The 13 Arch Bridge

 The 13 Arch Bridge

       The 13 Kannara bridge or 13 Arch Bridge (Pathimoonu kannara palam) is a 100 + years  old railway  bridge situated between Thenmala and Kazhuthurutti in Kollam District. The bridge consists of 13 arches and is a major landmark on the Kollam– Sengottai railway line as well as a testimony to the architectural abilities of the British.The bridge is situated near the Kollam- Thirumangalam National Highway.

The main attraction of this bridge is its 13 Arch. This railway line connecting to Kollam and Chennai. Every day lot of visitors have arrived here. From the top of the bridge we can see the railway tunnel, Kollam-Thirumangalam National Highway, Kazhuthurutti river, Shenduruny WildLife Sanctuary and Western Ghats. The meter gauge that was originally in place is now replaced by a broad gauge railway in order to accommodate newer, standard locomotives.

The Bridge was built by the British in 1904 to transport goods from Quilon( Kollam) to Madras(Chennai) and is part of one of India’s oldest mountain rail lines. The bridge was constructed with just rocks, limestone and jaggery (in the Surki method). This rail route was once one of the major routes that connect Kollam (Quilon) with Chennai for the trading of crops and spices. The rail journey through this rail line is still one of the most scenic
because of its route through dense forest, long tunnels, with many steeps, and downs.

The route was once a lifeline for the people of the southern districts of Kerala state and
the Sengottai–Virudhunagar belt of Tamil Nadu. It served to create a strong link especially among the trading community of these areas in the two States. British tea estates and
coffee plantations thrived on the labour of tribesman living in the Thenmala forests and workers from Tamil Nadu. The railway line contributed much to the development of a plantation economy in this area. The farmers of the Shencottah-Virudhunagar belt
depended on the trains to market their produce in south Travancore. Huge quantities of vegetables, groceries and dairy products such as curd were brought into Kollam district from 
Tamil Nadu by trains that plied the route. The Palaruvi and Kazhuthurutti waterfalls and the
 Thenmala eco-tourism centre are on the fringes of this line, and the Courtallam waterfalls at the destination make this route popular with nature lovers.

Why Vist?

1)Beautiful 13 Arch Bridge(Beautiful British Engineering Made)

2)Beautiful Railway line in the middle of Western Ghats.

3)Railway Tunnels especially you can see biggest railway tunnel in Kerala(Aryankavu Tunnel)