Central Railway
(abbreviated CR) is one of the 18 zones of Indian Railways. Its headquarters is in Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. It has the distinction of operating first passenger railway line in India, which opened from Mumbai to Thane on 16 April 1853.
History
The railway zone was formed on 5 November 1951 by grouping several government-owned railways, including the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the Scindia State Railway of the former princely state of Gwalior, Nizam State Railway, Wardha Coal State Railway and the Dholpur Railways.
The Central Railway zone formerly included large parts of Madhya Pradesh and part of southern Uttar Pradesh, which made it the largest railway zone in India in terms of area, track mileage and staff. These areas became the new West Central Railway zone in April 2003.
The Central Railway General Manager’s official residence (erstwhile GIPR agent’s residence), ‘Glenogle’-a Grade II-B heritage bungalow, is located on Bhausaheb Hire Marg (Mount Pleasant Road), adjacent to the Maharashtra Chief minister’s official residence ‘Varsha’ in Malabar Hill, Mumbai.
Routes
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai One of the busiest Railway Stations in India. It is also a World Heritage Site
Main/Long Routes of Central Railway
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- Mumbai CSMT-Kalyan-Igatpuri-Nashik road-Manmad-Jalgaon-Bhusawal-Akola-Badnera-Wardha-Nagpur
- Mumbai CSMT-Kalyan-Karjat-Lonavala-Pune
- Mumbai CSMT-Kurla-Vashi-Panvel-Roha
- Manmad-Aurangabad-Nanded (south central railway line)
- Pune-Daund-Solapur-Wadi-Tandur
- Pune-Satara-Sangli-Miraj-Kolhapur
- Miraj-Pandharpur-Kurduvadi-Barshi-Osmanabad-Latur-Latur Road
- Ballarshah-Majri-Sevagram (formerly Wardha East Jn.)-Nagpur-Amla-Itarsi
- Dadar-Solapur-Dadar
One of the oldest and important railway project of central railway zone was kalyan-Ahmednagar railway project which was in planning stage since british regime. It was referred to as 3rd ghat project. The survey of this project was carried out in 1973,2000, 2006, 2014 etc. This project was in pink book in 2010. unfortunately this project could not be started. The alignment length of this project was 184 km and it could have been shortest route for marathwada, andhra and telangana. The major challenge for this project is 18.96 km long tunnel in malshej ghat section. Malshej Kriti samiti is following for kalyan ahmednagar railway project. Kalyan-murbad section which is first phase of this project is already under survey stage.
Branch/Short routes of Central Railway
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This section does not cite any sources. (February 2019)
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- Mumbai CSMT-Wadala Road-Bandra-Goregaon
- Thane-Vashi-Panvel
- Daund-Manmad
- Bhusawal-Khandwa
- Amaravati-Narkher
- Vasai Road-Diva-Panvel
- Panvel-Karjat
- Badnera-Amravati
- Daund-Baramati
- Puntamba-Shirdi
- Chalisgaon-Dhule
- Pachora-Jamner (NG)
- Pulgaon-Arvi (NG)
- Murtijapur-Yavatmal (NG)
- Murtijapur-Achalapur (NG)
- Jalamb-Khamgaon
- Majri jn-Pimpalkutti
- Neral-Matheran
Utilization
High
- Mumbai-Thane-Kalyan-Karjat/Kasara sub-urban section
- Mumbai-Bhusawal-Akola-Nagpur
- Mumbai-Bhusawal-Khandwa
- Itarsi-Nagpur-Sevagram-Majri-Balharshah
- Mumbai-Pune-Daund-Solapur-Kalaburgi-Wadi
- Mumbai-Pune-Miraj-Hubli-Bengaluru-Chennai
- Daund-Ahmednagar-Manmad
Low
- Puntamba-Sai nagar Shirdi
- Miraj-Kurduwadi
- Latur-Kurduwadi
Connections
Central railway zone connects to other Zones of Indian railways as at:
Western Railway Zone
Bandra, Andheri, Goregaon, Dadar, Vasai Road
Konkan Railway Zone
- Roha
South Central Railway zone
Secunderabad railway division
- Balharshah
- Latur road Jn
Guntakal Railway Division
- Wadi Jn
Nanded railway division
- Pimpalkutti
- Akola Jn
- Khandwa Jn
- Ankai Jn (MMR-AWB-PBN-NED route)
South East Central Railway zone
Nagpur SEC railway division
- Nagpur Jn
- Chhindwara Jn
South Western Railway zone
Hubballi railway division
- Hotgi Jn – For Pune-Solapur-vijayapura-Gadag line.
- Miraj Jn – For Pune -Miraj-Londa-Bangalore line
Western Central Railway zone
Bhopal division
- Itarsi Jn
- Khandwa Jn
Matheran Hill Railway
Constructed in 1907, the narrow gauge Matheran Hill Railway connects Neral on the Mumbai-Chennai main line with the hill station of Matheran in the Western Ghats, east of Mumbai. Neral is linked to Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus by frequent suburban trains. Steam engines have now been replaced by diesel locomotives. The route is noted for its sharp curves.
Divisions
- Mumbai CR railway division
- Solapur railway division
- Bhusawal railway division
- Pune railway division
- Nagpur CR railway division
Organisation
The central railway covers a large part of the state of Maharashtra and small part of Southern Madhya Pradesh and North-Eastern Karnataka. It is organized into five divisions: Mumbai, Bhusawal, Nagpur, Solapur and Pune. The details of the network divisionwise are as follows
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Central Railway Headquarters at CSMT.
Mumbai Division
- Mumbai CSMT-Dadar-Kurla-Thane
- Mumbai CSMT-Wadala Road-Kurla (Harbour Line)
- Wadala Road-Bandra-Goregaon (Inclusive)
- Kurla-Trombay (Goods)
- Kurla-Vashi-Nerul-Panvel (Harbour Line)
- Thane-Vashi-Panvel (Trans-Harbour line)
- Thane-Turbhe-Vashi (Trans-Harbour Line)
- Thane-Turbhe-Nerul (Trans-Harbour Line)
- Mumbai CSMT-Wadala Road-Kurla (Harbour Line)
- Thane-Diva Jn-Kalyan
- Diva Jn-Panvel-Roha
- Panvel-Jasai-Uran
- Jasai-JNPT
- Panvel-Jasai-Uran
- Diva Jn-Vasai Road
- Diva Jn-Panvel-Roha
- Kalyan Jn-Kasara-Igatpuri (Inclusive)
- Kalyan Jn-Karjat Jn-Lonavala (Inclusive)
- Neral Jn-Matheran (Narrow Gauge)
- Karjat Jn-Panvel
- Karjat Jn-Khopoli
One of the oldest and important railway project of central railway zone was kalyan-Ahmednagar railway project which was in planning stage since british regime. It was referred to as 3rd ghat project. The survey of this project was carried out in 1973,2000, 2006, 2014 etc. This project was in pink book in 2010. unfortunately this project could not be started. The alignment length of thus project was 184 km and it could have been shortest route for marathwada, andhra and telangana. The major challenge for this project was malshej ghat section. Malshej Kriti samiti is following for kalyan ahmednagar railway project. Kalyan-murbad section which is first phase of this project is already under survey stage.
Pune Division
- Lonavala-Pune Jn-Daund Jn
- Pune Jn-Satara-Sangli-Miraj Jn-Kolhapur
- Daund Jn -Baramati
- Phaltan – Baramati ( to be completed by 2022)
- Pune Jn-Rajgurunagar-Sangamner-Sinnar-Nashik Road (Project Scrapped)
- Karad-Chiplun (scrapped)
Nagpur Division
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Nagpur Railway Station
- Badnera Jn (Exclude)-Pulgaon Jn-Wardha Jn-Butibori Jn-Nagpur Jn
- Pulgaon Jn-Arvi (Narrow Gauge)
- Butobori Jn-Umrer
- Sewagram-Majri Jn-Tadali Jn-Chandrapur-Balharshah Jn (include)
- Wardha Jn-Chitoda Jn (on Sewagram-Balharshah line)
- Majri Jn-Wani Jn-pimpalkutti
- Wani Jn-Rajur
- Tadali Jn-Ghugus
- Balharshah Jn-Chanda Fort
- Wardha Jn-Chitoda Jn (on Sewagram-Balharshah line)
- Nagpur-Amla Jn-Itarsi Jn (exclude)
- Amla Junction-Chhindwara(exclude)
- Nagpur-sevagram-majri jn Balharshah
Solapur Division
Solapur railway station
- Manmad (exclude)-Ahmednagar-Daund Jn
One of the oldest and important railway project of central railway zone was which was planned to connect Ahmednagar ( which on daund manmadline under solapur devison) and kalyan junction of mumbai devison could not be completed . It was referred to as 3rd ghat project. The survey of this project was carried out in 1973,2000, 2006, 2014 etc. This project was in pink book in 2010. unfortunately this project could not be started. The alignment length of thus project was 184 km
- Daund Jn-Solapur
- Miraj Jn (exclude)-Pandharpur-Kurudwadi Jn-Barshi-Latur-Latur Road (excluding)
- SolapurJn-Hotgi Jn-Gulbarga-Wadi Jn (Include)
Bhusawal Division
- Manmad-Indore (project scrapped)
- Bhusawal-Badnera-Nagpur (exclude)
- Bhusawal-Khandwa-Itarsi (exclude)
- Jalgaon-Nandurbar-Udhna (exclude)
- Chalisgaon-Dhule
- Khamgaon – Jalamb
- Pachora-Jamner
- Manmad-Aurangabad (exclude)
- Manmad-Daund (exclude)
- Mandmad-Nasik-Igatpuri (exclude)
- Akola-Nanded (exclude)
The number of stations category-wise under these five railway divisions under the Central Railway Zones are as follows (as of 2008) : A-1 : 7, A : 20, B : 10, C : 80, D : 45, E : 221, F : 93, Total : 476
Ongoing Projects
New lines
- SolapurJn -Tuljapur- Osmanabad. (New Rail Line survey completed but work yet to start)
- Ashti-Parli Vaijnath line (work under progress). Ahmednagar-Ashti 67 km completed. (Project :- Ahmedanagar- Beed – Parli)
- Phaltan – Baramati (New line with Electrification Project Approved,but work yet to start)
- Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi line (survey under progress)
- Aurangabad-Shani shingnapur-Ahmednagar line ( Survey completed,but work yet to start)
- Khamgaon-Jalna (survey completed, but work yet to start)
- Latur-Latur Road-Ahmedpur-Nanded (survey completed, but work yet to start)
- Latur Road-Jalkot-Mukhed-Biloli-Bodhan (announced but not yet taken up)
- Latur-Ausa-Nilanga-Omerga-Aland-Gulbarga (survey under progress)
Doubling
- Bhigvan-Vakav (Earth work started)
Solapur – Bhalwani doubling work completed
- Tilati-Gulbarga (Earth work started)
- Roha-Panvel (work completed)
- Daund-Manmad (doubling in progress plus electrification)
- Bhigvan-Solapur-Gulbarga
- Pune-Miraj-Londa-Hubli (Doubling in progress)
- Pune-Miraj-Kolhapur (Electrification 90% completed)
- Panvel-Karjat
- Karjat-Khopoli
Tripling
- Kalyan-Kasara
- Kalyan-Karjat
- Sewagram Jn-Balharshah Jn
Quadrupling
Nagpur-Wardha
Jalgaon-Bhsawal
Hexupling
- Mumbai CSMT-Kalyan
Electrification
- Manmad-Daund (Electrification) (Work completed)
- Bhigvan-Solapur-Gulbarga (Electrification) (Work is ongoing)
- Kurduwadi-Barshi-Latur-Latur Road (Electrification) (Announced but not yet taken up)
- Pune-Miraj-kolhapur (Electrification) (Work in progress)
Trains
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CR MEMU Rakes built by BEML, Bangalore
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CR MEMU Rakes parked alongside Suranjan Das Road
Some of the major trains operated by Central Railway zone are as follows:
| Number | Train Name | Starting Station | Terminating Station |
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| 22221/22222 | Mumbai CSMT–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express | Mumbai CSMT | Hazrat Nizamuddin. |
| 12123/12124 | Deccan Queen | Mumbai CSMT | Pune Jn. |
| 12137/12138 | Punjab Mail | Mumbai CSMT | Firozpur Cantt. |
| 11035/11036 | Sharavati Express | Dadar | Mysuru Jn. |
| 11085/11086 | Lokmanya Tilak Terminus – Madgaon AC Double Decker Express | Kurla LTT | Madgaon Jn. |
| 12289/12290 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus – Nagpur Duronto Express | Mumbai CSMT | Nagpur. |
| 22107/221078 | Latur Express | Mumbai CSMT | Latur. |
| 11301/11302 | Udyan Express | Mumbai CSMT | KSR Bengaluru City |
| 12025/12026 | Pune – Secunderabad Shatabdi Express | Pune | Secunderabad Jn. |
| 12051/12052 | Dadar Madgaon Jan Shatabdi Express | Dadar | Madgaon Jn. |
| 12113/12114 | Pune–Nagpur Garib Rath Express | Pune | Nagpur Jn. |
| 12115/12116 | Siddheshwar Express | Mumbai CSMT | Solapur |
| 22119/22120 | Mumbai CSMT – Karmali Tejas Express | Mumbai CSMT | Karmali |
| 12105/12106 | Vidarbha Express | Mumbai CSMT | Gondia Jn. |
| 11039/11040 | Maharashtra Express | Kolhapur SCSMT | Gondia Jn. |
| 11023/11024 | Sahyadri Express | Mumbai CSMT | Kolhapur SCSMT |
| 11027/11028 | Mumbai Chennai Mail | Mumbai CSMT | Chennai Central |
Loco Sheds
- Electric Loco Shed, Ajni
- Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan
- Electric Loco Shed, Bhusawal
- Diesel Loco Shed, Pune
- Diesel Loco Shed, Kalyan
- Diesel Loco Shed, Kurla
