Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line

Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line
Overview
Status	Operational
Locale	Gujarat
Termini	Gandhidham Ahmedabad
Stations	Samakhiali, Viramgam
Operation
Opened	1969
Owner	Indian Railways
Operator(s)	Western Railway
Technical
Line length	299.2 km (186 mi)
No. of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad gauge
Operating speed	Upto 80 Km/h

The Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line belongs to Western Railway of Ahmedabad Division in Gujarat State.

Gandhidham–Ahmedabad Main Line

Legend KM to Ahmedabad–Mumbai Main Line 72 Ahmedabad AmarSinh Choudary Bridge to Himmatnagar Metre Gauge Section Babu Jagjivan ram Bridge Sahibaug Under Pass Sabarmati River Chimanbhai Patel Flyover 65 Sabarmati Jn Railway yard Kali Road 62 Sabarmati Cabin-A Diesel Loco Shed 57 Sabarmati Cabin-F Sabarmati Cabin-D to Gandhigram to Khodiyar 54 Chandoldiya to Khodiyar RC Technical Road Sola Road NH-8C 48 Ambli Road Thatti Road Sardar Patel Ring Road 43 Gora Ghuma 37 Sanand 32 Vasan Iyava 25 Charrodi 21 Virochannagar 16 Jakhvada to Viramgam–Mahesana section to Viramgam–Mahesana section 0 Viramgam SH-18 to Viramgam–Surendra Nagar section 13 Jhund to Kharagoda 21 Sadla 30 Bajana Bajana Road 37 JatPipli Narmada Canal 48 Vasadva NH-947 to Dharangadhra–Surendra Nagar section 65 Dharangadhra Narmada Canal 79 Chuli 88 Sukhpur 96 Halvad 106 Dhanala 113 Devaliya 124 Khakrechi Bg 132 Wadharva NH-8A to Maliya Miyana–Wankaner section 39 Maliya Miyana NH-8A Hadakiya Creek Hadakiya Creek 77 Surbari 65 Katariya to Samakhiali-Palanpur section Track Switch 53 Samakhiali Bg 42 Vondh 37 Bhachau Bg NH 8A 23 Chirai Bg NH 8A 14 Bhimasar Bg NH 8A NH 141 Freight Switch 3 Gandhidham Cabin to Gandhidham–Bhuj section Freight Depot 0 Gandhidham Bg Railway Station Track Switch to Gandhidham–Kandla Port section

Geography

Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line passes through beautiful Creeks and Salt dunes of Kutch. It about 300 km long railway line. This line is known in detail different sections:

1. Gandhidham–Samakhiali section
2. Samakhiali–Maliya Miyana section
3. Maliya Miyana–Viramgam section
4. Viramgam–Ahmedabad section

History

Between 1850 and 1950 Gandhidham-Ahmedabad line was owned by different Princely States like Cutch State Railway, Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway, Morvi State Railway. Ahmedabad–Viramgam section was laid in 1871 by BB&CI. Later BB&CI line was extended to Wadhwan.^[1] The Cutch State Railway was financed by the Maharao Khengarji Bawa of Cutch, and the initial section to Anjar was opened in 1905. An extension from Anjar to the state capital of Bhuj was later made and lines opened in 1908. Varshamedi to Bhachau was opened in 1910. 15 miles from Anjar to Kandla was opened in 1930.^[2] After the formation of Gandhidham, Kandla station was renamed in 1947. Another line was laid from Kandla to Disa in 1950.

Railway reorganization

Cutch State Railway was merged into the Western Railway on 5 November 1951, at which time the total length was 72 miles.^[3] The foundation stone was laid on 7 April 1955 to Gandhidham Bg Railway Station. The Gandhidham-Ahmedabad line was complete in the year 1969. Gauge conversion of Viramgam–Wankaner–Gandhidham section was completed in the earlier 1980s.^[4] The first train from Gandhidham to Mumbai was introduced on 2 October 1984.^[5]

Passenger movement

This line passes through Samakhiali, Maliya Miyana railway station, Dharangadhra and Viramgam. Passengers of Kutch are benefited through this line to go to rest of the parts of India. There are trains to some important cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Kamakhya, Nagercoil, Pune, Delhi, Howrah, Kolkata, Vijayawada, Nagpur and Puri

References

1. "Ahmedabad–Viramgam section History".
2. Cutch State Railway
3. Cutch State Railway
4. "IR History: Part - 5 (1970 - 1995)". IRFCA. Retrieved 2013-08-11.
5. "Kutch Express".