[ruzbehxyz]

Billimora-Waghai heritage train line - a narrow-gauge train service that operated for more than a hundred years in Gujarat will soon stop functioning as the Rail Ministry has ordered it to be permanently closed.

An era came to an end when a narrow-gauge train service of Indian Railways that ran in Gujarat for 107 years has already completed its final journey. The Railway Board recently approved Western Railway’s (WR) proposal to permanently close down its narrow gauge sections and uneconomic branch rail lines over its system. 107-year-old Billimora-Waghai heritage train route was among 11 branch lines and narrow gauge sections of the Western Railways that were deemed to be “uneconomic” by the Railway Ministry, which ordered their permanent closure.

In a letter dated December 10, 2020, Railway Board wrote to WR that these 11 sections be closed permanently. However, no timeline was specified for the permanent closure of these sections. Note that of these 11 sections, nine are narrow gauge sections while the remaining two are broad gauge.

The sections to be permanently closed include Nadiad-Bhadran (NG, 60 km), Ankleshwar-Rajpipla (BG, 62.8 km), Boriyavi Jn- Vadtal Swami Narayan (BG, 6.5 km), Kosamba- Umarpada (NG, 62.24 km), Samlaya-Timba Road (NG,53.39 km), Jhagadia -Netrang (NG,27.06 km), Chhuchhapura -Tankhala (NG, 38.2 km), Chota Udepur-Jambusar (BG line already exists between Chota Udepur and Vadodara via Pratapnagar.Hence, NG line, 51 km long between Pratapnagar and Jambusar will be closed permanently) Billimora-Waghai (NG, 63 km), Choranda- Moti Koral (NG, 19 km) and Chandod-Malsar (NG, 88 km).

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/busines...-an-end/693925


About the railway:-

The 63-km track of this train was laid by the British at the instance of Sayajirao Gaekwad in 1913.

It was to be a part of Gaekwad’s Baroda State Railway (GBSR), the railway line owned by the Princely State of Baroda which was ruled by the Gaekwad dynasty. The intention was to keep alive their connection with the royal state. The then Gaekwad rulers would also use this train for transportation of precious sag wood from forests. After independence, GBSR eventually merged and became a part of Western Railways.

For 24 years, it used a steam engine, which was replaced by diesel engine later in 1937. The old steam engine was put on display in 1994 in Mumbai’s Churchgate station as railway heritage.

The route has nine stations in between Bilimora in Valsad district and Waghai in the Dangs (Gandevi, Chikhli Road, Rankawa, Dholikua, Anawal, Unai & Vansada Road, Kevdi Road, Kala Amba and Dungarda) but ticket windows are only at Waghai, Unai and Bilimora.

The route has seven level crossings but no gate man. Every time the train reaches a crossing, the gate man alights from the train, clears the traffic and closes the gates, lets the train pass from the crossing, opens the gates and then re-boards the train. It makes two trips in the day with fixed departure time but the arrival time is not certain, because tickets are sold by the guard, who clears the train only after selling all tickets. Between Kala Amba and Dungarda, the railway line also passes through the Vansda national park which harbors leopards, tigers, pangolins, rusty spotted cats, pythons, giant squirrels, four-horned antelopes and hyenas among others.

Source: Various

https://youtu.be/BXnRxOj7nHI

[Cessna182]

A loss of heritage. They could have given this route to a private operator to turn it into a tourist train at least in a short area.

Oh well. Indian railways, which even scrapped the Vande Bharat train contracts which were probably the only modern trains built by them recently, is not expected to do anything else.

[Dieseltuned]

This news had me by the guts. We as Indians do not care 2 hoots about our heritage. It's sad that some babu takes these decisions purely going by the money bags. Not only this line there is a list of Narrow Gauge lines in Gujarat which are bound for closure. See below tweet

https://twitter.com/rajtoday/status/...082883074?s=19

[ruzbehxyz]

Another line that is being closed is the Gwalior- Sheopur Kalan line in North India. However the line will be dismantled to create Broad Guage line.

Lot of poor people travel by this line.



Why not retain the NG line and build the BG line adjacent.

Set up by Maharaja Madhavrao Scindia in 1893, the two-foot gauge line of Scindia State Railway (later rechristened as North Central Railway) connects over 200 villages between Gwalior and Sheopur Kalan. The railway board has sanctioned the project and the toy train line will be replaced with broad gauge till Kota.

“Scindia State Railway or Gwalior light railway (GLR) is the only narrow gauge railway line of two feet in India, which has served a population in plains for about 100 years. A section of about a hundred miles has been spared and you can hear the little trains tooting impatiently and racing with auto-rickshaw and tongas as they run through crowded localities, their carriages crammed to capacity, stopping at little stations which themselves look no bigger than ordinary railway carriages,” he added.

"The Gwalior Sheopur Kalan line was opened from 1904 to 1909 and a distance of about 200km can be completed in nearly 10 hours, covering 28 stations. Eight trains operate on the stretch daily.
“Considering the importance of the rail network for local residents, the railway had approved to convert the heritage narrow gauge to broad gauge, which will extend up to Kota,” said chief public relations officer, NCR, Ajit Kumar Singh.

According to Manoj Singh, public relations officer of Jhansi division, “Rs 3712 crore was sanctioned for 284km broad gauge line from Gwalior to Kota via Sheopur Kalan and Sawai Madhopur. Over 70% of land has been acquired in Morena district, while 45% in Sheopur Kalan. The narrow gauge stretch between Gwalior and Sheopur Kalan will be dismantled for broad gauge.”

Source: https://m.timesofindia.com/india/her...w/77531972.cms

[ruzbehxyz]

Surprise !

As a new initiative from Western Railway, the Billimora Waghai train service will restart from 04th Sept. 2021 with a new AC coach.







Photo source: Western Railway.

Minister of State for Railways Darshana Jardosh on Wednesday made the announcement looking into the many problems faced by the tribal people and local residents in Dang district of Gujarat due to the closure of trains for a long time due to Covid–19.

According to Sumit Thakur, Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, Train No. 09501 Bilimora – Waghai Special train will depart from Bilimora at 10.20 am on all days and will reach Waghai at 1.20 pm, the same day. Similarly, Train No. 09502 Waghai– Bilimora Special train will depart from Waghai at 2.30 pm on all days and will reach Bilimora at 5.35 pm, on the same day.

Enroute this train will halt at Gandevi, Chikhli Road, Rankuva, Dholikuva, Anaval, Unai and Vansada Road, Kevdi Road, Kala-Amba and Dungarda stations in both directions. This train comprises of unreserved Second-Class Seating coaches as well as a fully reserved AC Tourist coach.

Source: https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumba...ber-4-23190494

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

Surprise !

As a new initiative from Western Railway, the Billimora Waghai train service will restart from 04th Sept. 2021 with a new AC coach.

Wonderful. Not belittling the benefit to the local/tribal population of getting back a transport option, but such beautiful routes with tourism potential should not be left out. Even for the average individual/family with time and money to spare , this is a wonderful one-day outing to spend a back & forth trip on the train. I do hope more such initiatives are undertaken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKiYBVH_ALU

A slightly longish video (in Hindi) of the re-launched train journey in a beautiful rain-soaked environment

[V.Narayan]

The good old Indian Railways is truly experiencing a renaissance in more ways than one. Delighted to see that not only are the main lines getting the right modernization but that the Rail Ministry is getting the time and mindspace to to address niceties such as this revival of an old cute historic train.

All said and done Railways, Highways, Airports and port modernizations are four infrastructure sectors that have received a much needed boost, qualitative and quantitative, in the last few years.

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

A slightly longish video (in Hindi) of the re-launched train journey in a beautiful rain-soaked environment

Just saw the whole video. Thanks for sharing. I noticed that the villagers and locals did Pooja at all stations enroute. This shows the importance of the train to them.
I am not in favour of the Broad guage conversion project on many lines in India. At least here, Western Railway has retained the old world charm. Whatever the reason for restarting, I am happy that in one way, we are preserving our heritage.

[sahil.vwpolo]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Wonderful.
=====
A slightly longish video (in Hindi) of the re-launched train journey in a beautiful rain-soaked environment

can anyone please confirm if this still works in 2023/2024

[Dieseltuned]

This line is still operational and you can book AC chair car through IRCTC website. I think they have attached a vistadome coach on this line.

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by sahil.vwpolo

can anyone please confirm if this still works in 2023/2024

Yes it is operational.

Originally Posted by Dieseltuned

This line is still operational and you can book AC chair car through IRCTC website. I think they have attached a vistadome coach on this line.

The vistadome coach and restating of the line was done on 04-Sep-2021.