Varanasi–Rae Bareli–Lucknow line

The Varanasi–Raebareli–Lucknow line (also known as Varanasi–Lucknow chord line) is a railway line connecting Varanasi and Lucknow, both in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The line is under the administrative jurisdiction of Northern Railway.

Varanasi–Rae Bareli–Lucknow line Varanasi–Lucknow Chord line
Rae Bareli Junction lies on Varanasi–Rae Bareli–Lucknow line
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Gangetic Plain in Uttar Pradesh
Termini	Varanasi Lucknow
Service
Operator(s)	Northern Railway for main line
Depot(s)	Lucknow Alambagh
History
Opened	1898
Technical
Track length	301 km (187 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification	Completed (double line electrified)
Operating speed	110 kmph
Highest elevation	Varanasi 82 m (269 ft) Lucknow 123 m (404 ft)
Route map Legend Lucknow–Moradabad line Alamnagar Unnao–Sitapur line 301 Lucknow Charbagh Transport Nagar Varanasi–Lucknow line 289 Utaria Junction Varanasi–Sultanpur–Lucknow line 280 Mohanlalganj 272 Kankaha 266 Nigohan 260 Shrirajnagar 254 Bachrawan 244 Kundanganj 238 Harchandpur 231 Gangaganj Mughalsarai–Kanpur section 31 Dalmau Junction 223/0 Rae Bareli Junction 23 Radhabalampur Halt 17 Ubarni 13 Suraj Kunda 6 Daryapur Junction 11 Bela Bela 21 Laxmanpur 28 Ramchandrapur 214 Rupamau 38 Unchahar Junction Mughalsarai–Kanpur section 205 Fursatganj 194 Jais 192 Kasimpur 185 Bani 177 Gauriganj 171 Talakhajuri 163 Amethi 157 Misrauli 154 Sahajipur Halt 149 Antu 144 Jagesharganj Varanasi–Sultanpur–Lucknow line 132 Chilbila Junction 128 Pratapgarh Junction Varanasi–Sultanpur–Lucknow line 121 Pirthiganj 114 Dandupur 104 Gaura 98 Suwansa 92 Badshahpur 85 Nibhapur Allahabad–Mau–Gorakhpur main line 75 Janghai Junction Allahabad–Mau–Gorakhpur main line 70 Sarai Kansrai 60 Suriawan 53 Mondh 44 Bhadohi 36 Parsipur 28 Kapseti 23 Sewapuri 16 Chaukhandi 6 Lohta Varanasi–Allahabad Branch line Varanasi–Lucknow line 0 Varanasi Junction 3 Varanasi City Mughalsarai–Kanpur section Varanasi–Chhapra line Sources:Google Maps, Varanasi Lucknow Passenger via Pratapgarh, Rae Bareli Raghuraj Singh Passenger, Rae Bareli Kanpur Central Passenger via Unchahar

History

The Lucknow–Rae Bareli extension was completed in 1893 and the Varanasi–Lucknow chord line via Rae Bareli was constructed in 1898.^[1]

Line doubling and electrification

As of 2013, the railways have taken up doubling of the 66 km (41 mi) Utaratia–Raebareli sector and the 60 km (37 mi) Raebareli–Amethi sector. Work is in progress for electrification of the 200 km (124 mi) Varanasi–Unchahar railway line.^[2][3]

New lines

Railways have taken up construction of the 116 km (72 mi) Rae Bareli–Akbarganj–Faizabad new line and the 134 km (83 mi) Unchahar-Amethi-Sultanpur–Kadipur new line in 2013.^[2]

Passenger movement

Varanasi and Lucknow on this line are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.^[4]

Sheds, workshops and manufacturing facilities

Lucknow diesel loco shed or Alambagh diesel shed is home to 160+ locomotives, including WDM-2, WDM-3A, WDM-3D, WDG-3A and WDG-4 varieties. Charbagh locomotive workshops handle periodical overhaul jobs.^[5]

Banaras Locomotive Works at Varanasi initially assembled ALCO kits. Subsequently, with technology transfer from GM EMD, it produces advanced diesel locomotives with high efficiency and low maintenance costs. It produces around 240 locomotives annually.^[6]

Rail Coach Factory, Raebareli was inaugurated in 2012. It would initially produce 1,000 coaches per year and the capacity would be enhanced later.^[7]

Railway reorganisation

Around 1872, the Indian Branch Railway Company was transformed into Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway.^[8][9][10] Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway was merged with East Indian Railway Company in 1925.^[11]

The Government of India took over the Bengal and North-Western Railway and merged it with the Rohilkhand and Kumaon Railway to form the Oudh and Tirhut Railway in 1943.^[12]

In 1952, Eastern Railway, Northern Railway and North Eastern Railway were formed. Eastern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company, east of Mughalsarai and Bengal Nagpur Railway. Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company west of Mughal Sarai, Jodhpur Railway, Bikaner Railway and Eastern Punjab Railway. North Eastern Railway was formed with Oudh and Tirhut Railway, Assam Railway and a portion of Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.^[13] East Central Railway was created in 1996–97.^[14] North Central Railway was formed in 2003.^[15]

References

1. "Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway". Management Ebooks. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
2. "Railway projects and amenities to transform Rae Bareli and surrounding areas". Northern Railway, 17 May 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
3. . The Times of India. 17 May 2013. Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
4. . Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways. IRFCA. Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
5. "Sheds and workshops". IRFCA. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
6. "Production Units & Workshops". Diesel Loco Works, Varanasi. IRFCA. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
7. "Sonia opens rail coach factory at Rae Bareli". The Hindu. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
8. "IR History: Early History (1832-1869)". IRFCA. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
9. (PDF). Old Martinian Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
10. "Indian Branch Railway". fibis. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
11. "IR History III : (1900-1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
12. "Bengal and North-Western Railway". fibis. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
13. "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
14. "East Central Railway". ECR. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
15. "North Central Railway". NCR. Retrieved 12 January 2014.

External links

• Trains at Varanasi
• Trains at Rae Bareli
• Trains at Lucknow Charbagh