 The line was sanctioned by the Madras Presidency in 1899 and the survey was completed in 1900.The railway line was built jointly by South Indian railway, Travancore state and Madras Presidency.It was the ruler's desire to create a rail link between Kollam, the then commercial capital of his State and Madras.The meter gauge line from Kollam to Punalur was inaugurated by on 1 June 1904.The Punalur–Sengottai railway line was inaugurated on 26 November 1904.The construction of the meter gauge rail route between Kollam–Punalur and Punalur–Shenkottai (Ghats Section) along the scenic mountain terrain was started in 1873 by the British engineers and was completed in 1902.