| Kodaikanal Road | |
| Name Lang: | en |
| Native Name: | கொடைக்கானல் சாலை |
| Native Name Lang: | ta |
| Other Name: | Kodai Road |
| Style: | Indian Railways |
| Type: | Indian Railways station |
| Address: | Ammaianayakkanur Byepass, Kodai Road, Dindigul district |
| Borough: | Tamil Nadu |
| Country: | India |
| Elevation: | 240m (790feet) |
| Owned: | Indian Railways |
| Operator: | Southern Railway |
| Structure: | Standard on ground |
| Map Type: | India Tamil Nadu#India |
Kodai Road railway station (station code: KQN) is an NSG–5 category Indian railway station in Madurai railway division of Southern Railway zone.[1] It is a railway station in Tamil Nadu state, India, lying between Dindigul and Madurai at 10.1792°N 77.9094°W. It is formally listed as Kodaikanal Road (railway station code KQN).
In 1875, the Great Southern of India Railway Co. extended its line from Chennai to Tirunelveli and a train station named Kodai Road was built near Ammaianayakkanur village, to facilitate visits to the then new hill station of Kodaikanal.[2] It has been operated by the Southern Railway Zone of the Indian Railways since 1951.
Once upon a time, it acted as a Junction railway station. The line was existed during the period of 1920 to 1930. This line goes through Nilakottai, Periyakulam,, Cumbum, Kumily lower camp. It had several branch lines one from Periyakulam to Kodaikanal foothills, and the other one from Teni to Kottagudi via Bodi Nayakkanur, Kurangani (Just located 5 km distance from Topslip Station where Kundala valley railway line ends). But later this line was dematerialized due to unknown reasons.[3] The map of this line is found in Imperial Gazetter of India.[4]
Kodai Road continues to serve as the rail to bus transfer point for passengers going to the now popular tourist destination of Kodaikanal, about 2 hours distant via the SH-156 Ghat Road. It also serves the nearby village of Kolinchipatti. This village is famous for flowers. Among the approximately 30 trains per day that serve Kodai Road is the Pandian Express, which runs between Chennai Egmore and Madurai.
This station is also a business hub with retail shops open for 24 hours day. It is on the National Highway 44, which is one of the most important and busiest national highways of India.
