|
Are you aware of the
history of Thalassery - Mysore Rail line? People of Malabar area had been
dreaming of a direct rail access to Mysore - 110 years on it still remains
as a day-dream only
It all started in 1893. On a fine morning there was a scoop in one of the
newspapers date-lined Tellicherry about the possibility of a Thalassery -
Mysore rail line. People were naturally thrilled as both these towns were
having direct trade links even in the earlier periods; but nothing much
happened. When the East India Company consulted the Maharaja of Mysore for his
views about construction of this line, the Maharaja had other views and in
the year 1906 the Maharaja finally decided for the line connecting Mysore
to Mangalore via Hassan. The correspondence exchanged with the Maharaja of
Mysore is available in the State Archives.
In between the East India Company constructed a small rail line between
Makkoottam and Vallithode, mainly for transporting timber from Makkoottam
forests. They found enormous scope for the direct rail link between
Thalassery and Mysore and conducted a survey in 1910 - 11. Finally the
South Indian Railway Company decided extending this line both ways to
Mysore and Thalassery.
However, the people of Tellicherry were still unlucky - in 1914 the first
world war came as the villain and hopes of the rail line were shattered.
Though the first world war ended in 1918, It is a real surprise that
nothing really happened in the next few years. Moreover, in the
devastating floods of 1928, the rail line between Makkoottam and
Vallithode was washed away in many places.
The second survey for this rail line conducted in 1939, was again followed
by the World War, WWII. And thereafter till independence, nothing was
heard about this line. After independence there were lot of hue and cry
from all parts of Malabar for construction of this line. Since nothing
happened, a committee was formed at Tellicherry in 1955 to pursue the
matter further.
The matter was taken up vigorously with the then Railway Minister Shri.
Lal Bahadur Shastri and the then Prime Minister
Shri. Jawaharlal Nehru. Having been convinced of the genuineness of the
demand, third survey of the line was conducted in 1956. Bowing to the
wishes of the popular demand, Shri. Shastri travelled by road from Mysore
to Tellicherry via Makkoottam, Koottupuzha and Iritty for a first hand
knowledge of the actual factors. A grand reception was given to Sri.
Shastri at Iritty and in the said meeting he declared Ministry's sanction
for the rail line !!!
Yes, all this happened five decades' back and this line remains more than
a century old day-dream of Malabar.
(based on reports in Mathrubhumi dt.16.7.1985 and Rashtra Deepika
dt.24.12.2005)
|
