachalam Junction,Ariyalur |
| C Category (Suburban station) | – | – |
| D Category | 6 | Thiruvarur Junction,Mannargudi,Velankanni,Srirangam,Chidambaram,Nidamangalam Junction |
| E Category | 1 | Karaikal |
| F Category Halt Station | – | – |
| Total | – | – |
| Category of station | No. of stations | Names of stations |
|---|---|---|
| NSG-1 | 0 | – |
| NSG-2 | 1 | Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station |
| NSG-3 | 2 | Thanjavur Junction,Viluppuram Junction |
| NSG-4 | 4 | Kumbakonam,Mayiladuthurai Junction,Nagapattinam Junction,Puducherry |
| NSG-5 | 20 | Vriddhachalam Junction,Thiruvarur Junction,Mannargudi,Velankanni,Ariyalur,Srirangam,Chidambaram,Nidamangalam Junction,Karaikal, Tirukkovilur,Tiruvannamalai, Vellore Cantonment,Tiruchirappalli Fort, Nagore,Lalgudi, Tiruverumbur, Papanasam,Sirkazhi,Cuddalore Port Junction,Thirupadiripuliyur. |
| NSG-6 | 67 | Turinjapuram, Agastiampalli, Panruti, Aduturai, Budalur, Polur, Vaithisvarankoil, Pennadam, Kutralam, Peralam, Tiruchchirappalli town, Chinnababu samudram, Sendurai, Mathur,Ponmalai (golden rock), Arni road, Adirampattinam, Koradacheri, Ulundurpet, Pullambadi, Arantangi, Pattukottai,Tiruturaipundi Junction, Kannamangalam, Kallakkudi palanganatham, Vadalur, Nellikuppam, Neyveli, Tiruvennainallur road, Alakkudi, Peravuruni, Saliyamangalam, Kizhvelur, Kurinjipadi, Parikkal, Valadi, Thiruthuraiyur, Pandaravadai, Kulikarai, Melpattambakkam, Tillaivilagam, Kollidam, Puvanur, Ichchangadu, Sundaraperumal Koil, Sillakkudi, Kandambakkam, Alapakam, Kille, Anandatandavapuram, Solagampatti, Tirunelikaval, Talanallur, Titte, Nannilam, Serndanur, Uttangal mangalam, Ottakovil, Kallagam, Periyakottai, Ayingudi, Puduchattiram, Kaniyambadi, Mambalapattu, Venkatesapuram, Agaram sibbandi, Tandarai. |
| SG-1,SG-2,SG-3 | 0 | – |
| HG-1 | 1 | Villiyanur |
| HG-2 | 14 | Manjattidal, Vriddhachalam town, Tiruchchirappalli palakarai, Valavanur, Tiruvidaimarudur, Aiyanapuram, Darasuram, Ammapet,Parangipettai, Velippalaiyam, Swamimalai, Nidur, Pichchandar Koil, Velore town. |
| HG-3 | 37 | Valaramanikkam, Muthupettai, Tirunageswaram, Ichchangadu, Vellur, Narasinganpet, Onnupuram, Kuthur, Sikkal, Adhichchanur, Koyilvenni, Andanappettai, Capper quarry, Adiyakkamangalam, Tondamanpatti, Tirumalairayan Pattinam, Pasupathikoil, Kudikadu, Sedarampattu, Ayyampet, Tirumathikunnam, Alattambadi, Vallampadugai, Manali, Mangudi, Mavur road, Punthottam, Ammanur, Andampallam, Ayandur, Kandanur puduvayal, Kattur, Madimangalam, Ottankadu, Pennathur, Uthamar kovil, Varakalpattu. |
| Unclassified/Closed | 15 | Teli, Mugaiyur, Velanandal, Meppuliyur, Kullanchavadi, Malliyam, Manganallur, Mandurai, Kadambankulam, Mariamman Koil, Kodikkalpalayam, Virkudi, Pandi, Kariyapattinam, Merpanaikkadu |
| Total | 161 | – |
The division involves in operating about 150 trains per day,[22] of which the 178 km (111 mi) stretchchord line experiences heaviest traffic[23] handling about 30 passenger and 56 express trains passing through everyday in addition togoods train, particularly during night.[24][25]
The division operates about 30 Passenger Reservation System (PRS) centers[26] which includes six post offices atVillianur,Tiruvettipuram,Peravurani,Muthupet,Srirangam, andPonmalai under the 1,000 PRS scheme, as a part of improving passenger amenities. At the headquarters station, plasma screen electronic display boards, electronic train arrival/departure boards were installed along with a renovated linen room and Integrated Security System to enhance security.[27]
The division became the first in the Southern Railway zone to install multi-coloured LED coach indication boards at Kumbakonam railway station during November 2013 and atTiruchirappalli junction during January 2014, for Platform.no.1 alone which is supposed to be extended till Platform no.5 and also at about 17 other stations includingViluppuram Junction,Puducherry,Thanjavur Junction,Mayiladuthurai Junction and Mannargudi within the division.[28]
The division has providedteam tracks for a number of Industrial establishments[7] adjoining the railway lines utilising the nearby railway stations for their logistics and transports such asCentral Workshop (Golden Rock), Cement and gypsum factories (Trichy,Perambalur andAriyalur),[29][30][31] Lignite industries (Neyveli),[32] Sugar factories (Viluppuram andVridhachalam),[33]FCI andCivil supplies (Cauvery delta districts)[34][35] alsoBHEL (Tiruverumbur),[36] and ports (Cuddalore andKaraikal).[30][37][38][39]
The division posted a decent earning of₹733.10 crore (US$87 million) during the financial year during 2012–2013 . It carried 42.5 million passenger and earned₹233.15 crore (US$28 million) from regular and festival special trains and₹449.92 crore (US$53 million), by transporting 9,000,000metric tons (8,900,000long tons; 9,900,000short tons) of freight,[27] of whichkaraikal port alone contributes about 40% of the revenue.[30]
The division won the overall efficiency medical shield, cleanliness shield and electrical conservation shield for 2012–2013 at the zonal level, in addition to the overall safety shield at the Annual Safety Week Celebrations held at Zonal Railway Training Institute.[27]
On the chord line were Srirangam,[40]Ariyalur, Vridhachalam Jn andViluppuram Junction. On the main line and branch lines that traverses through delta districts has a lot of greenery in the form of agriculture and towns of religious importance likeThanjavur,Thiruvarur,Kumbakonam,Mayiladuthurai,Sirkazhi,Chidambaram,Cuddalore,[41]Nagore,Velankanni,Tirunallar.[7][42]
| S.No | Section | Nature of work | Status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Via | To | |||
| 1 | Salem Junction | Namakkal → Perambalur →Ariyalur →Jayankondam → Gangaikondacholapuram →Mayiladuthurai Junction → Tirunallar | Karaikal | New line | Survey completed[43] |
| 2 | Tiruturaipundi Junction | Melamarudur →Vedaranyam | Agastiyampalli | Gauge Conversion | In progress[6] |
| 3 | Nagapattinam Junction | Tirukuvalai | Tiruturaipundi Junction | New line[b] | In progress[44][45][46] |
| 4 | Mannargudi | TBA | Pattukkottai | New line | In progress[43][47] |
| 5 | Thanjavur Junction | Pattukkottai | New line | In Progress | |
| 6 | Thanjavur Junction | Ariyalur | New line | Survey completed[43] | |
| 7 | Mayiladuthurai Junction | Tarangambadi →Tirunallar | Karaikal | New line | Survey completed[43] |
| 8 | Kumbakonam | Jayankondam | Virudhachalam Junction | New Line | Survey Completed[48] |
| 9 | Peralam Junction | Tirunallar | Karaikal | Restoration | In progress[49][50] |
| 10 | Tiruchirappalli | Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Manamadurai, Paramakkudi, Ramanathapuram | Rameswaram | Electrification | In progress[51] |
The division has a total workforce of about 11,430 in various ranks.[52]
The division manages oneDivisional Railway Hospital, one Sub-divisional Railway Hospital and seven Health Units/Polyclinics.[53][54] The Divisional Railway Hospital is atGolden Rock, which was established by the thenSouth Indian Railway Company in 1927, caters exclusively to railway staff of the entire division, has about 297 beds[55][56] including 100 beds in the newly opened surgical ward.[27] Apart from DRH, Golden Rock, the division has 25-bed Sub-divisional Hospital atViluppuram and eight Railway Health Units atTiruchirappalli Junction,Tiruchirappalli Fort,Srirangam,Vriddhachalam,Tiruvannamalai,Thanjavur,Mayiladuthurai andTiruvarur.[57][58]
The division oversees the management of railway schools within its jurisdictional limit at Tiruchirappalli (SRWWO Matriculation School atKallukuzhi andRMHSS/GOC) and Viluppuram (RMHSS/VM).[59][60]
About 275 security personnels including 30 commandos,[61] headed by Divisional Security Commissioner, oversee the security arrangements on day-to-day basis round the clock for the entire division which includes protecting railway infrastructure, escorting passengers in trains and operations in all railway stations.[62] Before being put into active service, all security personnel undergo training at Zonal RPF Training Center atKhajamalai,Tiruchirapalli.[63][64]
Apart from RPF, the Government Railway Police (GRP), a unit ofTamil Nadu Police also assists in civil and criminal issues at railway stations along with passenger safety. This unit was first established in 1932 withTrichy as its headquarters. Later in 1981, the unit was bifurcated and the headquarters was moved toChennai.[65] This unit has about 1400 personnel, headed by aSuperintendent of Police. The jurisdictional limit starts fromViluppuram in the north toKuzhithurai railway station in the south andKaraikal in the east to Palani in the west.[66] It has about 16 police stations and 14 out-posts along with mobile units inNellai Express and Rameswaram Express.[67]
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