KOZHIKODE: The Kariyil family at Chaliyum near Beypore has a unique history to share. The 50-cent of land they occupy is located in the 52 acres of Chaliyum timber sales depot owned by the forest department.
The title deed for the 50 cents and a horse’s pathway to the house was given by the British way back in 1856.
The present timber depot site housed the first railway station in Malabar, the Beypore railway station or Chaliyum terminus from where trains chugged to Coimbatore from 1856.
“It is said that an erstwhile member of Kariyil family was a loco pilot. The British gave the title deed as a reward for the service of the loco pilot,” says Mr M.C. Raveendran, deputy range officer, Chaliyum timber depot.
The British rulers set up the railway station at Chaliyum to transport teak woods from Nilambur forests and cargo through the Beypore port.
The railway station was established in 1856 and daily two train services operated between Chaliyum and Coimbatore.
“Now two families are staying there, that of Kariyil Sreekanth and Kariyil Vishwanathan. The deed was given to the grand fathers of Sreekanth and Vishwanathan,” said Mr P. Prajith, the depot watcher.
The railway station was dismantled after it functioned for 32 years till the railway station was set up in Kozhikode in 1888.
After the abandonment of the railway station, the Southern Railway reopened a branch line from Beypore to Kadalundi to land coal and other materials brought by sea at Beypore instead of at Feroke.
