Cochin State Forest Tramway is narrow
gauge railway line and a historical forest tramway running from the Parambikulam
Wildlife Sanctuary in Palakkad District to Chalakudy in Thrissur District.
Operating from 1907 to 1963, it served the State of Cochin and brought
prosperity by bringing Teak and Rosewood from forests which were later shipped
to different locations all around the globe.
The idea of forest tramway was
put forward by J.C. Kolhoff, first Conservator of Forests, Cochin, and was
implemented by a forest officer on special duty, V. Alwar Chetty. British
officers Haldwell and Floukes did the initial survey and route. R.E. Haffield
was the first tramway engineer who cleared the forests and laid the lines. It
was during the rule of Rama Varma XV, Maharaja of Cochin (1895 to 1914), the
tramway was built. Governor of Madras Sir Oliver Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill,
inaugurated the construction of tramway on October 3, 1905. Regular work in the
tramway started in 1907. On June 26, 1907, the Maharaja of Cochin passed the
Cochin Forest Tramway Act, which provided for protection and management of the
tramway.
The total length of the tramway
was divided into three sections. The first section started from Chalakudy and
ends at Anapantham covering a length of 21 miles. The second section starts
from Kavalai to Pothupara covering six miles, and the third starts from
Komalapara to Chinnar, covering a distance of 22.5 miles. The total length of
tramway is 49.5 miles (79.5 km).
As it is the forest headquarters,
Chalakudy used to house the tramway workshop and timber yard. The section had
two locomotives that used to pull the trucks and saloons. The locomotives, rolling
stock and machinery for the tramway were supplied by Orenstein and Koppel of Germany.
P&W MacLennan of the U.K. supplied the bridges and culverts. K.R. Menon was
the last tramway engineer. The tramway system had double lines and worked on
rollers and cables. Empty wagons were rolled up while loaded wagons were pushed
down along the other rails.
In 1926, the special finance
committee recommended the abolition of the tramway but was rejected by the
Government in 1928. Another special committee was set up in 1950 under the
chairmanship of the Chief Conservator of Forests, which recommended discontinuing
of the tramway. In 1953, another commission was appointed but given the report
that tramway should be revived at any cost. Finally in 1963, after serving 56
years and making modern Cochin Port a present day commercial harbour and Cochin
City, the economic hub, the Cochin State Forest Tramway was abolished on the
basis of a special finance committee report. The staff was absorbed in various
departments of Government.
The tramway was an engineering
wonder in that period for South India. The money was used for building ports,
bridges, roads, colleges, schools etc. Cochin Port, a major port on the Arabian
Sea – Indian Ocean sea-route was constructed by the earnings from the tramway. Wellington
Island, which was created during construction of Cochin Port, was also
bankrolled by tramway revenues.
Tram Way Route
POINTS
|
HEIGHT
FROM MSL (Feet)
|
MILE
STONES
|
|
1
|
Chalakudy
|
0
|
|
2
|
Vellikulangara
|
||
3
|
Muplypuzha
|
14
|
|
4
|
Cherumkayam
|
19
|
|
5
|
Chokkana
|
||
6
|
Anapandam
|
400
|
21
|
6
|
Anapandam
|
400
|
21
|
7
|
Thoppathi Kavala (Kavalai)
|
1400
|
23
|
7
|
Kavalai
|
1400
|
23
|
8
|
Pothupara
|
26.5
|
|
8
|
Pothupara
|
26.5
|
|
9
|
Komalapara
|
2500
|
29
|
9
|
Komalapara
|
2500
|
29
|
10
|
Myladappan
|
32
|
|
11
|
Muthuvarachal
|
||
12
|
Orukomban kutty
|
33
|
|
13
|
Karappara River
|
36
|
|
14
|
Kuriyarkutty
|
41
|
|
15
|
Bridge over Kuriyarkutty River
|
41
|
|
16
|
Vettukuzhy
|
44
|
|
17
|
Parambikulam
|
47
|
|
18
|
Chinnar
|
2000
|
49.5
|
