Delhi–Fazilka line

The Delhi–Fazilka line is a railway line connecting Delhi and Fazilka the latter in the Indian state of the Punjab. There is a link to Firozpur Cantonment. The line is under the administrative jurisdiction of Northern Railway. This line was a part of the historic Delhi-Karachi line.

Delhi–Fazilka line
with a link to Ferozepur
Overview
StatusOperational
LocaleHaryana, Punjab
TerminiOld Delhi
Fazilka
Operation
Opened1897
OwnerIndian Railway
Operator(s)Northern Railway
Technical
Track length421 km (262 mi)
Number of tracksDouble line from Delhi to Bathinda. Rest: Single line
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
ElectrificationDelhi-Bathinda electrified.
Highest elevationDelhi 239 m (784 ft),
Fazilka 181 m (594 ft)

History

The Southern Punjab Railway Co. commissioned the Delhi-Bathinda-Samasatta line in 1897.[4] The line passed through Muktasar and Fazilka tehsils and provided direct connection through Samma Satta (now in Pakistan) to Karachi.[5] In 1901-02, the Jodhpur–Bathinda line of Rajputana-Malwa Railway was extended from Bikaner to Bathinda via Hanumangarh, to connect it with the metre gauge section of the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway to the south and the meter gauge of North Western Railway's Delhi–Fazilka line (Delhi-Hisar-Bhatinda-Karachi line) to the north.[6] In 2000s, Jodhpur-Bikaner-Bathinda line was converted to broad gauge.[7] In 2009, the metre gauge Hisar-Sadulpur section was converted to broad gauge.[8][9]

Border crossings

Fazilka and Hussainiwala on this line are two defunct border crossing points on the India-Pakistan border.

After partition of India, a line linked Amrooka on the Pakistan side of the India-Pakistan border, opposite Fazilka, to Samma Satta. The only train running through these tracks was withdrawn in 2011.[10]

The Hussainiwala-Ganda Singh Wala railway crossing, near Firozpur, became defunct with the partition of India. The broad gauge spur from Kasur Junction in Pakistan has been closed.[11] A strategically important bridge that was blown up during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 at Hussainiwala, has been rebuilt and opened in 2013.[12]

Electrification

The Okhla-New Delhi-Shakurbasti line was electrified in 1982-83.[13] As of 2010-11, only 3 km of the 60 km Shakurbasti-Rohtak was remaining.[14] The EMU services of Delhi suburban railway was extended up to Rohtak in 2013.[15]

After electrification up to Rohtak, further electrification begun in February 2015. Electrification up to Jind Junction was completed in 2017. Operations of electric locos up to Jind begin in January 2018. After this, electrification up to Bathinda Junction got completed in March 2018.

Electrification of Kurukshetra-Narwana and Jind-Panipat branch lines was started in 2018 and has been completed in 2019.

Electrification of Jind-Sonipat branch line is also under planning.

Tracks

Delhi-Bathinda is a double electric line.[16]

Sheds

Shakurbasti has a diesel loco shed. It houses WDS-4A, WDS-4B, WDS-4D, WDM-2 WDM3A, WDS6 and DEMUs. It also has a broad gauge trip shed for WDM-2 and WDG-3A locos. WDS-4 shunting locos based all over Northern Railway are sent here for periodical maintenance.[17]

Developments

The 42 km (26 mi) new 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) wide broad gauge line between Fazilka and Abohar was opened in 2012.[18]

The Rewari-Rohtak line was commissioned in 2013.[19]

Work for a new line from Rohtak to Hansi via Meham was inaugurated in 2013.[20]

A new line from Jind to Sonipat was completed in 2015 and is operational now.

Central Government approved a new rail line from Jind to Hansi via Narnaund.

Railway reorganisation

Southern Punjab Railway was taken over by the state and merged with North Western Railway in 1930.[21]

With the partition of India in 1947, North Western Railway was split. While the western portion became Pakistan West Railway, and later Pakistan Railways, the eastern part became Eastern Punjab Railway.[22]

In 1952, Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company, west of Mughalsarai, Bikaner Railway and Eastern Punjab Railway.[23]

References
  1. Google maps
  2. "14625 Delhi Sarai Rohilla Firozpur Cantt. Intercity". India Rail Info.
  3. "3FKNR Kot Kapura Fazilka DMU Passenger". India Rail Info.
  4. "IR History: Early Days II (1870-1899)". Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  5. "Chapter VII Communications". Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  6. "Jodhpur-Bikaner Railway". fibis. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  7. "Railway line along Indian border". Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India, 21 April 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  8. "Overview of Bikaner Division" (PDF). Indian Railways. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  9. "Bathinda–Rewari line route map". India Rail Info.
  10. "Bahawalnagar rail junction a relic from 1901". The Nation 14 November 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  11. Bhuyan, Mohan. "International Links from India". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  12. Sharma, Dinesh K. "40 years after war, bridge opens near Hussainiwla borer". The Times of India, 5 December 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  13. "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  14. "Railway Electrification". Ministry of Railways. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  15. "Delhi-Rohtak EMU to be inaugurated on March 3". The Times of India, 27 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  16. "Electrification of Rohtak-Batinda-Lehra Muhabat section of Northern Railway". Ministry of Railways, 21 January 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  17. "Sheds and workshops". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  18. "Rail link between Abohar, Fazilka opens today". Hindustan Times, 15 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  19. "Haryana gets first functional railway line after 33 years". Business Standard, 7 January 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  20. "The Minister for Railways lays the foundation stones of Rohtak-Meham-Hansi new line". Northern Railway 19 July 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  21. "Southern Punjab Railway". fibis. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  22. SM Imamul Haque. "Management of Indian Railways, 1989". Readings in Indian Railway Finance by KB Verma, P 136. Mittal Publications,A 1/8 Mohan Garden, New Delhi 110059. ISBN 81-7099-183-8. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  23. "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
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