Mumbai–Chennai line

Mumbai–Chennai line

Guntakal is an important Railway Junction located in Andhra Pradesh on Mumbai - Chennai line
Overview
Status Operational
Locale Maharashtra, Karnataka
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
Termini Mumbai CST
Chennai Central
Operation
Opened 1871
Owner Indian Railway
Operator(s) Central Railway, South Central Railway, Southern Railway
Technical
Line length 1,281 km (796 mi)
Number of tracks 2/1
Track gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad gauge
Electrification Partly electrified, rest being electrified
Operating speed up to 130 km/hr
Highest elevation Lonavla 622 metres (2,041 ft)
Route map
Mumbai-Chennai route map
Some important lines in India in 1870

The Mumbai–Chennai line is a railway line connecting Chennai and Mumbai cutting across southern part of the Deccan Plateau. It covers a distance of 1,281 kilometres (796 mi) across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Sections

The 1,281 km (796 mi) long trunk line, amongst the long and busy trunk lines connecting the metros, has been treated in more detail in smaller sections:

  1. Central Line (Mumbai Suburban Railway)
  2. Mumbai Dadar-Solapur section
  3. Solapur-Guntakal section
  4. Guntakal-Chennai Egmore section

History

The first train in India from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai to Thane ran on 16 April 1853 on a track laid by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. The GIPR line was extended to Kalyan in 1854 and then on the south-east side to Khopoli via Palasdari railway station at the foot of the Western Ghats in 1856. While construction work was in progress across the Bhor Ghat, GIPR opened to public the Khandala-Pune track in 1858. The Bhor Ghat incline connecting Palasdari to Khandala was completed in 1862, thereby connecting Mumbai and Pune.[1] GIPR extended its line to Raichur in 1871 and met the line of Madras Railway thereby establishing direct Mumbai-Chennai link.[2]

The first train service in southern India and the third in India was operated by Madras Railway from Royapuram / Veyasarapady to Wallajah Road (Arcot) in 1856. Madras Railway extended its trunk route to Beypur / Kadalundi (near Calicut) and initiated work on a north-western branch out of Arakkonam in 1861. The branch line reached Renigunta in 1862.[1] The branch line out of Arakkonam reached Raichur in 1871, where it connected to the Great Indian Peninsula Railway line from Mumbai.[2]

Electrification

The Kalyan-Pune section was electrified with 1.5 kV DC overhead system in 1930 [3] and was converted to AC overhead system in 2010.

The Pune-Solapur-Wadi line is being electrified with a loan of Rs. 1,500 crore from Asian Development Bank. Work was initiated in 2012.[4][5]

Electrification work is in progress in the Pune-Wadi-Guntakal sector. As on 1 April 2012 the entire route of 641 km was shown as balance work.[6]

Electrification of the 308 km long Renigunta-Guntakal section was announced in 2003 at a cost of Rs. 168 crore. The Renigunta-Nandalur sector electrification was completed in 2006.[7][8] The Nandalur-Guntakal sector was electrified by Dec 2013.[6]

The Chennai Beach-Tambaram sector was electrified with DC overhead line in 1931 and was converted to 25 kv AC in 1967. The Chennai Central-Tiruvallur sector, as well as the Basin Bridge-Chennai Beach sector were electrified in 1979-80. The Tiruvallu-Arakkonam sector was electrified in 1982-83, Arakkonam-Tiruttani sector in 1983-84 and the Tiruttani-Renigunta sector in 1984-85.[9]

Speed limit

The Kalyan-Pune-Daund-Wadi-Secunderabad-Kazipet line and the Wadi-Raichur-Adoni-Arrakonam-Chennai Central line are classified as 'Group B' lines and can take speeds up to 130 km/h.[10] However, the stretch between Mumbai CST and Kalyan is classified as 'Group A' lines, where trains can take speed up to 160 km/h.

Passenger movement

Pune, Solapur and Chennai Central, on this line, are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.[11] Mumbai-Chennai line is a part of Diamond Quadrilateral.

References

  1. 1 2 Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1832 - 1865). "IR History: Early Days – I". IFCA. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1870-1899). "IR History: Early Days – II". IFCA. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Electric Traction I". History of Electrification. IRFCA. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "Asian Development Bank to fund Pune-Daund-Wadi rail line electrification". dna, 20 January 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  5. ↑ "Electrification of Pune-Daund to start today". The Times of India, 14 December 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Brief on Railway Electrification". Electrification Work in Progress. Central Organisation for Railway Electrification. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  7. ↑ "Reenigunta-Guntakal Railway Electrification Project". Progress Register. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  8. ↑ "Rail Projects in Andhra Pradesh". Press Information Bureau, 21 November 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  9. ↑ "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  10. ↑ "Chapter II – The Maintenance of Permanent Way". Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  11. ↑ "Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry". Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways. IRFCA. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
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