The Maharaja Railways of India
| Gwalior Light Railway | |
|---|---|
 Gwalior narrow gauge | |
| Overview | |
| Locale | Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Termini | Gwalior Railway Station |
| Stations | Gwalior, Motijheel, Sabalgarh, Sheopur Kalan |
| Operation | |
| Opened |
1904 (built by Maharaja Madhav Roa II) |
| Owner | Northern Central railway |
| Operator(s) | Northern Central Railway, Gwalior |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 199 km (124 mi) |
| Track gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
The Maharaja Railways of India was completed in the 20th century. The Gwalior Light Railway (GLR) has been proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.[1]
Indian Maharaja began thinking of construction of railways in 19th century itself, however the British government did not allow them to do so. However Maharaja of Jodhpur become the first to boldly construct a railway in 1881 which was later accepted by the British Government. After this many Maharaja constructed railways, out of these a few are still remaining in the Gwalior Light Railway (GLR).
Gwalior Light Railway (GLR)
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The 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge GLR is 199.8 kilometres (124.1 mi) long and runs from Gwalior to Sheopur Kalan in Madhya Pradesh state. This line was started by Maharaja Madhav Roa II and completed in 1909. The line branches to Bhind, Shivpuri, Morar, Kampu Koti and Sheopur Kalan and is today managed by the North Central Railways department of Indian Railways.
History
Construction began in 1895 for the Bhind section and in 1899 for the Shivpuri section. The Gwalior to Sheopur Kalan section was begun in 1904. The line was extended to Birpur in 1908 and completed in 1909.
Construction Phases [2]
- 1st: Gwalior to Jora. (Completed in January 1904)
- 2nd: Jora to Sabalgarh. (Completed in December 1904)
- 3rd: Sabalgarh to Birpur. (Route opened in November 1908)
- 4th: Birpur to Sheopur. (Route ready to use by June 1909)
Stations and Operation
This line has 28 stations from Gwalior to Sheopur Kalan. Today three pairs of passenger trains run daily. The trains run at a maximum speed of 35 Kmph. The rail started with steam locomotives, but today diesel locomotives are used. One of the locomotives is designed as a steam locomotive. Two out of three trains terminate at Sabalgarh station, from Gwalior Junction (NG), while one runs from Gwalior Junction (NG) up to Sheopur Kalan station.
Seven broad gauge trains run between Gwalior and Shivpuri: two passenger and five express. The Indore - Bhind express and Kota - Bhind passenger train originate at Bhind. The Shivpuri - Gwalior - Bhind railway which is now a broad gauge was formally a part of Gwalior Light Railway.
See also
- Bhavnagar State Railway
- Bhavnagar Tramway
- Gaekwar's Baroda State Railway
- Mayurbhanj State Railway
- Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway
- Patiala State Monorail Trainways
References
- ↑ "World Heritage Submission 28 January 2009". UNESCO. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
- ↑ From the heats of Gwalior, Gwalior Light Railway