Delhi–Fazilka line

Delhi–Fazilka line
with a link to Ferozepur
Delhi–Fazilka line; with a link to Ferozepur
	Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Power Plant situates near of Delhi–Fazilka line
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Haryana, Punjab
Termini	Old Delhi; Fazilka;
Service
Operator(s)	Northern Railway
History
Opened	1897
Technical
Track length	416 km (258 mi)
Number of tracks	Double line from Delhi to Bathinda. Rest: Single line
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification	Fully Electrified
Highest elevation	Delhi 239 m (784 ft),; Fazilka 182 m (597 ft)
Route map
	Legend
	Pakistan
	Guru Nanak Dev
	Thermal Plant
	Punjab
	Haryana
	Kurukshetra–Narwana
	branch line
	127
	81
	70
	0
	Western Periphera
	Expressway
	Haryana
	Delhi
	Sadar Bazar
	coaching yard
	New Delhi
	coaching yard
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

The Delhi–Fazilka line is a railway line connecting Delhi and Fazilka the latter in the Indian state of 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.

History

The Southern Punjab Railway Co. opened the 711 km (442 mi) long Delhi–Jind-Bhatinda–Fazilka-Bahawalnagar-Samma Satta line in 1897.^[1] The line passed through Rohtak-Jind-Bhatinda-Muktasar-Fazilka-Bahawalnagar and provided direct connection through Samma Satta (now in Pakistan) to Karachi. The extension from the Macleodganj (later renamed Mandi Sadiqganj and now in Pakistan) railway line to Ambala via Qasamwala-Hindumalkote-Abohar-Bhatinda-Patiala was opened by the same company in 1902.^[2] 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 metre-gauge of North Western Railway's Delhi–Fazilka line (Delhi–Hisar–Bhatinda–Karachi line) to the north.^[3] In 2000s, Jodhpur-Bikaner-Bathinda line was converted to broad gauge.^[4] In 2009, the metre gauge Hisar-Sadulpur section was converted to broad gauge.^[5]^[6]

Border crossings

Fazilka and Hussainiwala on this line are two defunct railway border crossing points on the India–Pakistan border. Before partition of India in 1947, there were the 711-kilometer (442-mile) long Delhi-Samma Satta and the 445-kilometer (277-mile) long Delhi-Raiwind railway lines, which were operational. After partition of India, a 20-kilometer (12-mile) line linked Amruka on the Pakistan side of the India–Pakistan border, opposite Fazilka, towards Samma Satta. The only train running through these tracks was withdrawn after 1965 war. The 275-kilometer (171-mile) long Amruka-Samma Satta line and the 28-kilometre (17-mile) long Kasur-Raiwind lines are operational in Pakistan now. The Hussainiwala–Ganda Singh Wala railway crossing, near Firozpur, became defunct with the partition of India. The 16-kilometer (9.9-mile) broad gauge line from Kasur Junction in Pakistan has been closed. The strategically important 1,681-metre (5,515-foot) Kaiser-E-Hind Rail cum Road Bridge was blown up during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 at Hussainiwala, and was never rebuilt. In 2013, Sutlej Barrage Bridge on Hussainiwala was opened after restructuring.

Electrification

The Okhla–New Delhi–Shakurbasti line was electrified in 1982–83.^[7] As of 2011^[update], only 3 km of the 60 km Shakurbasti–Rohtak was remaining.^[8] The EMU services of Delhi Suburban Railway was extended up to Rohtak in 2013.^[9]

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.

Electrification of Bathinda-Firozpur branch line is in progress.

Tracks

Delhi–Bathinda is a double electric line.^[10]

The construction of Bathinda-Firozpur single line electrification is in under progress.

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.^[11]

Developments

The 42 km (26 mi) new 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gaugeline between Fazilka and Abohar was opened in 2012.^[12]

The Rewari–Rohtak line was commissioned in 2013.^[13]

Work for a new line from Rohtak to Hansi via Meham was inaugurated in 2013.^[14]

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.^[15]

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.^[16]

In 1952, Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company, west of Mughalsarai, Bikaner Railway and Eastern Punjab Railway.^[17]

Stations

Julana railway station (29°07′36″N 76°22′47″E / 29.1268°N 76.3798°E / 29.1268; 76.3798) is in the Julana tehsil of Jind District 91 kilometres (57 mi) from Delhi on the Delhi–Fazilka line.^[18]

References

^ "IR History: Early Days II (1870–1899)". Retrieved 20 February 2014.
^ "Chapter VII Communications". Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
^ "Jodhpur-Bikaner Railway". fibis. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
^ "Railway line along Indian border". Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India, 21 April 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
^ "Overview of Bikaner Division" (PDF). Indian Railways. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
^ "Bathinda–Rewari line route map". India Rail Info.
^ "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "Railway Electrification". Ministry of Railways. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "Delhi–Rohtak EMU to be inaugurated on March 3". The Times of India. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "Electrification of Rohtak–Batinda–Lehra Muhabat section of Northern Railway". Press Information Bureau – India. Ministry of Railways. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "Sheds and workshops". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "Rail link between Abohar, Fazilka opens today". Hindustan Times. 15 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "Haryana gets first functional railway line after 33 years". Business Standard. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "The Minister for Railways lays the foundation stones of Rohtak–Meham–Hansi new line". Northern Railway. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "Southern Punjab Railway". fibis. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ SM Imamul Haque (1989). Management of Indian Railways, 1989. Mittal Publications,A 1/8 Mohan Garden, New Delhi 110059. ISBN 81-7099-183-8. Retrieved 26 February 2014. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^ "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ "Julana Railway Station Map/Atlas NR/Northern Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

External links

Trains at Old Delhi
Trains at Sarai Rohilla
Trains at Bhathinda
Trains at Firozpur Cantonment
Trains at Fazilka

[1] "IR History: Early Days II (1870–1899)". Retrieved 20 February 2014.

[2] "Chapter VII Communications". Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2014.

[fibis-3] "Jodhpur-Bikaner Railway". fibis. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.

[4] "Railway line along Indian border". Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India, 21 April 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2014.

[5] "Overview of Bikaner Division" (PDF). Indian Railways. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.

[6] "Bathinda–Rewari line route map". India Rail Info.

[7] "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[8] "Railway Electrification". Ministry of Railways. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[9] "Delhi–Rohtak EMU to be inaugurated on March 3". The Times of India. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[electric-10] "Electrification of Rohtak–Batinda–Lehra Muhabat section of Northern Railway". Press Information Bureau – India. Ministry of Railways. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[sheds-11] "Sheds and workshops". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[12] "Rail link between Abohar, Fazilka opens today". Hindustan Times. 15 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[13] "Haryana gets first functional railway line after 33 years". Business Standard. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[14] "The Minister for Railways lays the foundation stones of Rohtak–Meham–Hansi new line". Northern Railway. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[15] "Southern Punjab Railway". fibis. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[16] SM Imamul Haque (1989). Management of Indian Railways, 1989. Mittal Publications,A 1/8 Mohan Garden, New Delhi 110059. ISBN 81-7099-183-8. Retrieved 26 February 2014. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

[17] "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

[18] "Julana Railway Station Map/Atlas NR/Northern Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

v t e Railways in Northern India
National network/ trunk lines	Howrah–Delhi main line New Delhi–Chennai main line New Delhi–Mumbai main line Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line Delhi–Jaipur line Jaipur–Ahmedabad line
Branch lines/ sections	Agra–Bhopal section Ahmedabad–Udaipur line Allahabad–Mau–Gorakhpur main line Ambala–Attari line Amritsar–Khem Karan line Amritsar–Pathankot line Aunrihar–Jaunpur line Barauni–Gorakhpur, Raxaul and Jainagar lines Bathinda–Rewari line Bathinda–Rajpura line Bikaner–Rewari line Bhanupli–Leh line Chandigarh–Sahnewal line Delhi–Fazilka line Delhi–Kalka line Delhi–Meerut–Saharanpur line Delhi–Moradabad line Jalandhar–Firozpur line Jalandhar–Jammu line Jammu–Baramulla line Jodhpur–Bathinda line Jodhpur–Jaisalmer line Kanpur–Delhi section Laksar–Dehradun line Lucknow–Gorakhpur line Lucknow–Moradabad line Ludhiana–Fazilka line Ludhiana–Jakhal line Marwar Junction–Munabao line Mathura–Vadodara section Mau–Ghazipur–Dildarnagar main line Merta Road–Rewari line Moradabad–Ambala line Mughalsarai–Kanpur section Rewari–Rohtak line Shri Ganganagar–Sadulpur line Suratgarh–Bathinda line Varanasi–Chhapra line Varanasi–Lucknow main line Varanasi–Rae Bareli–Lucknow line Varanasi–Sultanpur–Lucknow line
Urban and suburban rail transport	Delhi Suburban Railway Delhi Metro (Blue Green Grey Magenta Orange Pink Red Violet Yellow) Rapid Metro Gurgaon Lucknow–Kanpur Suburban Railway Barabanki–Lucknow Suburban Railway Delhi–Meerut RRTS
Heritage railways	Kalka–Shimla Railway
Monorails	Patiala State Monorail Trainways
Defunct lines	Jammu–Sialkot line
Manufacturing units and workshops	Banaras Locomotive Works Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli
Railway companies	Northern Railway North Eastern Railway North Central Railway North Western Railway East Indian Railway Company Kangra Valley Railway Rajputana–Malwa Railway Tirhut Railway Oudh and Tirhut Railway Indian Branch Railway Company Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway Cawnpore–Burhwal Railway Cawnpore–Barabanki Railway Lucknow–Bareilly Railway Bengal and North Western Railway Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway Mashrak–Thawe Extension Railway Lucknow–Sitapur–Seramow Provincial State Railway Bareilly–Pilibheet Provincial State Railway Segowlie–Raxaul Railway Delhi Metro Rail Corporation National Capital Region Transport Corporation
See also	Indian Railways Bholu (mascot) 1974 railway strike in India Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor