Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station marked its 95th anniversary with vibrant celebrations under the title ‘Station Mahotsav’, honouring its rich railway heritage and nearly a century of service.
The celebrations began with a ceremonial flag march led by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), followed by the official inauguration by Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Divyakant Chandrakar. A special exhibition showcasing railway heritage artefacts added a nostalgic touch to the event, while commemorative ‘Station Mahotsav’ cards were distributed to mark the occasion.
Divisional Mechanical Engineer Amey Bundgar, Commercial Manager Nithin Nobert, Mechanical Department Head Rajesh Prabhu and Abdul Nizar also addressed the gathering.
The history of Thiruvananthapuram Central dates back to the early days of railway expansion in the erstwhile Travancore state. The Madras–Quilon line was initially extended to Chackai, an important trading centre of Thiruvananthapuram, which was then the capital of Travancore. The stretch was opened on January 4, 1918. Later, Travancore Dewan M. E. Watts extended the railway line to the heart of the city, shifting the terminus to its present location.
Built during the reign of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, the station was inaugurated on November 4, 1931. Its distinctive architecture, constructed entirely with rock masonry without the use of bricks, remains a remarkable feature of its heritage.
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Although initially a branch-line station, Thiruvananthapuram Central was developed on a scale comparable to railway stations in India’s major cities. When it opened in 1931, it had just one platform and was designed to handle two train departures a day. The single-platform arrangement continued until the 1970s, after which the platform was extended to accommodate metre-gauge services before the subsequent gauge conversion.
From its humble beginnings as a small railway terminus to its evolution into one of Kerala’s major railway gateways, Thiruvananthapuram Central has witnessed generations of change, carrying countless passengers and connecting communities over the decades.
As the historic station completes 95 years, the ‘Station Mahotsav’ celebrations stand as a tribute to its enduring legacy, architectural significance and contribution to India’s railway network.
