Kozhikode railway station (also known as Kozhikode Main railway station)(station code: CLT[2]) is an NSG–2 category Indian railway station in Palakkad railway division of Southern Railway zone. It was given by Kallingal Madathil Rarichan Moopan to the British Indian Railways for a lease agreement of 99 years. [3] It is one of the largest and major railway stations in the state of Kerala. At ₹200 crore (equivalent to ₹249 crore or US$30 million in 2023) in financial year 2018–19, it is the largest in terms of passenger revenue in the division.[4] The station has four platforms, two terminals and a total number of six tracks. The first platform has a capacity to accommodate trains with 24 coaches and second & third platform has the capacity to accommodate 20 coaches; and the fourth one has the capacity to accommodate 24 coaches.[5] It has a daily turnout exceeding 25,000 passengers. It is one of the major railway stations in Kerala with trains connecting the city to other major cities in India. The other railway stations in the city include Ferok, Kallayi Kozhikode South, Vellayil and West Hill.
Kozhikode | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express train and Passenger train station | |||||||
 | |||||||
| General information | |||||||
| Other names | Kozhikode Main Railway Station | ||||||
| Location | Railway Station Road, near Apsara Theatre, Kozhikode, Kerala, India | ||||||
| Coordinates | 11°14′47″N 75°46′50″E / 11.2465°N 75.7805°E | ||||||
| Elevation | 11 m (36 ft) | ||||||
| Owned by | Indian Railways | ||||||
| Operated by | Southern Railway zone | ||||||
| Line(s) | Shoranur–Mangalore section | ||||||
| Platforms | 4(1,2,3,4) | ||||||
| Tracks | 6 | ||||||
| Connections | Bus stand, Taxicab stand, Auto rickshaw stand | ||||||
| Construction | |||||||
| Structure type | Standard (on-ground station) | ||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||
| Accessible |  | ||||||
| Other information | |||||||
| Status | Functioning | ||||||
| Station code | CLT | ||||||
| Zone(s) | Southern Railway zone | ||||||
| Division(s) | Palakkad | ||||||
| History | |||||||
| Opened | 2 January 1888 | ||||||
| Electrified | Yes | ||||||
| Previous names | Calicut Railway Station | ||||||
| Passengers | |||||||
| 2016–17 | 28,463 per day[1] | ||||||
| Rank | 2 (in Kerala) 1 (in Palakkad division) | ||||||
| |||||||
An integrated security system was installed at the station in 2012 featuring baggage scanners, CCTVs and vehicle scanners.[6] The 125th anniversary of the station was celebrated on 2 January 2013.[7]
History
editThe railway line to Kozhikode was opened to traffic on 2 January 1888 and at that time was western terminus of the Madras Railway. The first line in Malabar was laid between Chaliyam and Tirur, the former an important port town, back then. With the arrival of the new line to Calicut and its growth as an administrative centre, Chaliyam diminished in significance and the railway line to it was subsequently abandoned.[8]
The station houses several vintage fixtures including a recreation club named the Railway Institute built by the British adjacent to the station in 1888 to serve as a venue for the social life of the Railways' employees, and a cast iron mechanical pump set that was imported from England to pump water into steam locomotives.[9][10] The 125th anniversary of the station was celebrated on 2 January 2013. It has been ranked as "The Cleanest Railway Station of India" in January 2018 .[11]
Infrastructure
editThe station has four platforms and two terminals. The first platform has a capacity to accommodate trains with 24 coaches and the third platform 20 coaches. The fourth one has the capacity to accommodate 24 coaches.[12] It heralds as the only A–1 graded station in Palakkad railway division with a daily turnout exceeding 25,000 passengers.[13]
Trains starting from Kozhikode
edit| # | Train No. | Route | To | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12075/12076 | Kozhikode–Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi Express | Thiruvananthapuram Central | 400 km |
| 2 | 06454/06455 | Kozhikode-Shornur Express | Shoranur Junction | 86 km |
| 3 | 06495/06496 | Kozhikode-Shornur Express [a] | Shoranur Junction | 86 km |
| 4 | 06481 | Kozhikode-Kannur Express | Kannur | 89 km |
| 5 | 56652/56653 | Kozhikode-Kannur Express | Kannur | 89 km |
| 6 | 16610 | Mangaluru-Kozhikode Express | Mangaluru Central | 221 km |
- ^ In view of corridor block for facilitating maintenance and safety works in various divisions over Southern Railway train no.06496 stands cancelled
Major trains passing through Kozhikode
editServices
editIt is one of the major railway stations in Kerala with trains connecting the city to other major cities in India such as Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Bangalore, Mangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Surat, Pune, Jaipur, Visakhapatnam, Jammu Tawi, Goa, and so forth. Other railway stations in the city include Ferok (code: FK), Kallayi Kozhikode South (code: KUL), Vellayil railway station (code: VLL) and West Hill railway station (code: WH).[14][15]
Facilities
editAn integrated security system was installed at the station in 2012 featuring baggage scanners, CCTVs and vehicle scanners.[16]
- Reservation counters are open between 6:00 am to 8:00 pm
- Retirement Rooms (transit lodging facility)
- Cyber cafe
- Parcel booking Office
- Railway Mailing service (RMS) office
- Railway Protection Force – Circle office
- IRCTC Restaurants
- ATMs
- Pre-Paid autorickshaw counters[17]
- Pre-paid parking space[18]
- Escalator and elevator systems[19]
- Battery operated car facility for differently abled persons and senior citizens
ATMs
editThe following bank-ATMs are available at the railway station:
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Categorisation of Stations – Palakkad Division" (PDF). Southern Railway Zone – Indian Railways. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ "Station Code Index" (PDF). Portal of Indian Railways. Centre For Railway Information Systems. 2023–24. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
- ^ "SOUTHERN RAILWAY LIST OF STATIONS AS ON 01.04.2023 (CATEGORY- WISE)" (PDF). Portal of Indian Railways. Centre For Railway Information Systems. 1 April 2023. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
- ^ "Kerala railway stations ahead in passenger fare income". Manoramaonline.com. Thrissur. 1 January 2016. Archived from the original on 3 January 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "50 CCTVS at railway station". The Hindu. 25 November 2012.
- ^ "Kozhikode rail station to celebrate anniversary". The Hindu. 11 October 2012.
- ^ "A milestone". The Hindu. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "Relics of a bygone era wither away". The Hindu. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "An old giant, forgotten". The Hindu. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "Kozhikode rail station to celebrate anniversary". The Hindu. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "Kozhikode station has 4 platforms and platform capacity". The Hindu. 28 November 2005. Archived from the original on 21 August 2007.
- ^ "A case for better railway facilities in Kozhikode". The Hindu. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "West Hill as Kozhikode North Station".
- ^ "Vellayil as Kozhikode North". The Hindu. 14 July 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008.
- ^ "50 CCTVs at railway station". The Hindu. 25 November 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "Prepaid auto service launched". The Hindu. 1 September 2009. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "Protest against high parking fee at railway station". The Hindu. 24 January 2010. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "A new step in Kozhikode railway station's journey to world-class status". The Hindu. 4 October 2013.