Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line
Kutch Express, an important train on Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Gujarat
Termini	Gandhidham Ahmedabad
Stations	Samakhiali, Viramgam
Service
Operator(s)	Western Railway
History
Opened	1969
Technical
Line length	299.2 km (186 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification	Yes
Operating speed	100 km/h
Route map km to Ahmedabad–Mumbai Main Line 0 Ahmedabad Amarsinh Chaudhary Bridge to Ahmedabad–Udaipur line Babu Jagjivan ram Bridge Sahibaug Under Pass Sabarmati River Chimanbhai Patel Flyover 5 Sabarmati Railway yard Kali Road Sabarmati Cabin-A Diesel Loco Shed 10 Sabarmati Cabin-F Sabarmati Cabin-D To Gandhigram to Jaipur–Ahmedabad line 11 Chandlodiya / to Jaipur–Ahmedabad line Sola Road NH 8C 17 Ambli Road Thaltej Road Sardar Patel Ring Road 22 Gora Ghuma 28 Sanand 33 Vasan Iyava 40 Charrodi 46 Virochannagar 53 Jakhvada 59 Sokali to Viramgam–Mahesana section 65 Viramgam SH-18 to Viramgam–Surendra Nagar section 78 Jhund Patdi Kharaghoda 87 Sadla 96 Bajana Bajana Road 104 JatPipli Narmada Canal 116 Vasadva NH 947 to Dharangadhra–Surendra Nagar section 131 Dharangadhra Kuda Salt Siding 138 Ghanshyamgadh Narmada Canal 146 Chuli 156 Sukhpur 162 Halvad 172 Dhanala 180 Devaliya 190 Khakrechi 199 Wadharva NH 8A to Maliya Miyana–Wankaner section 208 Maliya Miyana NH 8A Hadakiya Creek Hadakiya Creek 220 Indra Nagar 225 Surbari 236 Katariya to Samakhiali-Palanpur section 248 Samakhiali 258 Vondh 263 Bhachau NH 8A 276 Chirai NH 8A 286 Bhimasar NH 8A NH 141 298 Gandhidham Cabin to Gandhidham–Bhuj section Freight Depot 300 Gandhidham to Gandhidham–Kandla Port section Source: Google Maps, 22955 Kutch Express

The Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line belongs to Western Railway of Ahmedabad Division in Gujarat State.

Geography

Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line passes through beautiful Creeks and Salt dunes of Kutch. The railway line is about 300 km in length. This line is known in detail different sections:

• Gandhidham–Samakhiali section
• Samakhiali–Maliya Miyana section
• Maliya Miyana–Viramgam section
• Viramgam–Ahmedabad section

History

Between 1850 and 1950 Gandhidham-Ahmedabad line was owned by different Princely States like Cutch State Railway, Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway, Morvi State Railway. Ahmedabad–Viramgam section was laid in 1871 by BB&CI. Later BB&CI line was extended to Wadhwan.^[1] The Cutch State Railway was financed by the Maharao Khengarji Bawa of Cutch, and the initial section to Anjar was opened in 1905. An extension from Anjar to the state capital of Bhuj was later made and lines opened in 1908. Varshamedi to Bhachau was opened in 1910. 15 miles from Anjar to Kandla was opened in 1930. After the formation of Gandhidham, Kandla station was renamed in 1947. Another line was laid from Kandla to Disa in 1950.

Railway reorganization

Cutch State Railway was merged into the Western Railway on 5 November 1951, at which time the total length was 72 miles. The foundation stone was laid on 7 April 1955 to Gandhidham Bg Railway Station. The Gandhidham-Ahmedabad line was complete in the year 1969. Gauge conversion of Viramgam–Wankaner–Gandhidham section was completed in the earlier 1980s.^[2] The first train from Gandhidham to Mumbai was introduced on 2 October 1984.^[3]

Passenger movement

This line passes through Samakhiali, Maliya Miyana railway station, Dharangadhra and Viramgam. Passengers of Kutch are benefited through this line to go to rest of the parts of India. There are trains to some important cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Kamakhya, Nagercoil, Pune, Delhi, Howrah, Kolkata, Vijayawada, Nagpur and Puri

References