Howrah–Chennai main line

The Howrah–Chennai main line is a railway line connecting Chennai and Kolkata cutting across Eastern Coastal Plains of India. It covers a distance of 1,661 kilometres (1,032 mi) across, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Howrah–Chennai main line
Howrah–Chennai railway route
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
Termini	Howrah Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station
Service
Operator(s)	South Eastern Railway, East Coast Railway, South Central Railway, Southern Railway
History
Opened	1901
Technical
Line length	1,661 km (1,032 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad gauge
Electrification	2005 with 25 kV overhead line
Operating speed	up to 130 km/h (for Kharagpur–Vijayawada section) and up to 160 km/hr (for Howrah–Kharagpur and Vijayawada–Chennai sections)
Route map km 0 Howrah 116 Kharagpur to Adra to Howrah–Nagpur– Mumbai line Kharagpur–Puri line West Bengal Odisha border 231 Balasore 294 Bhadrak 337 Jajpur Keonjhar Road Mahanadi 409 Cuttack 437 Bhubaneswar 456 Khurda Road to Puri Khurda Road– Visakhapatnam section 527 Balugaon 582 Chatrapur 603 Brahmapur Odisha Andhra Pradesh border 603 Ichchapuram 645 Sompeta 678 Palasa 703 Naupada 751 Srikakulam Road 789 Chipurupalle to Jharsuguda– Vizianagaram line 820 Vizianagaram 881 Visakhapatnam Junction Duvvada– Vijayawada section 914 Anakapalle 977 Tuni 994 Annvaram 1,031 Samalkot 1,081 Rajahmundry Godavari River 1,103 Nidadavolu 1,123 Tadepalligudem 1,170 Eluru to Kazipet– Vijayawada section 1,230 Vijayawada Junction to Vijayawada–Nidadavolu loop line Krishna River Vijayawada– Gudur section to Guntur–Tenali section 1,230 Tenali to Tenali–Repalle branch line 1,304 Bapatla 1,319 Chirala 1,369 Ongole 1,485 Nellore 1,523 Gudur Gudur–Chennai section Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu border 1,661 Chennai Central km Sources: Google maps Howrah Chennai SF Mail 12839

Sections

The 1,661 km (1,032 mi) long trunk line has been treated in more detail in its sections:

1. Howrah–Kharagapur section
2. Kharagpur–Khurda Road section
3. Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section (approximately 430 km (270 mi))
4. Duvvada–Vijayawada section (approximately 350 km (220 mi)) (from Anakapalle south) South Coast Railway zone
5. Vijayawada–Gudur section (approximately 310 km (190 mi)) South Coast Railway zone
6. Gudur–Chennai section (approximately 140 km (87 mi)) (except Gudur Junction) Southern Railway zone

Geography

The Howrah–Chennai main line traverses the Eastern Coastal Plains crossing such major rivers as the Mahanadi, Godavari and Krishna. The coastal plains lying between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal are fertile agricultural lands with high density of population.[1][2]

History

The Howrah–Delhi main line was the first trunk route in India connecting two metropolises. It was opened in 1866.[3] The second trunk route was Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line, opened in 1870.[4] The Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line was opened in 1900 as the third trunk route in the country. Close on its heels was the Howrah–Chennai main line in 1901.[5]

The first train service in southern India was operated from Royapuram/Vyasarpadi Jeeva in Chennai to Walajah Road, near Vellore, covering around 100 km (62 mi) long, and operated by Madras Railway Company, on 1 July 1856. Several other lines were also developed.[3] During the period 1893 to 1896, 1,287 km (800 mi) of the East Coast State Railway, from Vijayawada Junction to Cuttack was built and opened to traffic,[5][6] and construction of the Vijayawada–Chennai link in 1899 enabled the through running of trains along the eastern coast of India.[4]Bengal Nagpur Railway was working on both the Howrah–Kharagpur and Kharagpur–Cuttack lines, completed the bridge over the Rupnarayan in 1900 and the Mahanadi in 1901, thus completing the through connection between Chennai and Kolkata.[5]

Railway reorganization

The southern part of the East Coast State Railway (from Waltair to Vijayawada) was taken over by Madras Railway in 1901.[7] The 514 km (319 mi) long northern portion of the East Coast line to Cuttack, including the branch line to Puri, was taken over by Bengal Nagpur Railway in 1902.[6][8]

In 1908 Madras Railway was merged with the Southern Mahratta Railway to form Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway.[9][10]

In the early 1950s legislation was passed authorizing the central government to take over independent railway systems that were there. On 14 April 1951 the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway Company and Mysore State Railway were merged to form Southern Railway. Subsequently, Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway was also merged into Southern Railway. On 2 October 1966, the Secunderabad, Solapur, Hubli and Vijayawada Divisions, covering the former territories of Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway and certain portions of Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway were separated from Southern Railway to form the South Central Railway. In 1977, Guntakal division of Southern Railway was transferred to South Central Railway and the Solapur division transferred to Central Railway. Amongst the seven new zones created in 2010 was South Western Railway, which was carved out of Southern Railway.[11]

The Bengal Nagpur Railway was nationalized in 1944.[7]Eastern Railway was formed on 14 April 1952 with the portion of East Indian Railway Company east of Mughalsarai and the Bengal Nagpur Railway.[12] In 1955, South Eastern Railway was carved out of Eastern Railway. It comprised lines mostly operated by BNR earlier.[12][13] Amongst the new zones started in April 2003 were East Coast Railway and South East Central Railway. Both these railways were carved out of South Eastern Railway.[12] Amongst the new zone to be started in April 2020 is South Coast Railway this railway was carved out of South Central Railway and East Coast Railway.[12]

Electrification

Howrah–Chennai Mail was the first train in South Eastern Railway to be hauled by a diesel engine (WDM-1) in 1965.[13]

The Howrah–Chennai route was completely electrified by 2005.[14]

Speed limits

The New Delhi–Chennai Central line (Grand Trunk route), of which the Vijayawada–Chennai section is a part, and Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line, of which the Howrah–Kharagpur section is a part, are classified as "Group A" lines which can take speeds up to 160 km/h. The Kharagpur-Vijayawada sector is classified as a Group B line which can take speeds up to 130 km/h.[15]

Passenger movement

Howrah, Kharagpur, Balasore, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Vijayawada, Nellore, Gudur and Chennai Central on this line are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.[16]

Golden quadrilateral

The Howrah–Chennai main line is a part of the golden quadrilateral. The routes connecting the four major metropolises (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata), along with their diagonals, known as the golden quadrilateral, carry about half the freight and nearly half the passenger traffic, although they form only 16 per cent of the length.[17]

References

1. "Coastal Plains of India". Country facts – the world at your finger tips. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
2. "The Coastal Plains of India". Zahie.com. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
3. "IR History: Early Days – I". Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1832–1865). Retrieved 27 October 2012.
4. "IR History: Early Days – II". Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1870–1899). Retrieved 27 October 2012.
5. "Major Events in the Formation of S.E. Railway". South Eastern Railway. Archived from the original on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
6. "History of Waltair Division". Mannanna.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
7. "IR History: Part III (1900-1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
8. "History". East Coast Railway. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
9. Railways. The Cambridge Economic History of India. 2. Orient Longmans Private Limited. 2005. p. 755. ISBN 9788125027317. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
10. "Third oldest railway station in country set to turn 156". Indian Railways Turn Around News. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
11. "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
12. "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
13. "IR History: Part - IV (1947 - 1970)". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
14. "IR History Part VII (2000-present)". IRFCA. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
15. "Chapter II – The Maintenance of Permanent Way". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
16. "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 30 December 2012.
17. "Geography – Railway Zones". Major routes. IRFCA. Retrieved 5 March 2013.

|