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Edapally-Tanur link line was among the earliest proposals that were taken
up during the times of the British. A survey conducted in 1936 by the
British, had confirmed the viability of this line. However, nothing much
happened till independence.
Sri. K. Ramunni Menon, who was the Law and Jail Minister in the Madras
Presidency of which Malabar was a part, tried to push it through. His
efforts made little headway till Sri. Panampilly Govinda Menon became the
Railway Minister at the centre. However, nothing much was achieved.
Interest in the project was revived in early 80s and on 24th April 1983 in
the meeting of the Railway Users' National Federation held at Trivandrum
under the Presidentship of Justice V.M. Tharkunde, a resolution was
adopted for construction of this rail line. A follow-up convention was
also held at Kochi in the same year.
During the time of Janata Dal Govt. the then Railway Minister Sri. George
Fernandez evinced keen interest in the project and proposed to take it up
along with the Konkan Railway project. However, with the Janata Dal
ministry gone, the project again went into a limbo.
In early 90s the project again came back to life. An Action Council was
formed headed by the Chairman of the Parur Municipality, to pursue the
matter further. However, absence of any political patronage and also the
agitation against the line by people of Tanur area with the active
patronage of an important politician, is keeping the project in limbo.
What are the major advantages of this line?
1. The distance between the South and North Kerala will be reduced by 35
kms.
2. The rail line will pass through mostly under-developed areas of the
coastal belt.
3. There will be direct connectivity for the pilgrim centres of all the
three religions at Kodungallur, Triprayar, Guruvayur and Ponnani.
Kodungallur is among the earliest cities of the world and it flourished as
a business and cultural centre at one time. Then called the port city of 'Muziris',
Kodungallur was famous in ancient times. The Arabs, Greeks, Romans and
Chinese did business with this city, which had the first jewish settlement
of the East. It had also the first Christian church of India, established
in 52 AD by St. Thomas. It also has the first mosque of the country, which
was set up by the 'Abdicated Raja' Cheraman Perumal.
Chavakkad on the rail route would be the taluk having the most number of
NRIs in the country, contributing sizeable foreign exchange.
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