Karaikkudi Junction railway station

Karaikkudi Junction (station code: KKDI) is an NSG–4 category Indian railway station in Madurai railway division of Southern Railway zone. It serves city of Karaikkudi, located in Indian state of Tamil Nadu.



History
Karaikudi station was constructed as a part of Pudukkottai–Sivaganga railway line during the 1930s. Initially during its older days this station acted as an ordinary railway station when the Tiruturaipundi Aranthangi line was extended to Karaikudi, it became a junction railway station. It became as a junction by connecting all the three terminal lines they are Manamadurai Sivagangai Railway line, Trichinopoly Pudukkottai Railway line and Tiruturaipundi Aranthangi Railway line. Being a junction station, three rail lines emerge from the station, one towards Tiruchirappalli Junction, another to Thiruthuraipoondi junction and the third and final one Manamadurai Junction.

Overview
Being a Junction station, three rail lines emerge from the station, one towards Tiruchirappalli Junction, another to Manamadurai Junction and the third and final one towards Thiruthuraipoondi Junction.

Administration
It is a major as well as an important passing station present on the Tiruchirappalli–Manamadurai railway line. It also operates an inland container depot (railway goods shed) at Chettinad railway station.

Projects and development
It is one of the 73 stations in Tamil Nadu to be named for upgradation under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme of Indian Railways.

Performance and earnings
For the FY 2022–23, the annual earnings of the station was inr 98579082 and daily earnings was inr 270080. For the same financial year, the annual passenger count was 711,396 and daily count was 1,949. While, the footfall per day was recorded as 3,975.

Services
Karaikudi is well connected with the capital city Chennai. Most of the trains bound to Chennai, Manamadurai, Rameswaram and Kanyakumari from Tiruchirappalli pass through this station, with every train having a stoppage here for a minimum of 5–10 minutes.


 * BG single line towards Thiruvarur Junction – main line via Aranthangi, Pattukkottai, Thiruthuraipoondi Junction
 * BG Electrified single line towards Tiruchirappalli Junction via Pudukkottai
 * BG Electrified single line towards Manamadurai Junction via Sivaganga

New rail line proposal
Below projects are surveyed and waiting for funds since long time.