Train operations at Kozhikode Railway Station began returning to normal on Friday after the partial collapse of the station’s 138-year-old historic clock tower a day earlier disrupted rail traffic and raised concerns over passenger safety.
Following comprehensive structural safety inspections, railway authorities reopened Track 1 on Friday morning. The Yeshwantpur Express became the first train to pass through the restored line, marking the beginning of the station’s phased return to normal operations. Since Thursday’s collapse, train movement had been restricted to Track 4 while engineers assessed the structural stability of the affected area.
At present, trains heading towards Shoranur are operating through the track adjacent to Platform 1, while services bound for Kannur are being routed via the line beside Platform 4. Railway officials have cautioned that delays are likely to continue until all tracks are restored and have advised passengers, particularly those travelling on passenger trains or services originating or terminating at Kozhikode, to follow the latest railway announcements.
According to the revised schedule, the Jan Shatabdi Express to Thiruvananthapuram is expected to depart from Platform 4 at its scheduled time of 1.45 pm. Meanwhile, the Kannur Passenger, originally scheduled to depart Kozhikode at 2.05 pm, will instead originate from West Hill Railway Station on Friday.
Railway authorities are continuing the complex task of dismantling the remaining portion of the damaged clock tower. As a safety precaution, Tracks 2 and 3 remain closed until the demolition is completed. Officials hope to finish the operation by Friday night, paving the way for the complete restoration of train services.
The demolition process has involved coordinated efforts by personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services, Kerala Police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF), who have made repeated attempts to safely bring down the unstable structure using ropes and heavy equipment.
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The incident occurred on Thursday morning, when a section of the 138-year-old station building collapsed during heavy rain. The damaged portion of the historic twin clock tower stood between Platforms 2 and 3 and had already been identified for demolition after cracks developed during piling work for the railway station’s redevelopment project. However, before demolition could begin, a significant section of the structure suddenly gave way.
Built in 1888 during the British colonial era, the twin clock tower is one of the oldest surviving railway station structures in Kerala and is considered an important part of the state’s railway heritage.
When the collapse occurred, part of the roof fell onto a Kozhikode–Kannur passenger train. Fortunately, no major injuries were reported, but the incident prompted railway authorities to immediately suspend power supply to Tracks 1, 2 and 3, resulting in widespread disruption to passenger services as well as trains originating from and terminating at Kozhikode.
Railway officials continue to closely monitor the demolition and safety assessment, with full restoration of services expected once the remaining unstable portions of the historic structure are safely removed.
