Usilampatti railway station

Usilampatti is a railway station on Madurai–Bodinayakkanur branch line. It is located in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu state, India. The station consists of two platforms, which are not well sheltered.[1]

Usilampatti
Indian Railways station
General information
LocationState Highway 154, Usilampatti, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu
India
Coordinates9°58′16″N 77°47′34″E / 9.9711°N 77.7928°E / 9.9711; 77.7928
Elevation216 metres (709 ft)
Owned byIndian Railways
Operated bySouthern Railway
Line(s)Madurai–Bodinayakkanur branch line
Platforms2
Tracks4
Construction
Structure typeStandard (on ground station)
Other information
StatusFunctioning
Station codeUSLP
Zone(s) Southern Railway zone
Division(s) Madurai
History
Opened20 November 1928 (1928-11-20)
Closed1942–1954
2011–2020
Rebuilt23 January 2020 (2020-01-23)
ElectrifiedYes
Services
Preceding station Indian Railways Following station
Sikkampatti Halt
towards ?
Madurai–Bodinayakkanur branch line Doddappanayakkanur Halt
towards ?
Location
Usilampatti railway station is located in India
Usilampatti railway station
Usilampatti railway station
Location within India
Usilampatti railway station is located in Tamil Nadu
Usilampatti railway station
Usilampatti railway station
Usilampatti railway station (Tamil Nadu)

Location edit

Usilampatti railway station serves Usilampatti town in Madurai district. It pertains to Madurai railway division, part of Southern Railway zone of Indian Railways.

History edit

Usilampatti railway station was inaugurated together with the Madurai–Bodinayakkanur 90 km branch line in 20 November 1928 (1928-11-20) as metre-gauge railway by the Madras Provincial revenue member Norman Marjoribanks.[2] Later in 1942, during the Second World War, the line was closed and the tracks were removed. After India's Independence, between 1953 and 1954, the track was restored.[3]

The Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line was sanctioned for gauge conversion, from metre gauge (1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in)) to broad gauge (1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)). It was closed on 1 of January 2011,[2] expecting to reopen it by 2012,[3] but due to lack of funds, the project advanced at very slow pace. Finally, on 23 of January 2020, the first stretch between Madurai Junction and Usilampatti (37 km) was inaugurated, after passing the inspection of the Commission of Railway Safety.[4]

Services edit

As of January 2020, there are no train services.[5] According to the Madurai Member of the Parliament, S. Venkatesan, the train will run to Usilampatti by the end of February 2020, and by April, up to the terminus at Bodinayakkanur, when is expected to complete the gauge conversion works on the branch line.[6][7]

Timetable edit

Train No. Name Place of Departure Destination Timeing for Usilampatti Service Via
06701 Madurai Theni Spl Express Madurai Junction Theni 08.49/08.50 daily Aandipatti
06702 Theni Madurai Spl Express Theni Madurai Junction 18.53/18.54 daily Vadapalanji Halt
06701 MDU THENI Spl Express Station 06702 THENI MDU Spl Express K.M
08.05 Madurai Junction 19.50 000
Nagamalai West 08.7
08.19/08.20 Vadapalanji Halt 19.24/19.25 12.4
Karumathur Halt 21.0
Sikkampatti Halt 33.8
08.49/08.50 Usilampatti 18.53/18.54 36.7
09.09/09.10 Aandipatti 18.33/18.34 57.7
09.35 Theni 18.15 74.9

References edit

  1. ^ "USLP/Usilampatti". India Rail Info. Retrieved 24 Jan 2020.
  2. ^ a b "மதுரை -போடி ரயில் போக்குவரத்து இன்றுடன் நிறுத்தம்" [Madurai-Bodi rail transport to stop today]. Dinamalar (in Tamil). Madurai. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 25 Jan 2020.
  3. ^ a b S. Vijay Kumar (14 March 2008). "Metre gauge to become history". The Hindu (in Tamil). Madurai. Retrieved 25 Jan 2020.
  4. ^ "Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle inspecting the newly laid Madurai - Usilampatti Broad Gauge section today - 23.01.2020 @RailMinIndia @GMSRailway". Twitter. Madurai. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 24 Jan 2020.
  5. ^ "Departures from USLP/Usilampatti". India Rail Info. Retrieved 24 Jan 2020.
  6. ^ "மதுரை – உசிலம்பட்டி ரயில் சேவை தொடங்குவது எப்போது?: சு.வெங்கடேசன் எம்.பி கேள்விக்கு கோட்ட மேலாளர் பதில்" [Madurai-Usilampatti rail service to start?: Divisional Manager answers to MP S. Venkatesan question]. The Hindu (Tamil) (in Tamil). Madurai. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 24 Jan 2020.
  7. ^ "Speed trials held on converted railway line to Usilampatti". The Times of India. Madurai. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 25 Jan 2020.