Sengottai railway station செங்கோட்டை தொடர்வண்டி நிலையம்
Express train and Passenger train station
Sunset time 12662/12661 Podhigai SF Express ready to start from PF NO. 1
General information
Location	Railway Station Rd, Viswanathapuram, Sengottai, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, 627810 India
Coordinates	8°59′14″N 77°14′31″E / 8.9873°N 77.2420°E / 8.9873; 77.2420
Elevation	181 m (594 ft)
Owned by	Indian Railways
Operated by	Southern Railway zone
Line(s)	Kollam–Sengottai branch line, Virudunagar–Sengotttai line
Platforms	4
Tracks	6
Connections	Bus stand, taxicab stand, auto rickshaw stand
Construction
Structure type	Standard (on-ground station)
Parking	Yes
Other information
Status	Functioning
Station code	SCT[1]
Zone(s)	Southern Railway zone
Division(s)	Madurai
Classification	NSG-5
History
Opened	1901
Electrified	Yes
Services
Preceding station Indian Railways Following station Bhagavathipuram towards ? Southern Railway zone Kollam-Chennai Tenkasi Junction towards ?
Route map Legend km to Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction 0 Tirunelveli Junction to Tiruchendur to Nagercoil Junction 3 Tirunelveli Town 7 Pettai 19 Cheranmahadevi 22 Karaikkurichi 25 Viravanallur 30 Kallidaikurichi 35 Ambasamudram 41 Kizha Ambur 45 Azhwarkurichi 48 Ravanasamudram 50 Kizhakadaiyam 57 Mettur 62 Pavurchatram 69 Kizha Puliyur to Virudhunagar Junction 72 Tenkasi Junction 80 Sengottai to Kollam Junction
Location
Sengottai Location in Tamil Nadu Show map of Tamil Nadu Sengottai Location in India Show map of India

Sengottai railway station (station code: SCT) is a railway station serving the town of Sengottai in Tamil Nadu, India. It lies on Kollam–Sengottai branch line and Sengottai- Virudunagar line.^[2] The Kollam–Shencottah railway line is the first railway line in erstwhile Travancore state and is more than a century old. The Kollam–Sengottai section is part of the Kollam–Chennai metre-gauge rail route commissioned by the British during 1904. The line which was metre gauge has been completely converted into broad gauge and train services started.

Overview

The Sengottai railway station is in the Southern Railways zone/Madurai division of Indian Railways and falls on the Virudhunagar to Kollam line. The station code is SCT.

History

The first idea of rail link from Tirunelveli to Kollam which was the trading capital of the Travancore Kingdom was conceived in 1873. The line was sanctioned by the Madras Presidency in 1899 and the survey was completed in 1900.The railway line was built jointly by South Indian railway, Travancore state and Madras Presidency.It was the ruler's desire to create a rail link between Kollam, the then commercial capital of his State and Madras. The meter gauge line from Kollam to Punalur was inaugurated by on 1 June 1904. The Punalur–Sengottai railway line was inaugurated on 26 November 1904. The construction of the metre-gauge rail route between Kollam–Punalur and Punalur–Shenkottai (Ghats section) along the scenic mountain terrain was started in 1873 by the British engineers and was completed in 1902. Travancore rulers in association with the British prepared the plan for the track through the challenging mountain terrain as it involved construction of long arch bridges over steep valleys and tunnels across the rocky mountains of Western Ghats.

The first goods train travelled on this route in 1902 and a train carrying its first passengers began its run in 1904. It makes for a thrilling train journey as it passes over five big bridges and hundreds of tiny ones while negotiating mountain streams and valleys. Passengers are also treated to a breath–taking view of the Western Ghats. The train also passes through five tunnels on this stretch, including the one-kilometer long tunnel between Bhagawathipuram and Arayankavu. The station at Punalur was equipped with locomotive service centre, Parcel and Timber Depot, Train parking bays, Storage Tanks for water and oil, etc. The scenic Punalur–Shencotta railway lies across the western ghats, providing a valuable link across the southern states. The journey through the western ghats is incredible.

Layout

The station has four platforms, of which all are functional. It also has six tracks used for passenger and shunting purpose.

Gauge conversion

The Punalur–Sengottai section is part of the 325 kilometres (202 mi) Kollam–Sengottai–Tenkasi–Tirunelveli–Thiruchendur gauge conversion project and part of the Tenkasi–Virudhunagar trunk route to Chennai at an estimate of ₹320 crore (US$40 million). The gauge conversion of the Thiruchendur-Sengottai section has been completed and is open to traffic. In Kollam Junction–Shenkottai section the broad gauge conversion is also finished. Now it is serving as the shortest rail-route from Kochi port to Tuticorin port. Infrastructure of the station will be changed as proposed in tune with handling demands and matching to the glory of past.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Services

The station presently handles seventeenth express and Passenger trains services to Kollam Junction, Ernakulam Junction, Palakkad Junction, Tirunelveli Junction, Velankanni, Chennai Egmore, Mayiladuthurai Junction and Madurai Junction especially four express services ply to Chennai Egmore.

Trains Arr/Dep From Sengottai

Future

New Express trains connecting Ernakulam to Velankanni, Ernakulam to Tuticorin, Mangalore to Tuticorin, Guruvayur to Rameshwaram, Karaikkal to Kochuveli, Nizamuddin to Kochuveli and Bangalore to Kochuveli are also proposed in this route, waiting for RB approval.^{[citation needed]}