Railway

Red Hill Railway carries granite to Madras

Built by Arthur Cotton as an early experiment, the Red Hill Railway hauled granite from Red Hills into Madras for road works.

Madras Railway Company formed

The Madras Railway was established to build the first main line railways of South India.

Railway construction begins at Royapuram

Work on South India's first main railway line, from Madras towards Arcot, began at Royapuram in 1853.

First train in South India, Royapuram to Wallajah Road

The Madras Railway opened South India's first railway line, from Royapuram in Madras to Wallajah Road near Arcot.

Madras Railway reaches the west coast at Beypore

The Madras Railway completed its line to Beypore, linking Madras by rail with the west coast; a branch to Bangalore followed in 1864.

Carnatic Railway Company founded

Founded in 1869, the Carnatic Railway Company combined with the Great Southern of India Railway in 1874 to create the South Indian Railway.

Madras and Bombay linked by rail at Raichur

At Raichur the Madras Railway met the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, opening a through rail route from Madras to Bombay.

Madras Central railway station built

Designed by George Harding and later altered by Robert Chisholm, Madras Central station was put up by the Madras Railway as its terminus in the city.

South Indian Railway Company formed

In 1874 the Great Southern of India Railway merged with the Carnatic Railway to create the South Indian Railway Company, later based at Trichinopoly.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway opens to Coonoor

In June 1899 the Nilgiris rack railway between Mettupalayam and Coonoor was finished and began carrying traffic.

Madras Egmore station building opens

The Indo-Saracenic terminal of Egmore station, Madras terminus of the South Indian Railway, was opened on 11 June 1908.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway reaches Ooty

The rack railway from Mettupalayam, opened to Coonoor in 1899, was extended to Udhagamandalam (Ooty) in 1908.

Pamban railway bridge opens

The Pamban Bridge, India's first sea bridge, opened, linking Rameswaram on Pamban Island to the mainland by rail.

Golden Rock railway workshop opens at Tiruchirappalli

The South Indian Railway moved its central workshop from Nagapattinam to Golden Rock in Tiruchirappalli.

South Indian Railway strike

Workers of the South Indian Railway struck against planned layoffs of over 3,100 employees, disrupting transport across South India.

First electric suburban trains in Madras

The first electric suburban rail service in Madras began between Madras Beach and Tambaram.

Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway strike

Railway workshop workers at Perambur began a strike against retrenchment that spread across the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway.

Kallakudi agitation against the name Dalmiapuram

The DMK protested at Kallakudi against the renaming of the town as Dalmiapuram after an industrialist.

Integral Coach Factory founded at Perambur

The Integral Coach Factory, a railway coach manufacturing unit of Indian Railways, was established at Perambur in Madras.

Ariyalur train accident

A train fell into the Marudaiyaru river near Ariyalur after a bridge collapsed in heavy rain, killing over 150 passengers.

Rameswaram cyclone destroys Dhanushkodi

Pamban Island was hit by a super cyclonic storm whose surge drowned the town of Dhanushkodi and killed many people.

Chennai MRTS opens, India's first elevated railway

India's first elevated urban railway came into service when the opening section of Chennai's Mass Rapid Transit System, linking Beach and Chepauk, began running.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway added to UNESCO World Heritage list

UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension of the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Site.

Chennai Metro begins service

The first stretch of Chennai Metro, between Koyambedu and Alandur, opened to passengers.

Chennai water crisis

After a failed monsoon, Chennai's main reservoirs dried up, forcing heavy reliance on tankers and water brought by train from Jolarpet.

Floods in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli

Record rainfall flooded Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts as the Thamirabarani river overflowed.

New Pamban rail bridge opens

India's first vertical lift sea bridge, linking Rameswaram island to the mainland, replaced the 1914 Pamban Bridge.