The West Coast road from Mahe to Talapady is the backbone of the road system in Kannur district. This is part of the National Highway. Thalassery –Coorg road and the Thalassery – Mysore road are the other important roads.
The length of Public Works Department roads in Kannur district is 1421 kms. The black topped roads have a length of 1061 kms. There are 6848 panchayat roads. The length of the national highway in the district is 80.5 kms.
Thalassery, Kannur and Azhikkal are the minor ports in the district. Kannur is an ancient port.
The nearest all-weather sea port is Mangalore, presently in Karnataka State.
The inland water transport system connecting Perumba and Thalipparamba was constructed in 1766 by the Ali Raja of Kannur. This 3.8kms. long canal is known as the Sultan’s Canal. The west flowing rivers are used for navigation. The Kuppam river has 244 kms of navigable length; Valappattanam, 55 kms. and Anjarakandi, 23 kms.
The nearest airport is Kozhikkode. The airports at Mangalore in Karnataka and Kozhikode are about 125kms away from Kannur.
Vehicles in the district as on 31.03.95
Two Wheelers
Motor Cycle – 8608; Scooter – 9891 ; Moped – 1365.
Non Transport Vehicles:
Motor Car – 3987; Jeep – 2644; Ambulance – 67; Omni bus – 605; others – 248
Transport Vehicles;
Autorickshaw (3seat) 3109 Autorickshaw (4seat) – 5436;
Motor Car – 684; Jeep – 978 ; Taxi Motor Car 1223.
Contract Carriages : 213
Stage Carriages
Ordinary – 1607; F.P. Express – 60
Educational Institution Bus – 5
Goods carriages;
Three Wheelers – 507; Light Motor Vehicle – 2671;
Medium Goods – 2298; Heavy Goods – 362; Others – 492.
Railway
The Railway plays a vital role in the district in the transportation of men and materials. The Railway line runs through Kannur for 57 kms. starting from Jagannath Temple Gate station in the south to the Payyannur station in the north.
There are 13 Railway stations in Kannur district. Dharmadom and Chirakkal stations are run by agents. Elimali, pappinisseri and Jagannath Temple Gate station are run by clerks-in-charges. They are known as CIC stations and other stations are block stations.
This section runs 20 Express trains and 10 passenger trains daily. The biggest station in Kannur district is Kannur, the headquarters of Kannur. The Railway station of Kannur was built in 1902. Two express trains and eight passenger trains originate from this station.
This station deals with around 3750 passengers daily and has a computerized Passenger Reservation system with a self-printing ticket machine.
This station has a modern waiting room with a capacity of two hundred persons. Good retiring rooms. Refreshment rooms, vetatrian and non-vegetarian, are also available.
Further, Kannur Railway statin also has a major goods shed and parcel office. Goods shed line has a facility for loading/unloading of 60 wagon units at a stretch. Commodities like cement, fertilizers, beedi leaves, etc. are handled in the goods shed, while handloom cloth, vegetables, electronics goods and newspapers are handled with, in the parcel office.
Thalassery and Payyannur are the other two major stations in the district. this portion of the Railway line is the Mangalore-Shoranur section of Palakkad Division of the Southern Railway.
Quotable Quotes:
“Ask for anything you like, except time.”