Bilaspur–Nagpur section

The Bilaspur–Nagpur section is part of the Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line and connects Bilaspur in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh and Nagpur in Maharashtra. Part of one of the major trunk lines in the country, it passes through a forested plateau region interspersed with fertile valleys.

Bilaspur–Nagpur section
Overview
System	Main lines and some branch lines which are electrified & Some branch lines are in unelectrified.
Status	Operational
Locale	Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh
Termini	Bilaspur Nagpur
Services	Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line
Operation
Opened	1891
Owner	Indian Railway
Operator(s)	South East Central Railway
Technical
Track length	Main line: 414 km (257 mi) Branch lines: kendri-Dhamtari NG: 68 km (42 mi) Durg-Dalli Rajhara: 87 km (54 mi) Gondia-Balaghat-Katangi: 88 km (55 mi) Tumsar Road-Tirodi: 48 km (30 mi) Gondia-Nagbhir-Balharshah: 252 km (157 mi) Nagpur-Nagbhir NG: 110 km (68 mi) Kanhan-Ramtek: 23 km (14 mi) Nagpur-Chhindwara NG: 110 km (68 mi) Chhindwara-Amla: 115 km (71 mi)
Number of tracks	Main line: 3 between Bilaspur to rajnandgaon 2 rajnandgaon to Nagpur
Track gauge	Broad gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) with some branch lines: Narrow gauge 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
Operating speed	Main line: up to 160 km/hr

Bilaspur–Nagpur section

km to Nagpur-Bhusawal section 0 Nagpur (change for NG) / Sonegaon airport to Bhopal-Nagpur section Line on right:Nagpur-Chhindwara NG 115 Amla / to Bhopal-Nagpur section 101 Jambara 95 Barchi Road 88 Bordhal 79 Barelipur 72 Nawagaon 63 Morkadhana Kanhan River 57 Hirdagarh Damua Washery Jharna Colliery 47 Junnordeo 39 Palachauri 35 Iklehara Bhamori colliery of Pench Kanhan Coalfield 28 Parasia 20 Khirsadoh 13 Gangiwara 147 / 0 Chhindwara with airstrip (change for NG) to Satpura Railway/ Nainpur 138 Shikarpur Halt 135 Linga 129 Bisapur Kanal 123 Umra Nala 114 Bhandarkund 111 Kukrakhapa 106 Mohapanimal 97 Bhimalgondi 93 Chadela 90 Devi 85 Ramakona Kanhan River 80 Sausar 73 Bardi 67 Lodhikhera 62 Paradsinga 59 Saonga Maharashtra-MP border 53 Kelod 43 Saoner 38 Malegaon 35 Takli Bhansali 32 Patansaongi 30 Patansaongi Town 25 Pipla 19 Khaprikheda Khaprakheda TPS of MAHAGENCO to Bhopal-Nagpur section Koradi TPS of MAHAGENCO 16 Koradih 5 Itwari (change for NG) 8 Kalamna 9 Bhanderwadi Halt 18 Dighori Buzurg 22 Kempalsad 26 Titur 31 Mahuli Halt 36 Kuhi 41 Mohdara 46 Bamhani 56 Umred 69 Kargaon Halt 79 Bhiwapur 89 Bhuyar Halt 94 Tempa 99 Mangli 104 Kotagaon to Nagpur-Hyderabad line 0 Balharshah 11 Chanda Fort 39 Kelzar 54 Mul Marora 71 Rajuli 84 Sindewahi 90 Alewahi 105 Talodhi Road 110 / 120 Nagbhir (change for NG) 15 Kamptee Kanhan River 20 / 0 Kanhan Kanhan Open Cast Mines of Kamptee Coalfield 14 Dumri Khurd 17 Amdi Halt 23 Ramtek 26 Salwa 32 Chacher 39 Tharsa 44 Rewral 53 Khat 63 Bhandara Road Jawaharnagar Ordnance Factory 81 / 0 Tumsar Road 13 Mitewani 16 Chicholi 22 Gobarwahi Chikla Mines of MOIL 31 Dongri Buzurg Dongri Buzurg Mines of MOIL 33 Mankepar Road Maharashtra-MP border 35 Sukil 48 Tirodi Tirodi Mines of MOIL Line under construction 0 Katangi Wainganga River Ellora Paper Mills 92 Mundikota 102 Tirora 109 Kachewani Adani Maharashtra Power 117 Gangajhari 128 Kirmiti Mendha 138 Brahmapuri 143 Chicholi Buzurg 149 Wadsa 158 Arun Nagar 165 Wadegaon 172 Arjuni 178 Barbhati 187 Dewalgaon 198 Gond Umri 205 Sondad 214 Khodseoni 221 Gongle 233 Pindkepar Halt 237 Hirdamali 243 Gankhera Halt 8 Lakhanwara 14 Kochewahi 21 Saongi 29 Waraseoni 35 Kavdi Halt 39 Garra to Satpura Railway/ Nainpur 47 Balaghat 55 Kanhad Gaon 59 Hatra Road 63 Khara MP-Maharashtra border 71 Birsola 75 Gatra Halt 79 Pratap Bagh 82 Nagaradham 131 / 88 Gondia 143 Gudma 154 Amgaon 169 Salekasa 180 Darekasa 188 Bortalao Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border 197 Paniajob 204 Dongargarh 211 Jatkanhar 217 Musra 236 Rajnandgaon 251 Murhipar 266 / 0 Durg 272 Bhilainagar 275 Bhilai Power House Nandini Lime Stone Quarry of SAIL / Bhilai airstrip Bhilai Steel Plant of SAIL 280 Bhilai Naroda 19 Pauwara Halt 23 Risama 36 Gundardehi 45 Sikosa 54 Latobar 63 Balod 81 Kusumkasa 87 Dalli Rajhara Dalli Rajhara Iron Ore Mines of SAIL 283 Devbaloda Charoda 291 Kumhari 292 Sarona 68 Dhamtari 62 Sankra 57 Sasonpuri 46 Kurud 34 Sirry 30 Chataud Rajim 23 Abhanpur 17 Kendri 10 Bhatgaon 6 Mana / Swami Vivekananda Airport 300 Saraswatinagar 303 Raipur 0 Telibandha NG line 306 WRS Colony to Raipur-Vizianagaram branch line 307 Urkura 315 Manhar Century Cement Plant 335 Baikunth 341 Tilda 352 Hathbandh 382 Nipania 392 Dagori 398 Belha 404 Chakarbhatha / Bilaspur Airport 407 Dadhapara to Bilaspur–Katni line 414 Bilaspur to Tatanagar-Bilaspur section Source:Google maps, Itwari Tatanagar Passenger, Katangi-Gondia DEMU, Tirodi-Tumsar Road DEMU, Nagpur-Chhindwara Passenger, Panch Valley Passenger, Ngpur Ramtek Passenger, Nagpur-Nagbhid NG line

History

The first train in India travelled from Mumbai to Thane on 16 April 1853. By May, 1854, Great Indian Peninsula Railway's Bombay-Thane line was extended to Kalyan. Bhusawal station was set up in 1860 and in 1867 the GIPR branch line was extended to Nagpur.[1] The Nagpur Chhattisgarh Railway started construction of the 240 km (149 mi) metre gauge (soon converted to broad gauge) Nagpur-Rajnandgaon section in 1878, after surveys were started in 1871. The Nagpur-Tumsar Road section was opened in April 1880 and the Tumsar Road-Rajnandgaon section in December 1880.[2]

The Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line, a joint effort of Great Indian Peninsula Railway and East Indian Railway Company came up in 1870.[3] The Bengal Nagpur Railway was formed in 1887 for the purpose of upgrading the Nagpur Chhattisgarh Railway and then extending it via Bilaspur to Asansol, in order to develop a shorter Howrah-Mumbai route than the one via Allahabad.[4] The Bengal Nagpur Railway main line from Nagpur to Asansol, on the Howrah-Delhi main line, was opened for goods traffic on 1 February 1891.[5]

A narrow gauge branch line was constructed from Raipur to Dhamtari, and from Abhanpur another branch line goes to Rajim. It was opened in 1900.[6] The Gondia-Nagbhir-Nagpur line was opened for traffic in 1908. The Nagbhir-Rajoli line was opened in 1913 and extended up to Chanda. The Bhilai-Dalli Rajhara line mainly for iron ore transportation was opened in 1958. Bhilai Steel Plant was opened in 1959.[5]

The Bengal Nagpur Railway was nationalized in 1944.[5]Eastern Railway was formed on 14 April 1952 with the portion of East Indian Railway Company east of Mughalsarai and the Bengal Nagpur Railway.[7] In 1955, South Eastern Railway was carved out of Eastern Railway. It comprised lines mostly operated by BNR earlier.[7][8] Amongst the new zones started in April 2003 were East Coast Railway and South East Central Railway. Both these railways were carved out of South Eastern Railway.[7]

Gauge conversion

Work for conversion to broad gauge of the 240 km (149 mi) narrow gauge Gondia-Chanda Fort line started in December 1992, Gondia-Wadsa section was inaugurated on 25 September 1994. Wadsa-Nagbhir section was opened on 20 February 1997, Nagbhir-Chanda Fort section was opened on 13 January 1999 and the Chanda Fort-Ballarshah section was operated from 2 July 1999.[9]

The Gondia-Balaghat broad gauge section was opened for traffic on 6 September 2005.[9] The Balaghat-Katangi section was converted to broad gauge in 2010.[10][9]

The gauge conversions are under process for 147 km (91 mi) long Nagpur-Chhindwara section, the 110 km (68 mi) long Jabalpur-Nainpur section, the 180 km (112 mi) long Chhindwara-Nainpur-Mandla section, the Nainpur-Balaghat section and 110 km (68 mi) long Nagpur-Nagbhir section.[11][12]

Electrification

The entire main line is electrified. The Bilaspur-Bhilai and Bhilai-Durg sections were electrified in 1970-71, Durg-Paniajob section in 1989-90. The Paniajob-Gondia and Gondia-Bhandara Road sections in 1990-91, Bhandara Road-Tharsa and Tharsa-Nagpur sections in 1991-92.[13] The Amla-Chhindwara section was electrified in 2017[14] and Balharshah-Chanda Fort-Gondia section was electrified in 2018. Other lines will be electrified once converted to broad gauge.

Speed limits

The entire Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line is classified as a "Group A" line which can take speeds up to 160 km/hr.[15]

Passenger movement

Bilaspur, Raipur, Durg and Nagpur on this line are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway. About 1 to 1.2 million passengers travel from here. [16]

Narrow gauge rail museum

A Narrow Gauge Rail Museum was inaugurated at Nagpur on 14 December 2002. It was accorded the status at par with National Rail Museum, New Delhi.[9]

References

1. Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1832 - 1865). "IR History: Early Days – I". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
2. "Nagpur Division" (PDF). Retrieved 20 November 2012.
3. "IR History: Early Days – II". Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1870 - 1899). Retrieved 10 November 2012.
4. "Number 1 Down Mail". Railways of the Raj. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
5. "Major Events in the Formation of S.E. Railway". South Eastern Railway. Archived from the original on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
6. "Raipur District". IRFCA. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
7. "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
8. "IR History: Part - IV (1947 - 1970)". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
9. "Nagpur Division" (PDF). South East Central Railway. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
10. "Balaghat-Jabalpur protest march to demand rly line". The Times of India, 17 January 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
11. "Funds crunch hits gauge conversion work". The Times of india, 27 April 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
12. "What is new in the Railway Budget 2012-13". The Times of India, 14 March 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
13. "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
14. https://twitter.com/central_railway/status/937269672046575616?lang=en
15. "Chapter II – The Maintenance of Permanent Way". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
16. "Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry". Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways. IRFCA. Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 2012-11-21.

External links

External video

Gondia-Balaghat-Katangi DEMU

Gondia-Balaghat-Katangi Passenger Train