Display of Adornments of Elephants for Thrissur Pooram Festival
One of the Gopurams of Meenakshmi Amman Temple, Madurai
Pamban Railway Bridge at Rameswaram : Southern Rls. retained the old M.G brige itself for the B.G line as well upon gauge conversion.The mid portion of bridge can open to facilitate passage for Ships and Bigger Boats.
Winch car- double line facility is there in the Palani Hill.
The beautiful night view of the Palani Hill Temple
A valley view at Nelliyampathy
An Elephants' procession in Nenmmara-Vallenghy Vela Festival
Sight of Wind Mills at Pollachi - Udumalaipettai region
Face to Face- Thrissur Pooram "Kudamattem"
Prospects of Kollengode – Thrissur line entailing Pollachi – Thrissur inter-state ‘chord’ rail link as a Green Corridor from Central Tamil Nadu to Central Kerala.
An analysis of the decades’ old pending proposal- “Kollengode – Thrissur railway line”, a green rail-corridor through the valley of Nelliyampathy Hills that enhances value- addition of tourism in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu
(Madan Menon Thottasseri)
Will the Railway Ministry look into the prospects of the Kollengode – Thrissur rail link facilitating a straight ‘Green Corridor’ from Central Tamil Nadu to Central Kerala?
This is the chronicle of a once shelved proposal for a railway line, which can be included into the ‘wish list’ of both Kerala and Tamil Nadu so as to get the same incorporated into the coming Railway Budget/2012 as it has the potential to get refurbished. This railway line through the valley of Neliyampathy Hills can beyond doubt facilitate for a fresh green rail-corridor from South Tamil Nadu to Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala, bypassing the busy Palakkad junction and it will be increasingly significant now for the tourism development in both states.
Kollengode – Thrissur Railway line:
The on-going gauge conversion in Palakkad – Kollengode- Pollachi – Udumalaipet - Palani - Dindigul; and Podanur – Pollachi routes will be completed in a phased manner as per the proposal to the Railway Ministry by Southern Railways. The rail traffic in the entire stretches was closed for gauge conversions for the past two years.
There is a long pending proposal for a new line between Kollengode, the erstwhile tiny realm under British Malabar and Thrissur, the city of ‘pooram’ festivals, which is actually very much significant for the B.G conversion project in the Palakkad- Pollachi- Dindigul route aimed to facilitate shortest route to temple towns of south Tamil Nadu from Malabar and Cochin regions of Kerala. A traffic survey for connecting Kollengode and Thrissur (B.G) was done during 1964-65 by the distinguished Padmashree P.N.Baskaran Nair (late) who simultaneously surveyed the Salem- Bangalore and Hassan – Mangalore lines. In fact this was the second survey, as the initial survey conducted during the pre-independence period in mid forties already went unnoticed. The line was resurveyed in the year 2007.
Being a short distance of approx. 54 k.m, the Ministry of Railways can still incorporate the proposed Kollengode -Thrissur B.G line in the coming Railway Budget/February 2012 and simultaneously release adequate funds for the early implementation of the new line as well as for augmenting the completion of the gauge conversion projects in Dindigul – Udumalaipet – Palani - Pollachi - Kollengode- Palakkad /Pollachi-Podanur sections. The proposal to link Kollengode lying in the Pollachi- Palakkad section under B.G conversion, with Thrissur, via. Nenmmara, Ayalur Road, Chittillamcherry, Mudappallur(For Mangalam Dam), Vadakkumcherry , Kuthiran, Pattikkad ( for Peechi Reservoir) and Mannuthy was neglected and kept in the cold storage for the past four decades.
It is very noteworthy that the proposed Kollengode – Thrissur line passes through Nenmara, the gate-way of Nelliyampathy Hill- Station, the upcoming tourist destination and an ideal out-door shooting location for movie makers.
The present Nenmara town is constituted by the erstwhile twin villages which are better known for the Nenmara- Vallenghy Vela festival held in the first week of April every year. This festival attracts not only people of Cochin- Malabar regions and Coimbatore - Pollachi – Tiruppur- Palani regions of neighboring Tamil Nadu, but also tourists from far off places. Of late foreign tourists visiting Kerala during the months of March- April are enticed by travel industry based at Coimbatore, Kochi and Calicut to witness the spectacular festival which is rated at par with Thrissur Pooram. The said rail link between Kollengode and Thrissur will give a face-lift to the paddy-cultivation and trading centers covered under Chulliyar, Pothundy, Mangalam and Peechi irrigation projects. Boat rides in Peechi and Pothundy reservoirs are popular. It will be an enchanting journey by a train that chugs through the beautiful countryside surrounded by thick lush of paddy fields, coconut – areca nut farms, rubber plantations and picturesque hills!
A Green Rail Corridor for Value Addition of Tourism in Nelliyampathy, Valparai and Top Slip:
The Nelliyampathy hills with amazing varieties of flora and fauna, around 65 km from Palakkad and 45 k.m from Nenmara is situated at a height of 467 meters to 1572 meters at the highest peak. The Hill station is comprised of a chain of ridges separated by valleys of dense, evergreen virgin forests and orange plantations. There are more than a dozen hair-pin bends on the ghat road from Pothundy Dam passing through the jungles of Sahyadri ranges. Nelliyampathi’s forest regions are sanctified with wild animals like elephants, leopards, hill squirrels, bisons and a wide spectrum of bird life.
Nelliyampathy is also the perfect location for eco tourism and farm tourism. The sprawling tea gardens, coffee, cardamom and orange plantation add beauty to this destination at all seasons. Studies had revealed that a rich civilization existed in Nelliyampathy during Tamil Sangam era.
Certain view-points en-route to the hill station offer a splendid sight of the Palakkad Gap, which is a geographical phenomenon in the Western Ghats formation, showing the extensive paddy fields of the Palakkad district and adjoining Coimbatore-Pollachi regions forming a verdant carpet.
Seethakundu waterfall with a height of 100 meters is an added attraction from where tourists can have a nice valley sight. Padagiri, the highest peak situated on Nellikotta mountain ranges is the trekkers’ paradise. Trekking is possible to reach Mampara as well for beautiful valley sight. Even Pollacchi and Valparai can be seen from there. Nenmara town and Pothundy reservoir can be seen from yet another view point – Kesavanpara. There are private operators offering Night-Safari to see wild animals, especially elephants; but must be beware of one fuming elephant roaming around to charge anything on its sight!
Kerala, boasting with the tag of “God’s Own Country” could register a success story while offering resorts by the side of back-waters with facilities for cruise boating, sail and stay in house-boats, in-house Ayurveda health-centers in resorts etc. which are very much acclaimed by tourists from all continents. While it prudently gives thrust for Ayurveda and Back-water oriented tourism to woo maximum number of class tourists to the state, it is desirable to consider launch of a special campaigns- ‘Tea Garden Tourism” for locations like Munnar and Nelliyampathy. Campaign for “Festival Tourism” may be feasible for attracting tourists to exclusive colorful festivals wherein there will be elephants’ parade, traditional drum recitals and display of fire-works at Thrissur Pooram, Nenmmara-Vallanghy Vela etc. Tourism campaign for Nelliyampathy, the hill-station with tea gardens, orange farms and cardamom estates can be ideally clubbed with the said Pooram and Vela festival as well as similar festivals at many villages in the enclave.
Nenmmara is connected by road with Palakkad through two- three routes with distances around 20 k.m. The town in the valley of the hill station is actually lying in the middle of Pollachi- Vadakkumcherry- Nenmmara -Thrissur Inter- State route merged with NH-47 at Vadakkumcherry. The distances by road from Nenmara to Pollachi towards east and to Thrissur towards west are 49 k.m each.
Pothundy Dam, just 6 k.m away from Nenmmara, which is constructed at the start off ‘Ayalur( Ayiloor) River’, a sub-tributary of Bharathapuzha is an ideal recreation location with gardens. Boat rides are offered in the vast reservoir to attract tourists. This dam is having a unique status as ‘second largest in Asia without using cement-mixture’. The Kerala government may have to plan for construction of adequate tourist resorts and budget motels at Nelliyampathy, Pothundy, Nenmara and Kollengode. There will be a good potential to install cable car service between the gardens in the Pothundy Dam to Nelliyampathy Hill station to boost tourism. The Kerala Tourism can avail the technology transfer from one of the best global companies for the same.
Though the Kollengode Railway station is the nearest rail-head for Nenmmara and Nelliyampathy, due to the proximity, it had not served the purpose much by the rail connectivity through Kollengode. The Palakkad – Kollengode – Pollachi M.G Line, part of the M.G. network in Palakkad – Kollengode - Pollachi – Palani – Dindigul and Pollachi – Podanur sections in the region which is under B.G conversion joins with trunk routes at three junctions, viz. Palakkad, Podanur and Dindigul. The pending project, Kollengode – Thrissur Rail link will enable linkage between major trunk routes of Southern Railway at Dindigul and Thrissur, enhancing the potential for traffic earnings and optimum utilisation of rolling-stocks.
Ultimately the Kollengode- Thrissur line will add value to the tourism potential of Nelliyampathy Hill station. If implemented, Nelliyampathy will be easily accessible to foreign tourists landing at Cochin, Calicut or Coimbatore airports as they can reach the entryway of the hill station - Nenmara town by a train.
Tourists camping at Nelliyampathy can be brought down to the valley to see the spectacular show of elephants’ parade and colourful fire works displayed in the Nenmmara-Vallenghy Vela festival. Together with Nenmmara and Vallengy, many villages like Ayalur (Ayiloor), Chittillamcherry, Cheramangalam, Mudapallur, Vadakkumcherry, Pallavoor constitute an enclave of Vela- Kanyarkali festivals in the months of April-May every year. Kanyarkali festivals are performed in temple premises from desk to dawn that provides all ingredients of folk-dance-dramas attracting intellectuals to laymen amongst tourists.
It is not an exaggeration to say that during the festival season, in this enclave of festivals in the Palakkad district, not even a single day passes without a celebration involving processions by adorned elephants accompanied by drum recitals like Chendamelams, Panchavadyams etc. and colourful fire-works at least in a couple of temples.
Valparai is the belatedly explored tourist location wherein tourists will find it interesting to see streams, dams, valleys, waterfalls, grass lands, flora and fauna. Situated in Anamalai hills of westernghats, there are 8 dams in and around Valparai namely Sholayar (one in TN and another in Kerala), Azhiyar, Parambikulam, Upper Nirar, Lower Nirar, Kadamparai and Upper Azhiyar. It is one of the unique tourist spots which offer ecotourism. Chinnakallar in valparai records maximum rainfall just next to chirapungi in Assam! The wildlife sanctuary in Valparai is situated at an altitude of 1,400 meters near Pollachi with a total area of 958 sq kms. The sanctuary is filled with various fauna like green pigeon, pangolin, sloth bear, panther, elephant, tiger, gaur, deer etc. the Anamalai Tiger Reserve Sanctuary protect the rare lion-tailed macaques, the Nilgiri and the common langurs and Malabar giant squirrels. Aaliyar dam in the foot hills of valparai at a distance of 24 kms from Pollachi is a famous picnic spot. Birla falls situated in the midest of green tea gardens will be a feast to the tourists visiting Valparai.
Topslip is located above the 800 feet from sea level. It is a ‘pollution free heavenly land’ located above the 800 feet from the sea level on the Anamalai mountain range and in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Pollachi is the gate way of Top Slip (35 k.m) and Parambikulam. Topslip to Valparai is about 65 Kms. Parambikulam located in Palakkad district of Kerala can be accessed only through Top slip in Tamilnadu.
Emergence of Pollachi – Thrissur Chord Line:
The gauge conversion of PGT- Kollengode-Pollachi- Palani-Udumalaipet-DIndigul sector is being done in a phased manner. Conversion work in the Dindigul-Palani section is almost completed and Palani-Pollchi is under Work-in-Process. People of the Thrissur- Nenmara- Kollengode (Kerala) and Pollachi- Udumalaipet- Palani ( T.N) regions have lot of expectations on the B.G connectivity between Palakkad and Dindigul (180 k.m) as well as between Podanur to Pollachi (40 k.m).
If the new line between Kollengode and Thrissur is made possible, it will establish the shortest route from Madurai/Tiruchcchi regions in Central Tamil Nadu to the Cochin regions of Kerala state. Trains between the Madurai/Tiruchchi and Thrissur, Guruvayur, Ernakulam, Alleppy etc. can be operated through Pollachi – Kollengode – Thrissur route, by-passing the traffic saturated Palakkad – Ottappalam – Shoranur/ Thrissur sections. Trains towards Malabar region, Mangalore and beyond through Konakan railways to Uduppi, Goa, Mumbai etc. can move through Pollachi- Kollengode- Thrissur- Shoranur Jn. as well as through Pollachi-Kolengode – Palakkad - Shoranur. In reality the gauge conversion in the Dindigul – Palakkad sector and also the new line between Kollengode and Thrissur will facilitate Tamil Nadu to become one of the major beneficiary states of the Konkan Railways.
The proposed Kollengode – Thrissur line will practically enable a Chord line between Pollachi and Thrissur. The existing Pollachi – Kollengode - Palakkad section (58 k.m) currently under B.G conversion, wherein the Pollachi – Kollengode is with a distance of 35 k.m. Though the proposed line connects two towns within the State of Kerala, it will pave the way for establishing a direct green corridor from Tiruchchi - Dindigul - Pollachi region in Central Tamil Nadu to Thrissur, the Pooram city in Central Kerala. Both States will be equally benefitted from this proposed railway line.
The distance from Madurai to Ernakulam via. Sengottai – Punalur - Kollam and Alappuza, (after the gauge conversion in Sengottai – Punalur sections) is 411 k.m. Once the gauge conversion between Dindigul – Palakkad sections is over and also provide the new B.G. link between Kollengode and Thrissur, the Madurai- Dindigul- Palani - Pollachi- Kollengode - Thrissur sections will offer a shortest route to Ernakulam with only 351 k.m. Thus there will be a reduction of 60 k.m in the distance between Madurai, the temple city and Ernakulam (Kochi) the“Queen of Arabian Sea”. Actually out of this reduced distance of 60 k.m, the Kollengode – Thrissur line which facilitates direct linking of Thrissur with Kollengode through Nenmmara, bypassing the traffic saturated Palakkad contributes to 46 k.m!
After the B.G conversion in Palakkad- Pollachi- Palani - Dindigul sections while Southern Railways can make it feasible to operate express trains between Alappuza (Alleppy)/Ernakulam/Guruvayur/Mangalore/Kozikkode(Calicut)/Palakkad and temple towns like Palani,Madurai,Rameswaram, Thiruchchi, Nagore, and Velankkanni in Tamil Nadu, it should simultaneously operate Passenger Trains as well.
The distance from Tiruchchi (Trichy) to Thrissur, Guruvayur or Ernakulam/Cochin ( via. Manappara- Dindigul – Palani – Udumalaipettai- Pollachi – Kollengode - Nenmara-Vadakkumcherry- Kuthiran-Pattikkad-Mannuthy-Thrissur) will be less by 69 k.m** when compared with the present round-about Tiruchchi- Karur -Erode – Podanur- Palakkad – Ottapalam – Wadakkancherry – Thrissur route.
Further in future, the Thrissur- Nenmara – Kollengode - Pollachi- Podanur B.G.sections (129 k.m) will serve as an alternative route to the busy Thrissur- Palakkad Jn. – Podanur
Jn. (125 k.m), a double-lined trunk section. Despite lengthier by 4 k.m, Southern Railways will find this route through the valley of Nelliyampathy hills as a ‘third line’ between Podanur and Thrissur, as it by-passes the busy Palakkad Jn.!
The Pollachi – Thrissur chord line will be advantageous for the tourism development of Nelliyampathy (Kerala), Valparai ( T.N), Top Slip ( T.N) Hill stations and many water reservoirs- Pothundy, Mangalam, Peechi,Vazhani, Malampuzha, Chulliar, Meenkara, Aliar, Sholaiyar, Kadamparai, Nirayar and Parambikkulam.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments may have to jointly take all preparations to get the sanction for the Kollengode- Thrissur railway line through the Railway Buget in Feb, 2012. M.Ps and Central Ministers, especially from Thrissur- Palakkad – Pollachi - Palani and Dindigul regions may have to take forward the need for the Kollengode - Thrissur railway line with their counterparts in neighboring districts. Kollengode – Thrissur line facilitates a chord line from Pollachi, the industrial town in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu well-known for the biggest market for vegetables, agro products, hill produce etc., to Thrissur the city in central Kerala, known for the Pooram festival. Thus it should not be seen just as a unimportant branch-line within the boundary of Kerala State. This railway line will be equally pertinent for the trade, commerce and tourism in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
It is desirable that M.Ps and Central Ministers from Kerala demand for the Kollengode - Thrissur railway line with support from counter parts of Tamil Nadu representing Madurai, Trichy, Dindigul, Palani, Pollachi regions as people of these regions will also be beneficiaries of the proposed railway line. Up on consolidating strength with proper support from the respective regions of both States, they can jointly prevail on the Railway Ministry to sanction the railway line. It will be better if people of a particular region in Kerala do not agitate in isolation within Kerala. Instead they may tie up support from the people’s forums of neighboring Tamil Nadu. I would like to advise the Action Councils based at Nenmara, Kollengode etc. form a consortium to jointly formulate agitations. The consortium can open affiliates/sub-councils at places like Pollachi, Udumalaipet, Palani, Oddanchatram and Dindigul with the help of business communities who are engaged in inter-state trade and commerce. They can also involve the Palani Dhadayudhapani Dewasthanam, which control and manage the famous Hill Temple that attracts pilgrims from other states.
I think that there no much of enthusiastic demand for this railway line from the Thrissur region. This line will entail Thrissur to become a busy railway junction and thus people’s forums and trade associations in Thrissur may have to intensify their demand for the same.
Note:
I.
** Details of 'Thrissur- Tiruchchi' distance Saved (69 K.m):
THRISSUR-TIRUCHCHI Jn., via. ERODE :
Thrissur-Erode 232 K.m+Erode- Tiruchci Jn.141 k.m=373 k.m;
THRISSUR-TIRUCHCHI via. KOLLENGODE, POLLACHI & DINDIGUL:
Thrissur-Kollengode 54 k.m + Kollengode-Pollachi-Dindigul 157 k.m+Dindigul- Tiruchchi Jn. 93 k.m = 304 k.m.
Distance saved: 373-304=69 k.m
II.
This ARTICLE is the updated/amended version of my earlier Articles –
(1) Will the Railway Ministry look into the prospects for a ‘chord’ rail link from Pollachi to Thrissur, facilitating a straight entry from Central Tamil Nadu to Central Kerala? posted on 22nd Feb,2011 vide. http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8265495-will-the-railway-ministry-look-into-the-prospects-for-a-chord-rail-link-from-pollachi-to-thrissur
(2) Kollengode – Thrissur railway line: “Tale of a neglected fresh green rail corridor from Central Tamil Nadu to Central Kerala” posted on 31 July,2010 .
Above Articles were based on my own original Article already published in ‘indian express’; see in blogs of indianexpress.com/ expressindia.com on 16th June,2009.
vide. http://blogs.expressindia.com/showblogdetails.php?contentid=477356
and then in ‘Blogspot’on 17th June,2009 vide. http://kollengode-thrissur-railway.blogspot.com/2009/06/kollengode-thrissur-railway-line.html with Malayalam Captions on 29th June,2009 in blogspot itself, prior to the RAILWAY BUDGET ON 3rd July,2009 by Railway Minister Ms.Mamata Banerjee. I have posted the Original version in the ‘malayaleeface.com’ as well; see http://malayaleeface.com/index.php?do=/public/account/myitems/blog/edit/id_54/
Many people have fully copied my Article from “expressindia” without mentioning about their copying, and posted in various sites as if they have written the Article and few people have quoted in their blogs/ forums.
Sometimes readers may wonder why I have been writing again on the proposed Kollengode – Thrissur Railway line as the previous Articles will serve the purpose. It is to be noted that in this latest Article I have given a thrust for the tourism development of Nelliyampathy hill station as well as Hills stations – Top Slip and Valparai in the neighboring Tamil Nadu. Kerala Tourism can launch special campaigns - ‘Tea Garden Tourism” and “Festival Tourism” connecting Nelliyampathy and festivals in Palakkad-Thrissur districts. Further I have a reason to dream on the said Kollengode-Thrissur railway line as I have felt the need for the same right from my school days at my native ‘Ayalur’ Village, just 4 k.m away from Nenmmara. There will be thousands of people in the stretch of Pollachi – kollengode – Nenmmara – Thrissur route who are nursing similar dreams.
This year, the Railway Budget will be presented in the parliament in the first week of March, instead of the last week of February. Parliamentary Affairs Minister - Pawan Kumar Bansal had declared that the Budget session of Parliament will start on 12th March 2012, with the Railway Budget slated to be presented on 14th March, 2012. As usual I am advocating for the KOLLENGODE –THRISSUR RAILWAY and post an Article on the same prior to the Railway Budget.
Many people have fully copied my Article from “expressindia” without mentioning about their copying, and posted in various sites under their names; as if they have written the Articles!
I would request readers not to copy my Articles and post in any other Blogs.
