Puducherry railway station explained

Puducherry
Native Name:
Pondicherry
Type: Indian Railways station
Other Name:Pondy
Style:Indian Railways
Address:Subbiah Salai(South Blvd), Pondicherry
Country:India
Coordinates:11.925°N 79.8281°W
Line:Villupuram–Pondicherry branch line
Other:Taxi stand, Auto rickshaw stand
Structure:Standard (on-ground station)
Platform:4 + 1(Goods Terminal)
Tracks:5
Train Operators:Indian Railways
Parking:Available
Bicycle:Available
Opened:1879
Closed:2022
Rebuilt:2025 AUGUST
Electrified:Yes
Owned:Indian Railways
Operator:Southern Railway zone
Zone:Indian Railways
Status:Functioning
Former:Pondicherry Railway Station
Passengers:80,0000
Services:Several
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:14
Map State:show

Puducherry railway station (station code: PDY) is an NSG–4 category Indian railway station in Tiruchirappalli railway division of Southern Railway zone.[1] It is a railway terminus of the Villupuram–Pondicherry branch line serving the city of Pondicherry, headquarter of Puducherry Union territory

History

The Puducherry railway line is one of the oldest rail link in India and it was constructed in the year 1879 by the Puducherry Railway Company during the period of French and British rule in India. Under the supervision of South Indian Railway with the object of connecting the town and the port of Puducherry with South India and to develop the resources of the Puducherry Territory, the rail link between Puducherry and Villupuram has been established. Even though there was total enmity between the then Super Powers—the French and the English—when it came to economic development they had a very good understanding and the Puducherry Railway system was a good example of it.[2]

The station is operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways and comes under the Tiruchirapalli railway division. This Division may be the only Division in the world maintaining the Railways developed by both the British and the French empires.

It has daily trains connecting the city with Chennai, villuppuram and Tirupathi apart from non-daily trains towards prime cities including Mangaluru, kanyakumari, Bengaluru, Kolkata, New Delhi, Bhubaneshwar and Mumbai via Villupuram.[3] [4] [5]

Location and layout

The Puducherry railway station is located on Subbiah Salai and is very close to several tourist spots and important locations in the city such as the Main Bus Stand, Aurobindo Ashram, Chief Secretariat Building, and Puducherry Airport .[6]

There are 4 platforms in the station for passenger traffic and one for the goods service which is sandwiched between platform 1.[7] There have also been proposals for constructing 2 pit lanes in the station for train maintenance. The station underwent a major revamp in 2008 following the launch of new trains connecting it to various destinations.[6] currently all the rakes of trains which are operated from this station are being maintained in villupuram junction railway station

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SOUTHERN RAILWAY LIST OF STATIONS AS ON 01.04.2023 (CATEGORY- WISE) . Portal of Indian Railways . Centre For Railway Information Systems . 28 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240323095403/https://sr.indianrailways.gov.in/cris//uploads/files/1686913242750-SR%20-LIST%20OF%20STATIONS-2023.pdf . 23 March 2024 . 4 . 1 April 2023.
  2. Web site: SOUTHERN RAILWAY—TIRUCHCHIRAPPALLI DIVISION. Indian Railways. Southern Railway zone. 28 July 2017. 28 July 2017 .
  3. News: Residents demand railway station . https://archive.today/20130616013920/http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/06/stories/2009010653370300.htm. dead. 16 June 2013. 6 January 2009. . . 28 July 2017.
  4. News: A dream-come-true Railway budget: Union Minister. Jaisankar C. . 27 February 2013 . The Hindu. Puducherry. 28 July 2017.
  5. News: Bomb scare at railway station. 3 February 2013. The Hindu. Puducherry. 28 July 2017.
  6. News: Facelift for railway station. 28 July 2017. 28 May 2008. The Hindu.
  7. News: Railway move to shift goods handling draws flak . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111535/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Railway-move-to-shift-goods-handling-draws-flak/2013/05/22/article1600220.ece . dead . 4 March 2016 . 28 July 2017. 22 May 2013. The Indian Express.