Cochin State Forest Tramway

The Cochin State Forest Tramway was a 1,000 mm metre gauge(MG) railway line and 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 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).

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.

Further Information

For a detailed account of the operation of this tramway and the locomotives used, see “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled by Simon Darvill .