Bhusawal–Kalyan section

Bhusawal–Kalyan section
Overview
Native name भुसावळ-कल्याण विभाग
System Main line and some branch lines electrified. Some branch lines: diesel
Status Operational
Locale Maharashtra, Gujarat
Termini Bhusawal
Kalyan
Services Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line
Howrah-Allahabad-Mumbai line
New Delhi-Bhopal-Mumbai line
Operation
Opened Around 1865
Owner Indian Railway
Operator(s) Central Railway, Western Railway for a part of a branch line
Depot(s) Bhusawal, Kalyan, Manmad, Igatpuri
Rolling stock WAM-4, WAP- 4, WAG-5, WAG-7 , WCM-6, WCG-2, WCAM-3, WCAG-1 electric locomotives
Technical
Track length Main line: 390 km (242 mi)
Branch lines
Manmad-Daund 238 km (148 mi)
Pachora-Jamner 56 km (35 mi) NG
Chalisgaon-Dhule 56 km (35 mi)
Jalgaon-Surat 313 km (194 mi)
No. of tracks Main line: 2
Track gauge Main line and three branch lines: 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
Pachora-Jamner: 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge
Electrification 1.5 kV DC overhead system in 1929 for Kalyan-Igatpuri sector, Igatpuri-Bhusawal with 25 kV AC overhead system in 1967-69. DC system being converted to AC system
Operating speed Main line: up to 160 km/h

The Bhusawal–Kalyan section is part of the Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line and Howrah-Allahabad-Mumbai line. It connects Bhusawal and Kalyan both in the Indian state of Maharashtra. One of the branch lines, Jalgaon-Surat line, runs partly in Gujarat.

Geography

Part of some of the major trunk lines in the country, this line passes through a section of the Deccan Plateau, starting with Khandesh,[1] It crosses the Western Ghats across the Thul Ghat and enters the Western Coastal Plains.[2]

Thul Ghat

Thul Ghat (incline) is a series of mountain slopes in the Western Ghats traversed by this line. From Kalyan to Kasara, the line covers a length of 42 mi (68 km) and rises to an altitude of 948 ft (289 m) above sea level at Kasara. The next section from Kasara to Igatpuri is 9.5 mi (15 km) across Thul Ghat and within that distance the line rises from 289 ft (88 m) to 1,918 ft (585 m) the gradient in the section being 1:37.[2] The line negotiates this steep incline with the help of curves. The Ehegaon viaduct along this line is 719 ft (219 m) long and 180 ft (55 m) high.[2] According to IRFCA, "The viaduct is situated in a steep valley nestling in the midst of hills that skirt around it in the tunnels and then is carried across the yawning chasm on a tall imposing structure… Some of the viaducts and tunnels on this line are considered outstanding achievements in Civil Engineering and are among the finest works in the world."[2]

Economy

This line serves two coal based thermal power stations: the 880 MW Nashik Thermal Power Station of Mahagenco and 850 MW Ukai Thermal Power Station of Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited. Nasik TPS consumed 4,626,000 tonnes of coal in 2006-07 and Ukai TPS consumed 3,200,000 tonnes the same year.[3] Coal transportation forms 42 per cent of the total freight earnings of Indian railways.[4]

History

Main line

The first train in India traveled from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station in Mumbai, then known as Boribunder, to Thane on 16 April 1853. Within about a year Great Indian Peninsula Railway connected the Mumbai-Thane line to Kalyan. Service up to Igatpuri (across the Thul Ghat) was started in 1865. Before that, Bhusawal station was set up in 1860 and most of the line between Bhusawal and Igatpuri was laid in 1861-62 but the line was activated in mid-1860s, after completion of the line across Thul Ghat.[2][5][6]

Branch lines

The 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Tapti Valley Railway linked Surat, on the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway, to the Great Indian Peninsula system at Amalner in the Khandesh region, in 1900.[7][8] It was one of the railways set up by Killick Nixon Limited.[9]

The 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Manmad-Daund line was opened in 1878 and connects the two main sections (the south-east and north east) of GIPR. The line is being doubled.[10][11]

The Hyderabad-Godavari Valley Railways opened the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge Manmad-Secunderabad line (not shown in the route chart) in 1900.[7]

The 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Chalisgaon-Dhule line was opened in 1900.[12]

The Pachora-Jamner 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge line was opened by Central Province Railway in 1919.[7]

Shirdi

The 17.5 km (11 mi) long 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) wide broad gauge Puntamba-Shirdi link, connecting Shirdi to the Manmad-Daund branch line was completed in 2009.[13] The Manmad-Puntamba-Sainagar Shirdi line was electrified in 2011-12.[14]

New lines

Indian Railways have cleared the construction of Manmad-Indore and Nashik-Pune new lines after sixteen years of active lobbying.[15][16]

Railway reorganisation

The Great Indian Peninsula Railway was taken over by the state in 1925.[17] In 1951, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway, the Scindia State Railways and the Dholpur Railways were merged to form Central Railway. In the same year, the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway, the Saurashtra Railway, the Rajasthan Railway, the Jaipur Railway and the Cutch State Railway were merged to form Western Railway.[18]

Electrification and electric loco sheds

The Kalyan-Igatpuri section was electrified with 1.5 kV DC overhead system in 1929.[19] Subsequent electrification with 25 kV AC overhead system in the Igatpuri-Manmad sector, with AC/DC change over at Igatpuri, was carried out in 1967–69. The Manmad-Bhusawal sector was electrified in 1968–69.[20] The change over of the Mumbai area from DC to AC is in an advanced stage.[21]

There are large loco sheds at Bhusawal and Kalyan, and the smaller trip sheds at Manmad and Igatpuri. The loco shed at Bhusawal was established by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway in 1919. At that time it was the largest in Asia and third largest in the world. WAM-4, WAP- 4, WAG-5, WAG-7, WCM-6, WCG-2, WCAM-3 and WCAG-1 electric locomotives find a place in these sheds. Kalyan also houses some diesel locomotives.[22][23]

Speed limits

The entire Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line is classified as a "Group A" line which can take speeds up to 160 km/h. The branch lines have speed limits within 100 km/h.[24]

Passenger movement

Bhusawal and Manmad on this line, are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.[25]

The tourist train Deccan Odyssey passes through a part of the route.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "East Khandesh". Glued Ideas.com. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Eminent Railwaymen of Yesteryears". James J. Berkley/ The Thal Ghat. IRFCA. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  3. ↑ "Coal supply to various power stations" (PDF). Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Indian Railways, CIL to collaborate for additional coal transport capacity". Mining weekly.com, 14 February 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  5. ↑ Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1832 - 1865). "IR History: Early Days – I". IFCA. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  6. ↑ "Historical Milestones". Central Railway. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 "Chronology of Railways in India, Part 3 (1900-1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  8. ↑ "The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol 23, page 20". Electronic Library. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  9. ↑ "History". Killick Nixon Limited. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  10. ↑ "Railways". Ahmadnagar District Gazetteer. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  11. ↑ "Track doubling work on Pune-Daund, Manmad-Daund routes to begin soon". Samachar.com/ DNA. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "Bhusaval Division – Important Milestones". Central Railway. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "Finally, a rail link to Shirdi, from Manmad via Puntamba". The Indian Express, 9 February 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  14. ↑ "Electrification" (PDF). Indian Railways. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  15. ↑ "Railways gives go-ahead for Pune-Nashik route". DNA. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  16. ↑ "Union railway ministry sanctions Nashik to Pune link route". The Economic Times, 13 March 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "IR History: Part III (1900-1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Geography : Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  19. ↑ "Electric Traction I". History of Electrification. IRFCA. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  20. ↑ "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  21. ↑ "Mumbai Area Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  22. ↑ "IR History: Part III (1900-1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  23. ↑ "Sheds and Workshops". IRFCA. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  24. ↑ "Chapter II – The Maintenance of Permanent Way". Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  25. ↑ "Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry". Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways. IRFCA. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  26. ↑ "The Deccan odyssey". Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. Retrieved 14 March 2013.

External links

External video
Manmad Godavari Express: Kasara to Igatpuri (Thul Ghat)
Panchvatti Express: Igatpuri to Kasara (Thul Ghat)
Train on bridge at Thul Ghat
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