Kochi: Southern Railway will submit the Palakkad railway bypass project to the Railway Board for approval within two months. The 1.8-kilometre line is estimated to cost ₹200 crore.

Once completed, trains from Shoranur will be able to reach Madurai via Palakkad Town station and Pollachi Junction without passing through Palakkad Junction.

The bypass is expected to ease traffic at Palakkad Junction and also reduce travel time for several passengers. Currently, trains such as the Thiruvananthapuram–Madurai Amrita Express require a loco reversal, detaching the engine from one end and reattaching it to the other, which can take up to 45 minutes. The bypass would do away with this delay.

Meanwhile, construction of two pit lines at Palakkad Town station, used for inspecting trains before thay start running, is scheduled for completion by December. This is expected to facilitate more services through the route.

The proposed line will stretch from Parali to near the Kalpathi Bridge. The idea of a bypass was first pitched in 2015, following the gauge conversion of the railway line in the region. Officials say the project would open up options for additional services in the future.