The Gwalior–Kota railway line is a proposed railway route connecting Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh with Kota in Rajasthan via Sheopur Kalan. The project includes the conversion of the existing Gwalior–Sheopur Kalan railway line from narrow gauge to broad gauge and the construction of a new broad-gauge line from Sheopur Kalan to Kota. Connecting Gwalior region to Bundelkhand region and with Rajasthan. The proposed route will establish a direct railway connection between Gwalior, Sheopur and Kota and provide an alternative rail link between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
History
The Gwalior Light Railway was built by the Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia of the Gwalior State. It was originally a 14-mile long private tramway. Construction began in 1895 of the 53 mile Gwalior–Bhind line. By 1897 it was 34 miles long and was used to bring in supplies to relieve the famine. Both this section and the Gwalior–Shivpuri section opened on 2 December 1899 by Lord Curzon the Viceroy of India. The Gwalior-Joura branch opened on 1 January 1904 and on 12 January 1904 the extension to Sabalgarh was opened. A further extension to Birpur opened on 1 November 1908 and the full line to Sheopur opened on 15 June 1909. In October 1900, the Indian Midland Railway Company agreed to operate the railway on behalf of the Maharaja.
In 1942, the Gwalior Light Railway was renamed the Scindia State Railway. In 1951, the system was purchased by the Central Railway.
The railway was initially worked with steam locomotives, but later diesel locomotives were used. There was a plan to electrify the railway in the 1920s from a generating station below the Nanakura Dam, but this scheme was abandoned.
Permanent way The track was flat-bottomed steel rails laid on a mix of Sal wood and iron sleepers. The minimum radius curve on the line was and the steepest gradient was 1 in 40.
Locomotives NumberBuilderWorks numberImageWheel arrangementDate builtDate scrappedNotesKerr, Stuart and Company1893The railway's original locomotive1Kerr, Stuart and Company2Kerr, Stuart and Company3Kerr, Stuart and Company4Kerr, Stuart and Company5Kerr, Stuart and Company19046Kerr, Stuart and Company19047Kerr, Stuart and Company19048Kerr, Stuart and Company19049Kerr, Stuart and Company190410Kerr, Stuart and Company190411Kerr, Stuart and Company190412Kerr, Stuart and Company190418Kerr, Stuart and Company1915Kerr, Stuart and Company191726Kerr, Stuart and Company4400192827Kerr, Stuart and Company4401192828Kerr, Stuart and Company4402192829Kerr, Stuart and Company4403192834W. G. Bagnall2453193135W. G. Bagnall2454193136W. G. Bagnall2455193137W. G. Bagnall2456193138W. G. Bagnall24571931 Preserved on the Vale of Rheidol Light Railway39W. G. Bagnall2458193140W. G. Bagnall2459193141W. G. Bagnall24601931 Preserved on the Vale of Rheidol Light Railway42Baldwin Locomotive Works7407119481995 NH/4 class43Baldwin Locomotive Works1948 NH/4 class. Preserved.44Baldwin Locomotive Works19481995 NH/4 class45Baldwin Locomotive Works19481995 NH/4 classNippon Sharyo1959NH/5 classNippon Sharyo1959NH/5 classNippon Sharyo1959NH/5 classNippon Sharyo1959NH/5 class
Rolling stock In 1936, the company owned 28 locomotives, 90 coaches and 363 goods wagons.
Classification It was labeled as a Class III railway according to Indian Railway Classification System of 1926.
Conversion to broad gauge The Gwalior–Bhind section and the Gwalior–Shivpuri section were converted to broad gauge in the early 2010s. The Gwalior–Sheopur Kalan section is under conversion to broad gauge as of 2020.Heritage narrow gauge rail track to chug into historyWestern Railway is killing off the last of its 'toy trains'
See also Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway
References