Lucknow–Gorakhpur line

The Lucknow–Gorakhpur line is a railway route in Uttar Pradesh. It is classified as 'B special class' according to Indian Railways standards, and its trains can reach up to 123 kilometres per hour (76 mph) on this line. The line is doubled broad gauge and electrified, and it is the first fully electrified railway line of the North Eastern Railway zone.^[1]

Lucknow–Gorakhpur line with Shahjahanpur–Burhwal Branch line
Basti station, an important railway station on the Lucknow–Gorakhpur line
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Uttar Pradesh, India
Termini	Lucknow Charbagh Gorakhpur Junction
Service
Operator(s)	Northern Railway & North Eastern Railway
History
Opened	15 January 1839
Technical
Track length	277 km (172 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification	Yes
Operating speed	110 km/h
Route map Legend km To Lucknow–Moradabad line To Pilibhit Shahjahanpur Junction Roza Junction To Lucknow–Moradabad line Bartara Unchaulia Lakhnauria Jung Bahadurganj Mahmudpur Saraiyan Halt Jahanikhera Maingalganj Neri Lalpur Chandra Halt Maholi Urduali Hempur Katili To Unnao–Sitapur line Sitapur City Junction Sitapur Cutchery To Pilibhit Sitapur Junction To Unnao–Sitapur line Tappa Khajuria Halt Parsendi Ramalpur Biswan Shankarpur Sarayan Babupur Mahmudabad Avadh Munda Gopal Ashram Pantepur Tehsil fatehpur Sundhaimau To Lucknow–Moradabad line Lucknow Charbagh To Varanasi–Rae Bareli–Lucknow line To Unnao–Sitapur line Malhaur Jugaur Safedabad Barabanki Junction To Varanasi–Lucknow line Jahangirabad Raj Rafinagar Bindaura Burhwal Junction Chowka Ghat Ghaghara Ghat Jarwal Road Sarju Colonelganj Kasturi Maijapur Kathola Gonda Kachahri To Bahraich Gonda Junction To Gorakhpur loop Baruachak Motiganj Jhilahi Mankapur Junction Tikri Nawabganj Gonda Katra UP Ramghat Halt Ayodhya Junction To Varanasi–Lucknow line Lakhpat Nagar Maskanwa Swami Narayan Chhapia Bahman Jyotia Halt Parsa Tiwari Babhnan Gaur Tinich Govind Nagar Basti Orwara Munderwa Chureb Khalilabad Maghar Sihapar Halt Sahjanwa Jagatbela Domingarh To Gorakhpur loop Gorakhpur Junction Gorakhpur Cantonment To Barauni–Gorakhpur, Raxaul and Jainagar lines To Barauni–Gorakhpur, Raxaul and Jainagar lines

This line is one of the busiest in eastern and central Uttar Pradesh. It connects Assam, West Bengal, North Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand. Trains for Mumbai, Rajasthan and Gujarat are also connected to this line.

Major stations on this line include Barabanki, Gonda and Basti.

History

This line was constructed by the Bengal and North Western Railway during the 19th century and 20th century. It was opened in seven phases during the construction period.

• The first phase, between Barabanki and Burhwal Junction was opened on 1 April 1872.
• The second phase, between Burhwal Junction and Bahramghat was opened on 24 November 1896.
• The third phase, between Bahramghat and Jarwal Road was opened on 18 December 1896.
• The fourth phase, between Jarwal Road and Colonelganj was opened on 1 February 1892.
• The fifth phase, between Colonelganj and Gonda was opened on 29 October 1881.
• The sixth phase, between Gonda and Mankapur was opened on 2 April 1884.
• The seventh phase, from Mankapur to Gorakhpur Junction was opened on 15 January 1885.^[2]

The branch line from Burhwal Junction to Shahjahanpur was opened on 13 March 1911.

On 1 January 1943, this line was transferred from the initial jurisdiction to Oudh Tirhut Railway, after the amalgamation of: Bengal and North Western Railway, the Tirhut Railway, Mashrak-Thawe Extension Railway, Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway Company.

After that, on 14 April 1952, this line was transferred to the jurisdiction of North Eastern Railway, after the amalgamation of Oudh Tirhut Railway and Assam Railway Company.^[3]

Main line and branches

The main line of the Lucknow–Basti–Gorakhpur section is 277 km (172 mi),^[4] and also features a branch line which connects to Shahjahanpur from Burhwal Junction with a length of 188 km (117 mi), and joins to the Lucknow–Moradabad line.^[5]

Projects

There is a plan to double the branch line of Burhwal Junction to Shahjahanpur Junction with electrification. This was approved in 2016 and with a tenure of five years.^[6] 90km (56 mi) of new line will be constructed between Basti (Uttar Pradesh) to Kapilvastu (NEPAL). One more proposed platform will be constructed in the Basti district.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. irfca.org, Retrieved 17 May 2019
2. "Indian Railways history". Retrieved 6 November 2012.
3. North Eastern Railway, Retrieved 17 May 2019
4. indiarailinfo.com, Retrieved 17 May 2019
5. indiarailinfo.com, Retrieved 17 May 2019
6. pib.nic.in, Retrieved on 17 May 2019.