Focus India:13 Arches Railway Bridge-A British Era Wonder

The 13 Kannara Bridge (Pathimoonu Kannara Bridge) is a 112-year-old British-era bridge with 13 arches. It is a significant landmark on the Kollam-Sengottai railway route. The bridge joins two hillocks and is supported by thirteen granite pillars that are about 100 feet tall each.Kollam-Shenkottai National Highway on one side and the River Kazhuthurutti on the other measures 102.72 metres (337.0 feet) in length and 5.18 metres (17.0 feet) in height.

In 1904, the British built the bridge to move commodities from Kollam then Quilon.The bridge was made entirely of rocks, limestone, and surkhi construction.

In 2011, the metre gauge railway system was replaced by a broad gauge railway system to allow newer, standard locomotives.

Sengottai-Kollam railway line reopened after eight years in 2018. Considered as one of the most scenic railway routes in the country, the stretch was the sole gateway between Kerala and Tamil Nadu through Tirunelveli. A special fare train, connecting Tambaram (Chennai) and Kollam in Kerala, traversed the converted (meter gauge to broad) railway stretch between Sengottai and Punalur.

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