Contents

Madurai–Tirunelveli line

Madurai–Virudhunagar–Tirunelveli Line
Madurai Railway Station
Overview
Native name	மதுரை – விருதுநகர் – திருநெல்வேலி ரயில் பாதை
Status	Operational
Owner	Southern Railways
Locale	Tamil Nadu
Termini	Tirunelveli Madurai
Connecting lines	Madurai Jn – Virudhunagar Jn Madurai Jn – Manamadurai Jn Bodinayakkanur – Madurai Jn Dindigul Jn – Madurai Jn
Stations	18
Website	Southern Railway
Service
Type	Regional Line
Operator(s)	Madurai Division
Rolling stock	WAP1, WAP4, WAP7, WDP-3, WDP4D, WDG4, WDG3, WAG9
History
Opened	1 January 1876
Technical
Track length	157.1 km (97.6 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	Overhead catenary
Operating speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Signalling	Three-aspect Colour-Light signalling (3CL)
Route map Legend km toDindigul Junction 0 Madurai Junction toBodinayakkanur toManamadurai Junction 7 Tirupparankundram 18 Tirumangalam 32 Kalligudi toManamadurai Junction 43 Virudhunagar Junction toTenkasi Junction 56 Tulukapati 71 Satur 92 Kovilpatti 114 Kadambur 128 Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction toTuticorin 135 Naraikkinar 143 Gangaikondan 150 Talaiyuthu 157 Tirunelveli Junction toTenkasi Junction toTiruchendur toNagercoil Junction

The Madurai–Virudhunagar–Tirunelveli Line is a railway line connecting the cities of Madurai, Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli in the state of Tamil NaduinIndia. The line was inaugurated on 1 January 1876.^[1] This railway is under control of Southern Railways. It covers 157.1 km. The line covers the districts of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Viruthunagar and Madurai. The speed limit for most of this rail is 100 km/h.

Initially, this line was inaugurated on 1 January 1876 as Maniyachchi Junction - Tirunelveli in metre-gauge.^[2] The conversion from meter gaugetobroad gauge completed on 4 August 1981. The gauge conversion process was performed by retaining the old meter-gauge line and constructing the new line on the other side to avoid extended cancellation of service.

The electrification process for the line started in January 2010 and it has been fully electrified since January 3, 2015.

The doubling process of the Madurai to Tirunelveli line was started in January 2018 and was completed in March 2023.

There are a total of 18 stations in the route, some of the most important being Madurai Junction,Virudhunagar Junction, Sattur, Kovilpatti, and Tirunelveli Junction.^[3]