Bhusawal–Kalyan section

The Bhusawal–Kalyan section is part of the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line and Howrah–Prayagraj–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.

Bhusawal–Kalyan section
Nasik Road an important railway station on Bhusawal–Kalyan section
Overview
Native name	भुसावळ-कल्याण विभाग
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Maharashtra, Gujarat
Termini	Bhusawal Kalyan
Service
System	Electrified
Services	Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line New Delhi–Bhopal–Mumbai line
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
History
Opened	Around 1865
Technical
Track length	Main line: 390 km (242 mi) Branch lines Manmad–Daund 238 km (148 mi) Pachora–Jamner 56 km (35 mi) Chalisgaon–Dhule 56 km (35 mi) Jalgaon–Surat 313 km (194 mi)
Number of tracks	Main line: 2
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad 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 has been converted to AC system
Operating speed	Main line: up to 130 km/h
Route map Legend km to Central line 0 Kalyan on Mumbai Dadar–Solapur section NH 752 3 Shahad Ulhas River 6 Ambivli 11 Titwala Kalu River 19 Khadavali Bhatsa River on Mumbai Dadar–Solapur section JSW Steel Ltd Vashind Plant Daund 238 26 Vasind Daund Chord line 236 32 Asangaon NH 160 NH 160 Bhima River 42 Atgaon Kashti 227 48 Thansit SH 55 NH 160 Shrigonda Road 217 54 Khardi NH 160 61 Umbermali SH 50 NH 160 Belwandi 202 67 Kasara Visapur 189 Ranjangaon Road 182 NH 160 Sarola 172 on Thal Ghat Tunnels Akolner 167 to Ahmednagar–Parli Vaijnath line Igatpuri Railway Bridge NH 160 Mahindra & Mahindra automotive factory Ahmednagar 154 82 Igatpuri NH 752 NH 160 Igatpuri Railway Yard Nimblak 148 Vilad 138 NH 160 Dehare Cabin 133 SH 44 NH 160 90 Ghoti Vambori 126 NH 160 SH 49 98 Padli SH 66 NH 160 Mula River Aund Vahal Rahuri 113 107 Asvali Taklimiya 108 115 Lahavit Padhegaon 99 127 Devlali Nipani Vadgaon 93 132 Nashik Road SH 44 NH 160 Belapur 87 Nashik TPS of MAHAGENCO SH 47 Godavari River Chitali 75 SH 30 Sainagar Shirdi 84 144 Odha Puntamba 67 151 Khervadi SH 47 Banganga River Godavari River 158 Kasbe Sukene Kanhegaon 58 Kadwa River Sanvatsar 50 164 Niphad SH 30 171 Ugaon Kopargaon 42 181 Lasalgaon Yeola 29 Shiv River SH 30 Kalantri River to Secunderabad–Manmad line 194 Summit Ankai 14 Ankai Killa 8 205/0 Manmad FCI Warehouses Central Engineering Workshop of IR Panzan River on Ahmedabad–Mumbai main line 307 Udhna 311 Surat 299 Niyol 295 Chalthan NH 48 291 Bagumra Surat-Bardoli Road 286 Gangadhara SH 185 280 Bardoli SH 88 273 Timbarva 270 Mangrolia Kakrapar Dam Left Canal 265 Madhi to Manmad–Indore line SH 5 Panewadi 210 259 Kaher Hisavahal 219 257 Lotarva Panjhan 224 NH 53 Shakambari River 250 Vyara SH 7 NH 953 Nandgaon 231 SH 171 Pimpar Khed 241 238 Kikakui Road SH 25 236 Dosavada Naydongri 251 Ukai TPS of GSECL Rohini 256 231 Ukai Songadh SH 25 Gujarat Maharashtra Hirapur 265 224 Lakkadkot on Maharashtra Gujarat NH 52 219 Bhadbhunja Chalisgaon 273 / 0 NH 53 Gujarat Maharashtra SH 22 208 Navapur Bhoras Budrukh 7 Rangwati River Girna River NH 53 Jamda 14 198 Kolde Rajmane 23 NH 53 Mordad Tanda 28 191 Chinchpada Shirud 36 181 Khatgaon SH 15 173 Khandbara 166 Bhadwad Borvihir 43 159 Dhekwad SH 6 NH 52 150 Nandurbar Mohadi Pragane Lalling 54 NH 753B NH 60 145 Choupale Dhule 57 SH 7 Vaghli 282 137 Tisi Kajgaon 292 128 Ranala Kajgaon-Amalner Road 116 Dondaicha Nagardevla 299 SH 1 SH 19 Bhogwati River SH 6 Galan 307 107 Vikhran Pachora (Change to NG) 317 102 Sonshelu Hivra River SH 11 SH 184 96 Sindkheda Bahula River Burai River Varkhedi 12 SH 6 SH 19 88 Hol Pimpalgaon 19 to Manmad–Indore line SH 19 NH 52 Shendurni 28 83 Nardana SH 186 76 Betawad Pahur 40 Panzan River MH MSH 8 71 Padse Bhagdara 48 63 Bhortek 55 Amalner MH MSH 8 Bori River Jamner 56 SH 1 Pardhade 325 SH 6 Hivra River 43 Takarkhede Maheji 332 37 Bhone SH 185 Dharangaon-Parola Road Mahasvad 344 30 Dharangaon Shirsoli 353 23 Chavalkhede NH 53 Anjani River Girna River 11 Paldhi Jalgaon 365/0 SH 186 Tarsod 373 Bhadli 377 Orient Cement Factory NH 53 Waghur River NH 53 Bhusawal 389 to Jabalpur–Bhusaval section to Nagpur–Bhusawal section Sources:Google Maps, Mumbai CSMT Bhusaval Passenger, Manmad Pune Passenger, Jalna Sainagar Shirdi DEMU, Chalisgaon Dhule Passenger, Pachora Jamner NG Passenger, Bhusawal Surat Passenger

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 mainlines in the Mumbai area from DC to AC traction was completed in June 2015.^[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 planned to be converted into a "Group A" line, which would enable it 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. "Eminent Railwaymen of Yesteryears". James J. Berkley/ The Thal Ghat. IRFCA. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
3. "Coal supply to various power stations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 May 2014. 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. "IR History: Early Days – I : Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1832–1865)". IFCA. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
6. "Historical Milestones". Central Railway. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
7. "Chronology of Railways in India, Part 3 (1900-1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
8. "The Imperial Gazetteer of Indi". Electronic Library. p. 20. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
9. "History". Killick Nixon Limited. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
10. "Railways". Ahmadnagar District Gazetteer. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
11. "Track doubling work on Pune–Daund, Manmad–Daund routes to begin soon". Samachar.com/ DNA. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
12. "Bhusaval Division – Important Milestones". Central Railway. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. 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. "Pune–Nashik's rail line project worth Rs 16,039 crore gets nod". monyecontrol. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
16. "Rs 16,039-crore Pune–Nashik rail line project gets nod". 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
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". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
25. "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 14 March 2013.
26. "The Deccan odyssey". Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. Archived from the original on 18 December 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2013.

External links

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

• Trains at Bhusawal
• Trains at Manmad
• Trains at Kalyan