Kozhikode: Train operations at Kozhikode Railway Station began returning to normal on Friday after a section of the station’s historic clock tower collapsed a day earlier, disrupting rail traffic and raising serious concerns about passenger safety.
Following detailed structural safety inspections, railway authorities reopened Track 1 on Friday morning. The first train to pass through the restored line was the Yeshwantpur Express. Since the incident, train operations had been limited to Track 4 while engineers assessed the stability of the affected area.
At present, trains bound for Shoranur are being routed through the track adjoining Platform 1, while services towards Kannur are operating via the line beside Platform 4. Officials have cautioned that delays are likely to continue until normal operations resume. Passengers have been advised to check the latest railway announcements, particularly those travelling on passenger services or trains originating or terminating at Kozhikode.
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, scheduled to leave at 2.05 pm, will instead start from West Hill Railway Station on Friday.
Railway officials are continuing the challenging task of dismantling the remaining portion of the damaged tower. Until the demolition is completed, Tracks 2 and 3 remain closed as a precaution. Authorities hope to finish the operation by Friday night, allowing full restoration of train services. There were multiple attempts on Thursday by personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services, Kerala Police and the Railway Protection Force to pull down the structure using ropes and heavy equipment.
It was on Thursday morning, the 138-year-old building at the railway station collapsed during heavy rain. The damaged structure stood between Platforms 2 and 3 and had already been marked for demolition after cracks appeared during piling work for the station’s redevelopment project. Before demolition could begin, a large portion of the tower suddenly gave way.
Built in 1888 during the British colonial era, the twin clock tower is among the oldest surviving railway station structures in Kerala. When the collapse occurred, part of the roof fell onto a Kozhikode–Kannur passenger train. The incident forced railway authorities to suspend power supply to Tracks 1, 2 and 3, disrupting passenger train services and the train service terminating and originating from Kozhikode
