Cochin Harbour Terminus - A Tribute

Commemorating Cochin Harbour Terminus:


The Railway Station Which Hopes For The Best -




Let us first thank Sir Robert Bristow, who surveyed Cochin and made master plan for Wellington Island, which is currently the safest harbour in our peninsula.

Wellington Island had an airport, Seaport, Railway station and bus station within 3 kilometers radius, the only one of its kind in the whole world.

Cochin Harbour Terminus became functional in 1940’s with passenger train Shornur – Cochin. Later on it served lot of prestigious train services. Those days a movie was released named Cochin Express starring Prem Nasir. The word Cochin became famous all around travelers.

Some of the prestigious train services from CHTS were:

• 935/936 CHTS - Netravati express (now 6345/6346 TVC- Netravati exp)
• 957/958 CHTS - Dadar express (now discontinued)
• 929/930 Hyderabad - Cochin express (now 7029/7030 TVC - HYB Sabari express)
• 903/904 Cochin - Rajkot express (now 6337/6338 ERS - HAPA exp)
• 909/910 CHTS - Patna express (Now ERS - Patna 6309/6310 exp)
• 937/938 CHTS - HAPA express (now 6337/6338 ERS - HAPA exp)
• 911/912 CHTS - GKP Raptisagar express (now 5011/5012 TVC - GKP Raptisagar exp)
• CHTS - Indore, CHTS - Bilaspur (now TVC - Indore, TVC - Bilaspur)
• 923/924 CHTS - HWH (now 6323/6324 TVC - HWH)
• Cochin - Varanasi (now 6359/6360 ERS - Rajendra Nagar exp)

Ride Across Venduruthy Bridge from CHTS



Just check the link below to see how freight movement was going on in Cochin station in the past.

cochin station

Sad End of Cochin Terminus:

In 1978, railways short listed two stations, Cochin Harbour Terminus and Trivandrum Central to base the new division at. Ultimately, TVC won the race.

There was a huge uproar in the newspapers and the parliament due to the selection. Trivandrum was a much smaller station then. It was mere political interference which gave TVC, the divisional status.

Another reason for sad end of CHTS was delay in granting permission for electrification from ERS to CHTS by INDIAN NAVY. Hence all trains were moved to ERS and subsequently to Alleppey and TVC. Navy gave permission only in 2002.

article by jimmy jose

There were plans by authorities to transform CHTS to a rail museum. Nobody knows what happened. Probably Kochi will rank first if we consider the mammoth amount of projects proposed!!!

express article on rail museum

Now Rail Bridge is under construction parallel to the existing bridge. After it completes, the 6 km line from ERS to CHTS will be electrified and we could expect city service from Ernakulam to real Kochi.

new rail bridge

As a matter of fact, the 17th chapter of Arundhathi Roy’s famous book The God of Small Things is based on events at CHTS named Cochin Harbour Terminus.

The current Dilapidated Condition of CHTS -

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Even today railway stations in Ernakulam are deprived of development, because majority of amount allotted to Trivandrum division under southern railway is spent in Trivandrum station. As a result Ernakulam South, which is busiest railway station in Kerala, has a unique distinction of being the rare first class station which doesn’t have even an A/C waiting hall or a modern reservation hall.

Lot has to happen from scratch level. Currently ERS faces a lot of issues with regard to passgenger comforts. The modernisation of ERS and ERN are nowhere. There is no scope of expansion of ERS and ERN.

(note: I would be called a plagiarist if I don't thank Jimmy Jose sir, who has the most authentic information about rail systems especially in and around Kerala and to be specific Cochin. He is well known for his staunch love towards Cochin Harbour Terminus.)


You all can suggest what best could be done to expand the rail system in Ernakulam / Kochi.

Shenoy

NEW INTERNATIONAL STADIUM CONFIRMED TO COME IN ERNAKULAM (COCHIN)

Now it is all confirmed that the New International Stadium will come up in kochi which will be owned by Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). It was confirmed by KCA Secretary T.C Mathew. KCA decided to have a stadium of its own as a part of BCCI decision not to conduct cricket matches after 2010 in those states which do not have stadium of its own. At present only Kerala, Tripura and Goa don't have a stadium of its own.

The stadium will be functional by 2010, after which Kochi will be a test venue;and it will be a dream come true for Kerala.

Earlier BCCI had decided to give Rs.25 crores as grant to construct stadium. But now the grant have been raised to Rs.50 crores considering the skyrocketing of prices in Kochi and its suburbs.
KCA can use up to Rs 25 crores to buy land. A land area of 40 acres is planned for the stadium so that the seating capacity can be up to 50,000. The stadium will have other most modern facilities like the Cricket Clubs and other recreational facilities matching with other international stadias abroad.

Earlier the cricket stadium was planned to build in Wayanad district. Then the plan was changed to build stadium in Thiruvananthapuram either in Kazhakuttam or in Kudapanakunnu considering Trivandrum's history of hosting international matches in 1980's in the University stadium.

University stadium was a regular venue for Ranji Trophy matches from 1953 onwards. The stadium which was constructed in 1952 was considered as the domestic ground of Kerala Cricket. By the end of 80’s cricket was shifted to other grounds. Now Fort Maidan in Palakkad is a regular venue for first class matches.

At some point of time it was thought that Kochi will lose the race for the stadium also to Trivandrum, like Kochi lost railway division in 1992 under political pressure to Trivandrum; Trivandrum Central was chosen over Cochin Harbour Terminus for the railway division under the political game, even when Trivandrum was much smaller station than the Cochin Harbour Terminus from where the most of the trains used to start. Now Cochin Harbour Terminus(picture shown) is a nostalgic event in the minds of keralites as here now only Goods Carriers arrive due to the presence of Cochin Port.

But considering the fact that Kochi has the best chance to attract Cricket due to past success had probably lead KCA to have their stadium in Ernakulam District.

A Glimpse of Cricketing History in Kerala:

Lord Arthur Wellesley is believed to have introduced this game in Kerala in the 18th century for the British Soldiers in the Tellichery Fort. It is recorded in the history that the first Cricket Club was formed in 1860 at Tellichery, which was later renamed as Town Cricket Club. During 1950s Foot ball took over the minds of north Keralites and cricket became an active game in Thiruvananthapuram and Thripoonithura. In Thripoonithura the royal family patronized the game very actively and formed a club - The Thripoonithura Cricket club in 1935. The Club started organizing a Cricket tournament as part of the Navarathri festival (Pooja festival, as it is locally known). The tournament continues un-interruptedly even on these days and still it is conducted during the Pooja holidays. It is popularly known as the Pooja Cricket Tournament and arguably one of the best organized all India tournaments in Kerala. They are probably the only Cricket Club in Kerala having their own stadium and turf Pitch. K V Kelappan Thampuran was the livewire behind the great achievements of TCC.


The International Matches held in Trivandrum(stadium shown here):

Two Matches held-
1) India vs Australia on Oct 1, 1984 - No Result
2) India vs west Indies 0n Jan 25,1988 - WI won by 9 wickets.

International Cricket Matches held in Kochi:

1) April 1, 1998 - India v/s Australia
2) March 3, 2000 - India v/s South Africa
3) March 13, 2002 - India v/s Zimbabwe, India lost
4) April 2, 2005 - India v/s Pakistan
5) April 6, 2006 - India v/s England
6) October 2, 2007 - India v/s Australia, India lost

Some Facts on Kochi Stadium:

Highest attendance for Match: India vs Iran football match of One Lakh!
Highest Money Grosser was : India vs Pakistan on April 2005.
An attendance of 85,000 reported in the last match held versus Australia in 2007.

Kochi Stadium is the Forth largest stadium in India:

1) Salt lake stadium, Kolkata - 120,000.
2) Eden Gardens, Kolkata - 120,000.
3) Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, New Delhi - 100,000.
4) Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Kochi - 60,000.
5) Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore - 55,000.

KOCHI STADIUM IS THE THIRD LARGEST CRICKET STADIUM IN INDIA(from the above list, Salt lake is not a cricketing venue). (link)
(also this link)

Tit Bits:

As a matter of fact Kochi stadium is 157th largest stadium in the world and the chinnaswamy stadium, Bangalore is 200th largest. (see the link)



The Maharaja's stadium in Ernakulam is the only stadium with synthetic track in Kerala. Although the stadium in Trivandrum was the first synthetic track stadium, it has been damaged now due to poor maintenance and it is not 8 lane as that of Kochi.

The KCA is on a hunt to get appropriate land of its own in Kochi for setting up a stadium.
Kochi is again proving that it is not only the Commercial, Industrial, Tourism and Trade capital of kerala but also the Cricket Capital of Kerala.(link)

Along with the major projects happening in Kochi, this stadium will also boost the importance of kochi.


In Him

SHENOY!!
Dec 29,2007
1230 hrs.