Kurduvadi Junction railway station explained

Kurduvadi Junction
Type:Indian Railways junction station
Style:Indian Railways
Address:State Highway 149, Kurduvadi, Maharashtra
Country:India
Elevation:516m (1,693feet)
Line:Mumbai–Chennai line
Miraj–Latur Road
Other:Categorised as A1 station, NSG 3 in all India station ranking
Structure:Standard on ground
Platform:5 passengers + 1 for Goods
Tracks:4 - towards Pune, Solapur, Latur, Miraj
Parking:Yes
Bicycle:No
Opened:1859
Rebuilt:2000
Electrified:Yes
Owned:Indian Railways
Operator:Central Railway
Status:Functioning
Passengers:4358 daily, crosses 10,000 on peak days on Sundays, Ekadashi etc
Pass Year:2024
Map Type:India#India Maharashtra
Map Dot Label:Kurduvadi railway station
Map Size:300

Kurduvadi Junction is one of the biggest railway junction stations located in Solapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra and serves Kurduvadi. It is a junction station at the intersection point of Mumbai–Chennai line and Latur road–Miraj line. Kurduvadi Workshop is located next to the station.

History

This station was earlier known as Barshi Road Railway Station.

Starting with the first train in India from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai to on 16 April 1853 on a track laid by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, was linked with Mumbai with the completion of the railway track across the Bhor Ghat incline between to in 1862.[1] GIPR extended its line to Raichur in 1871 and met the line of Madras Railway thereby establishing direct Mumbai–Chennai link.[2]

The Pune–Raichur sector of the Mumbai–Chennai line was opened in stages: the portion from Diksal in Pune to Barshi Road was opened in 1859, from Barshi Road to Mohol in 1860 and from Mohol to Sholapur also in 1860. Work on the line from Sholapur southwards was begun in 1865.[3]

Barsi Light Railway was a 202miles-long, -wide railway from Kurduvadi to Latur. It was opened in 1897 on a 22miles long railway track from Barsi Road to Barsi, and extended in stages.[4] The narrow-gauge line from Barsi Road to Pandharpur was extended to Miraj in 1927.[5]

Gauge conversion from to of the Miraj–Latur track and extension of the new line to Latur Road was taken up in 1992 and completed in stages. The last phase of the 375km (233miles) long project was completed in 2008.[6]

Amenities

Kurduvadi railway station has a public call office booth with facilities for subscriber trunk dialling, refreshment stalls serving vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, retiring room, waiting room, and book stall.[7]

Workshop

Kurduvadi Workshop was set up for repair of narrow-gauge steam locomotives, coaches and wagons by Barsi Light Railway in 1930. With the reduction in narrow-gauge rolling stock, the Workshop has taken up new activities as per requirements. Kurduvadi Workshop now undertakes rehabilitation of 20 broad-gauge wagons per month.[8]

Kurduvadi had a narrow-gauge diesel-loco shed for Barsi Light Railway. The shed was closed down after conversion of the narrow-gauge railway.[9]

Electrification

The Pune–Solapur–Wadi line is being electrified with a loan of Rs. 1,500 crore from Asian Development Bank. Work was initiated in 2012.[10] [11]

Track doubling

The railway track in the Daund–Wadi sector is being doubled at a cost of Rs. 700 crore.[12] The railway track in the Kurduwadi–Latur Road sector will be doubled at a cost of Rs. 700 crore.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: IR History: Early Days – I : Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1832–1865). IRFCA. 3 December 2013.
  2. Web site: IR History: Early Days – II . Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1870–1899). IRFCA. 3 December 2013.
  3. Web site: Sholapur District Gazetteer . Gazetteer department . 4 December 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120330015139/http://solapur.gov.in/htmldocs/1977/comm_railways.html . 30 March 2012 . dead .
  4. Web site: Barsi Light Railway . fibis. 4 December 2013.
  5. Web site: IR History Part III (1900-1947). 4 December 2013.
  6. Web site: Miraj–Kurduwadi–Latur G.C. Work. IRICEN, Pune. 4 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304141709/http://wiki.iricen.gov.in/doku/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=823:15.pdf. 4 March 2016. dead.
  7. Web site: Kurduvadi to Tirupati trains . Make My Trip . 5 December 2013.
  8. Web site: Mechanical Department – Kurduwadi Workshop. Central Railway . 4 December 2013.
  9. Web site: Sheds and Workshops. IRFCA. 4 December 2013.
  10. Web site: Asian Development Bank to fund Pune–Daund–Wadi rail line electrification . dna, 20 January 2011 . 4 December 2013.
  11. Web site: Electrification of Pune–Daund to start today . https://web.archive.org/web/20131208115115/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-14/pune/35819731_1_railway-route-pune-station-electrification-work . dead . 8 December 2013 . 14 December 2012. . 4 December 2013.
  12. Web site: Doubling of track:Faster rail services by 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20131213013749/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/article239335.ece?service=print . dead . 13 December 2013 . The New Indian Express. 4 November 2011. 4 December 2013.