Shakuntala Railway

Shakuntala Railway was a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge railway line between Yavatmal and Achalpur in Maharashtra in central India.

Shakuntala Railway
Overview
Owner	Central Provinces Railway Company
Locale	Maharashtra, India
Termini	Yavatmal Achalpur
Service
Operator(s)	Central Railway
History
Opened	1903
Closed	2016
Technical
Line length	189 km (117 mi)
Track gauge	2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
Route map 76 Achalpur  Sapan River 72 Nowbagh 65 Chamak 63 Khusta Buzurg 59 Pathrot 50 Anjangaon 43 Kapustalni 35 Kokalda 30 Lehgaon Bhuleshwari River 22 Banosa SH 212 Purna River 12 Lakhpuri Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line 60 0 Murtizapur Junction Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line 2 Murtazapur Town NH 6 12 Kinkhed Uma River 19 Vilegaon 24 Bhadshivni 27 Pohe 32 Karania 33 Karania Town 46 Somthan 49 Sangwi Adan River 53 Warudkhed 71 Darwha Moti Bagh 83 Tapona 88 Ladkhed 93 Ling 101 Lasina 113 Yavatmal Sources: Google Maps Nagpur–Bhusawal Passenger 51286 IndiaRailInfo Murtizapur–Yavatmal Passenger 52131 IndiaRailInfo Murtizapur–Achalpur Passenger 52137 IndiaRailInfo

History

Killick, Nixon and Company, set up in 1857, created the Central Provinces Railway Company (CPRC) to act as its agents. The company built the 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge line in 1903.[1] The company built this narrow-gauge line in 1903 to carry cotton from cotton-rich interior areas of Vidarbha to the Murtajapur Junction on main broad gauge line to Mumbai from where it was shipped to Manchester in England. Murtajapur Junction was the focal point of this railway. In 1920 line from Darwha-Pusad was dismantled. Though, working autonomously, the CPRC was grouped in 1952 under the Central Railways.[1][2] A ZD-steam engine, built in 1921 in Manchester, pulled the train for more than 70 long years after being put in service in 1923. It was withdrawn on 15 April 1994, and replaced by a diesel engine.

Conversion to broad gauge

In 2016, Indian Railways announced that the Shakuntala Railway would be converted to 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge.[3] The conversion to broad gauge started in 2020.

See also

• Shakuntala Express

References

1. "British Company Still Gets Royalty For Shakuntala Railway". IndiaTV. 15 August 2011.
2. Hardikar, Jaideep (26 November 2004). "A railway ride into history". BBC.
3. Government to take over Shakuntala, only private railway line, convert to broad gauge