Maliya Miyana–Wankaner section

The Maliya Miyana–Wankaner section belongs to Western Railway of Rajkot Division in Gujarat State.

Maliya Miyana–Wankaner section
Overview
Status	Operational
Locale	Gujarat
Termini	Maliya Miyana Wankaner
Stations	Morbi (or) Morvi
Operation
Opened	1890 up to Morvi 1940 up to Maliya Miyana
Owner	Indian Railways
Operator(s)	Western Railway
Technical
Track length	80 km (50 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad gauge

Section

Maliya Miyana–Wankaner section
to Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line 0 Maliya Miyana to Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line 19 Vavaniya Navlakhi Port 25 Dahinsara 37 Barwala Nani–Vavaniya Road Morbi Bypass Navlakhi Road 51 Morbi Machchu River Navlakhi Road 54 Nazarbaug 62 Rafaleshwar 63 Makansar NH-8A and NH-27 to Viramgam–Okha line 80 Wankaner to Viramgam–Okha line

History

The Morvi-Wankaner section was laid as a 2 ft 6 inch (narrow gauge) road side tram way in the year 1890 by Morvi Railway up to Morvi under the regime of Sir Waghji Thakor. Later it was converted to metre gauge in 1924. Later it was extended to Maliya Miyana before the 1940s. Sir Lakhdhiraji Thakor who ruled from 1922 until 1948. Sir Lakhdiraji acted as a ruler, manager, patron and policeman of the state with great authority. Sir Lakhdiraji, like other contemporary rulers of Saurashtra, built roads and a railway network (of seventy miles), connecting Wadhwan and Morbi and the two small ports of Navlakhi and Vavania to export salt and cloth. It was the last steam engine hauled section in India. Before railbuses took over on Wankaner-Morvi, there were two-coach trains hauled by YG or YP steam locos (these were the last steam-hauled trains on those routes).[1] Running of Steam trains stopped in April 1999.[2]

Gauge conversion

Gauge conversion of Maliya–Miyana section was taken up in 1996-97.[3] Conversion to broad gauge was completed in the year 2001.[4]

Freight

Maliya Miyana–Wankaner section is mainly a freight line for salt transportation from Dahinsar. Due to income in freight this line is not closed otherwise it would have been closed.[5] Less passenger trains pass through this line.[6]

References

1. "Irfca trivia".
2. "Steam sections in India".
3. "Rail budget announcement 1996-97".
4. "history of maliya miyana-wankaner section".
5. "Salt freight".
6. "Trains passing".