Howrah–Chennai main line
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broad gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrification | 2005 with 25 kV overhead line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating speed | up to 130 km/h | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Howrah–Chennai main line is a railway line connecting Chennai and Kolkata cutting across Eastern Coastal Plains of India. It covers a distance of 1,661 kilometres (1,032 mi) across, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Sections
The 1,661 km (1,032 mi) long trunk line has been treated in more detail in its sections:
- Howrah–Kharagapur section (approximately 115 km (71 mi)
- Kharagpur–Khurda Road section (approximately 363.1 km (225.6 mi)
- Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section (approximately 430 km (270 mi))
- Nidadavole–Narsapuram section
- Duvvada–Vijayawada section (approximately 350 km (220 mi)) (from Anakapalle south) South Coast Railway zone
- Vijayawada–Gudur section (approximately 310 km (190 mi)) South Coast Railway zone
- Gudur–Chennai section (approximately 140 km (87 mi)) (except Gudur Junction) Southern Railway zone
Geography
The Howrah–Chennai main line traverses the Eastern Coastal Plains crossing such major rivers as the Mahanadi, Godavari and Krishna. The coastal plains lying between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal are fertile agricultural lands with high density of population.[1][2]
History
The
The first train service in southern India was operated from
Railway reorganization
The southern part of the East Coast State Railway (from Waltair to Vijayawada) was taken over by Madras Railway in 1901.[7] The 514 km (319 mi) long northern portion of the East Coast line to Cuttack, including the branch line to Puri, was taken over by Bengal Nagpur Railway in 1902.[6][8]
In 1908 Madras Railway was merged with the Southern Mahratta Railway to form Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway.[9][10]
In the early 1950s legislation was passed authorizing the central government to take over independent railway systems that were there. On 14 April 1951 the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway Company and Mysore State Railway were merged to form Southern Railway. Subsequently, Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway was also merged into Southern Railway. On 2 October 1966, the Secunderabad, Solapur, Hubli and Vijayawada Divisions, covering the former territories of Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway and certain portions of Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway were separated from Southern Railway to form the South Central Railway. In 1977, Guntakal division of Southern Railway was transferred to South Central Railway and the Solapur division transferred to Central Railway. Amongst the seven new zones created in 2010 was South Western Railway, which was carved out of Southern Railway.[11]
The Bengal Nagpur Railway was nationalized in 1944.[7]Eastern Railway was formed on 14 April 1952 with the portion of East Indian Railway Company east of Mughalsarai and the Bengal Nagpur Railway.[12] In 1955, South Eastern Railway was carved out of Eastern Railway. It comprised lines mostly operated by BNR earlier.[12][13] 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.[12] Amongst the new zone to be started in April 2020 is South Coast Railway this railway was carved out of South Central Railway and East Coast Railway.[12]
The line was the site of one of India's worst rail disasters, the 2023 Odisha train collision.
Electrification
Howrah–Chennai Mail was the first train in South Eastern Railway to be hauled by a diesel engine (WDM-1) in 1965.[13]
The Howrah–Chennai route was completely electrified by 2005.[14]
Speed limits
The Howrah Junction –Chennai Central line of which the Vijayawada–Chennai section is a part, and Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line, of which the Howrah–Kharagpur section is a part, are planned to be upgraded as "Group A" lines which can take speeds up to 160 km/h. The Kharagpur-Vijayawada sector is classified as a Group B line which can take speeds up to 130 km/h.[15]
Passenger movement
The main passenger train services along this line are the
Golden quadrilateral
The Howrah–Chennai main line is a part of the golden quadrilateral. The routes connecting the four major metropolises (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata), along with their diagonals, known as the golden quadrilateral, carry about half the freight and nearly half the passenger traffic, although they form only 16 per cent of the length.[17]
References
- ^ "Coastal Plains of India". Country facts – the world at your finger tips. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
- ^ "The Coastal Plains of India". Zahie.com. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
- ^ a b "IR History: Early Days – I". Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1832–1865). Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- ^ a b "IR History: Early Days – II". Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1870–1899). Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- ^ a b c "Major Events in the Formation of S.E. Railway". South Eastern Railway. Archived from the original on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ^ a b "History of Waltair Division". Mannanna.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ a b "IR History: Part III (1900-1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
- ^ "History". East Coast Railway. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- )
- ^ "Third oldest railway station in country set to turn 156". Indian Railways Turn Around News. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ^ "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ a b "IR History: Part - IV (1947 - 1970)". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ "IR History Part VII (2000-present)". IRFCA. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ "Chapter II – The Maintenance of Permanent Way". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ "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 30 December 2012.
- ^ "Geography – Railway Zones". Major routes. IRFCA. Retrieved 5 March 2013.