Central Railway (abbreviated CR) is one of the 19 zones of Indian Railways.[1] Its headquarters is in Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. It has the distinction of operating the first passenger railway line in India, which opened from Mumbai to Thane on 16 April 1853.
 | |
 8-Central Railway | |
 CR's headquarters Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai |
| Reporting mark | CR |
| Dates of operation | 1951–Present |
| Predecessor | |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad-gauge |
| Electrification | Yes (100%, all lines of Central Railway are electrified) |
HistoryEdit
The railway zone was formed on 5 November 1951 by grouping several government-owned railways, including the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the Scindia State Railway of the former princely state of Gwalior, Nizam State Railway, Wardha Coal State Railway and the Dholpur State Railway.[2][3]
The Central Railway zone formerly included large parts of Madhya Pradesh and part of southern Uttar Pradesh, which made it the largest railway zone in India in terms of area, track mileage and staff. These areas became the new West Central Railway zone in April 2003.
The Central Railway General Manager's official residence (erstwhile GIPR agent's residence), 'Glenogle'-a Grade II-B heritage bungalow, is located on Bhausaheb Hire Marg (Mount Pleasant Road), adjacent to the Maharashtra Chief minister's official residence 'Varsha' in Malabar Hill, Mumbai.
RoutesEdit
Main/Long Routes of Central RailwayEdit
- Mumbai CSMT-Kalyan-Igatpuri-Nashik road-Manmad-Jalgaon-Bhusawal-Akola-Badnera-Wardha-Nagpur
- Mumbai CSMT-Kalyan-Karjat-Lonavala-Pune
- Mumbai CSMT-Kurla-Vashi-Panvel-Roha
- Manmad-Aurangabad-Nanded (south central railway line)
- Pune-Daund-Solapur-Wadi-Tandur
- Pune-Satara-Sangli-Miraj-Kolhapur
- Miraj-Pandharpur-Kurduvadi-Barshi-Osmanabad-Latur-Latur Road
- Ballarshah-Majri-Sevagram (formerly Wardha East Jn.)-Nagpur-Amla-Itarsi
- Dadar-Solapur-Dadar
One of the oldest and important railway project of central railway zone was Kalyan-Ahmednagar railway project which was in planning stage since British regime. It was referred to as 3rd ghat project. A survey was carried out in 1973, 2000, 2006, 2014 etc, and the project was in the Railways Board pink book in 2010 but unfortunately the project was not started. The alignment length of this project was 184 km and it could have been shortest route for Marathwada, Andhra and Telangana. The major challenge for this project is 18.96 km long tunnel in Malshej Ghat section.[4] Malshej Kriti samiti is following for Kalyan-Ahmednagar railway project. Kalyan-Murbad section which is first phase of this project is already under survey stage.[5]
Branch/Short routes of Central RailwayEdit
- Mumbai CSMT-Wadala Road-Bandra-Goregaon
- Thane-Vashi-Panvel
- Daund-Manmad
- Bhusawal-Khandwa
- Amravati-Narkher
- Vasai Road-Diva-Panvel
- Panvel-Karjat
- Badnera-Amravati
- Daund-Baramati
- Puntamba-Shirdi
- Chalisgaon-Dhule
- Pachora-Jamner (NG)
- Pulgaon-Arvi (NG)
- Murtijapur-Yavatmal (NG)
- Murtijapur-Achalapur (NG)
- Jalamb-Khamgaon
- Majri jn-Pimpalkutti
- Neral-Matheran
UtilizationEdit
HighEdit
- Mumbai-Thane-Kalyan-Karjat/Kasara sub-urban section
- Mumbai-Bhusawal-Akola-Nagpur
- Mumbai-Bhusawal-Khandwa
- Itarsi-Nagpur-Sevagram-Majri-Balharshah
- Mumbai-Pune-Daund-Solapur-Kalaburgi-Wadi
- Mumbai-Pune-Miraj-Hubli-Bengaluru-Chennai
- Daund-Ahmednagar-Manmad
LowEdit
- Puntamba-Sai nagar Shirdi
- Miraj-Kurduwadi
- Latur-Kurduwadi
ConnectionsEdit
Central railway zone connects to other Zones of Indian railways as at:
Western Railway ZoneEdit
Bandra, Andheri, Goregaon, Dadar, Vasai Road
Konkan Railway ZoneEdit
South Central Railway zoneEdit
Secunderabad railway divisionEdit
Guntakal Railway DivisionEdit
Nanded railway divisionEdit
- Pimpalkutti
- Akola Jn
- Khandwa Jn
- Ankai Jn (MMR-AWB-PBN-NED route)
South East Central Railway zoneEdit
Nagpur SEC railway divisionEdit
South Western Railway zoneEdit
Hubballi railway divisionEdit
Western Central Railway zoneEdit
Bhopal divisionEdit
Matheran Hill RailwayEdit
Constructed in 1907, the narrow-gauge Matheran Hill Railway connects Neral on the Mumbai-Chennai main line with the hill station of Matheran in the Western Ghats, east of Mumbai. Neral is linked to Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus by frequent suburban trains. Steam engines have now been replaced by diesel locomotives. The route is noted for its sharp curves.
DivisionsEdit
OrganisationEdit
The central railway covers a large part of the state of Maharashtra and small part of Southern Madhya Pradesh and North-Eastern Karnataka. It is organized into five divisions: Mumbai, Bhusawal, Nagpur, Solapur and Pune. The details of the network by division are as follows[6]
Mumbai DivisionEdit
- Mumbai CSMT-Dadar-Kurla-Thane
- Mumbai CSMT-Wadala Road-Kurla (Harbour Line)
- Wadala Road-Bandra-Goregaon (Inclusive)
- Kurla-Trombay (Goods)
- Kurla-Vashi-Nerul-Panvel (Harbour Line)
- Thane-Vashi-Panvel (Trans-Harbour line)
- Thane-Turbhe-Vashi (Trans-Harbour Line)
- Thane-Turbhe-Nerul (Trans-Harbour Line)
- Mumbai CSMT-Wadala Road-Kurla (Harbour Line)
- Thane-Diva Jn-Kalyan
- Diva Jn-Panvel-Roha
- Panvel-Jasai-Uran
- Jasai-JNPT
- Panvel-Jasai-Uran
- Diva Jn-Vasai Road
- Diva Jn-Panvel-Roha
- Kalyan Jn-Kasara-Igatpuri (Inclusive)
- Kalyan Jn-Karjat Jn-Lonavala (Inclusive)
- Neral Jn-Matheran (narrow-gauge)
- Karjat Jn-Panvel
- Karjat Jn-Khopoli
Malshej Kriti Samiti is following for Kalyan-Ahmednagar railway project. Kalyan-Murbad section which is first phase of this project is already under survey stage.[5]
Pune DivisionEdit
- Lonavala-Pune Jn-Daund Jn
- Pune Jn-Satara-Sangli-Miraj Jn-Kolhapur
- Daund Jn -Baramati
- Phaltan - Baramati ( to be completed by 2022)[3]
- Pune Jn-Rajgurunagar-Sangamner-Sinnar-Nashik Road (Project Scrapped)[7]
- Karad-Chiplun (scrapped)[8]
Nagpur DivisionEdit
- Badnera Jn (Exclude)-Pulgaon Jn-Wardha Jn-Butibori Jn-Nagpur Jn
- Sewagram-Majri Jn-Tadali Jn-Chandrapur-Balharshah Jn (include)
- Wardha Jn-Chitoda Jn (on Sewagram-Balharshah line)
- Majri Jn-Wani Jn-pimpalkutti
- Wani Jn-Rajur
- Tadali Jn-Ghugus
- Balharshah Jn-Chanda Fort
- Wardha Jn-Chitoda Jn (on Sewagram-Balharshah line)
- Nagpur-Amla Jn-Itarsi Jn (exclude)
- Amla Junction-Chhindwara(exclude)
- Nagpur-sevagram-majri jn Balharshah
Solapur DivisionEdit
- Manmad (exclude)-Ahmednagar-Daund Jn
- Daund Jn-Solapur
- Miraj Jn (exclude)-Pandharpur-Kurudwadi Jn-Barshi-Latur-Latur Road (excluding)
- SolapurJn-Hotgi Jn-Gulbarga-Wadi Jn (Include)
Bhusawal DivisionEdit
- Manmad-Indore (project scrapped)
- Bhusawal-Badnera-Nagpur (exclude)
- Bhusawal-Khandwa-Itarsi (exclude)
- Jalgaon-Nandurbar-Udhna (exclude)
- Chalisgaon-Dhule
- Khamgaon - Jalamb
- Pachora-Jamner
- Manmad-Aurangabad (exclude)
- Manmad-Daund (exclude)
- Mandmad-Nasik-Igatpuri (exclude)
- Akola-Nanded (exclude)
The number of stations category-wise under these five railway divisions under the Central Railway Zones are as follows (as of 2008) : A-1 : 7, A : 20, B : 10, C : 80, D : 45, E : 221, F : 93, Total : 476[9]
Ongoing ProjectsEdit
New linesEdit
- Solapur Jn -Tuljapur- Osmanabad. (New Rail Line survey completed but work yet to start)
- Ashti-Parli Vaijnath line (work under progress). Ahmednagar-Ashti 67 km completed. (Project :- Ahmedanagar- Beed - Parli)
- Phaltan - Baramati (approved, but work yet to start)
- Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi line (survey under progress)
- Aurangabad-Shani shingnapur-Ahmednagar line (survey completed, but work yet to start)
- Khamgaon-Jalna (survey completed, but work yet to start)
- Latur-Latur Road-Ahmedpur-Nanded (survey completed, but work yet to start)
- Latur Road-Jalkot-Mukhed-Biloli-Bodhan (announced but not yet taken up)
- Latur-Ausa-Nilanga-Omerga-Aland-Gulbarga (survey under progress)
DoublingEdit
- Bhigvan-Vakav (Earth work started)
- Tilati-Gulbarga (Earth work started)
- Pune-Miraj-Londa-Hubli (Doubling in progress)
- Pune-Miraj-Kolhapur (Doubling in progress)
- Panvel-Karjat
- Karjat-Khopoli
TriplingEdit
- Kalyan-Kasara
- Kalyan-Karjat
- Sewagram Jn-Balharshah Jn
QuadruplingEdit
- Nagpur-Wardha
- Jalgaon-Bhsawal
- Manmad-Igatpuri [10]
HexuplingEdit
- Mumbai CSMT-Kalyan
TrainsEdit
Some of the major trains operated by Central Railway zone are as follows:
| Number | Train Name | Starting Station | Terminating Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22221/22222 | Mumbai CSMT–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express | Mumbai CSMT | Hazrat Nizamuddin. |
| 12123/12124 | Deccan Queen | Mumbai CSMT | Pune Jn. |
| 12137/12138 | Punjab Mail | Mumbai CSMT | Firozpur Cantt. |
| 11035/11036 | Sharavati Express | Dadar | Mysuru Jn. |
| 11085/11086 | Lokmanya Tilak Terminus - Madgaon AC Double Decker Express | Kurla LTT | Madgaon Jn. |
| 12289/12290 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus - Nagpur Duronto Express | Mumbai CSMT | Nagpur. |
| 22107/221078 | Latur Express | Mumbai CSMT | Latur. |
| 11301/11302 | Udyan Express | Mumbai CSMT | KSR Bengaluru City |
| 12025/12026 | Pune - Secunderabad Shatabdi Express | Pune | Secunderabad Jn. |
| 12051/12052 | CSMT Madgaon Jan Shatabdi Express | CSMT | Madgaon Jn. |
| 12113/12114 | Pune–Nagpur Garib Rath Express | Pune | Nagpur Jn. |
| 12115/12116 | Siddheshwar Express | Mumbai CSMT | Solapur |
| 22119/22120 | Mumbai CSMT - Madgaon Tejas Express | Mumbai CSMT | Madgaon |
| 12105/12106 | Vidarbha Express | Mumbai CSMT | Gondia Jn. |
| 11039/11040 | Maharashtra Express | Kolhapur SCSMT | Gondia Jn. |
| 12109/12110 | Panchvati Express | Mumbai CSMT | Manmad |
| 11061/11062 | Pawan Express | Lokmanya Tilak Terminus | Jaynagar. |
| 11023/11024 | Sahyadri Express | Mumbai CSMT | Kolhapur SCSMT |
| 11027/11028 | Mumbai Chennai Mail | Mumbai CSMT | Chennai Central |
Loco ShedsEdit
- Electric Loco Shed, Ajni
- Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan
- Electric Loco Shed, Bhusawal
- Diesel Loco Shed, Pune
- Diesel Loco Shed, Kalyan
- Diesel Loco Shed, Kurla
- Electric Loco Shed, Daund (Under Construction)
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ "Ministry of Railways (Railway Board)".
- ^ Rao, M.A. (1988). Indian Railways, New Delhi: National Book Trust, p.42
- ^ a b "Central Railways-Construction > Projects". Archived from the original on 1 May 2008.
- ^ "कल्याण-नगर रेल्वे हा विकासाचा मार्ग" [Kalyan-Nagar Railway is the path of development] (in Marathi). Maharashtra Times.
- ^ a b "संजीवनी देणारा माळशेज घाट रेल्वे मार्ग" [Revitalizing Malshej Ghat railway line] (in Marathi). Loksatta.
- ^ "Central Railways". Archived from the original on 9 May 2008.
- ^ "Work on Nashik-Pune rail route begins". IBN Live. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
- ^ "Maharashtra Government to share cost for Pune-Nashik, Karad-Chiplun rail links". The Economic Times.
- ^ "CATEGORISATION OF STATIONS" (PDF). Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ "MAHARAIL - Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MRIDC)".
External linksEdit
- Bhusawal Division
- Central, Western and Harbour railway timetable
- CENTRAL Railway local Train Timetable
- Detailed Mumbai Local Train Time Table
- / Mumbai Local Railways Latest Vacancies
Coordinates: 18°58′30″N 72°49′33″E / 18.97500°N 72.82583°E