CENTRAL RAILWAY AT A GLANCE - Introduction
1 The System
The Great Indian Peninsula Railway, which later formed the nucleus of the present day Central Railway, came into existence on April 16, 1853, when the first train on the Indian Sub-continent steamed off from Mumbai to Thane, a modest stretch of only 33 kms. Central Railway has since grown manifold.
After 1st April 2003, Central Railway has been trifurcated. Bhopal and Jabalpur divisions have been transferred to West Central Railway and Jhansi division has been transferred to North Central Railway. Pune-Miraj-Kolhapur section of South Central Railway has joined Central Railway and forms part of Pune division of Central Railway.
2 Overview Route
I | States Served | | Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh Karnataka | |
II | DIVISIONS | | Mumbai Bhusaval Nagpur Solapur Pune | |
3.Passanger-operation
Non-suburban
Central Railway runs Passenger (carrying) Trains (non-suburban) including Maximum Mail/Express trains, connecting North-east and South-east directions and far off destinations like Jammu-Tawi, Guwahati, Kanyakumari, Howrah, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Gorakhpur and Allahabad.
Suburban
Central Railway operates one of the largest suburban network in the world. It is often called the lifeline of Mumbai Metropolis.
The Mumbai Suburban System of Central Railway extends from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to Kalyan (54 Kms), where it bifurcates into 2 directions, one to Kasara (121 Kms) and the other to Khopoli (114 Kms).
The Harbour Line corridor of the Central Railway extends from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to Vadala, where it bifurcates into two directions ? one joining the Western Railway at Mahim (12.47 kms) and the other going to Kurla and beyond to New Mumbai, terminating at Panvel (49 Kms). The Harbour branch line of the Central Railway which joins the Western Railway at Mahim runs upto Goregaon.
The Thane-Turbhe-Vashi, double line section (18.6 kms) was commissioned on 9th November, 2004. On 9th January, 2009, the line between Turbhe and Nerul was inaugurated.
Belapur/Nerul - Kharkopar section was commisioned on 11.11.2018.
4 Freight Operation
The major streams of traffic dealt with by Central Railway are as below:
Coal loaded from Nagpur division by Western Coalfields Ltd. (Pench and Chanda valley) for Thermal power houses of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana,
Punjab, Delhi and some captive power plants of private companies mainly cement companies.
Imported Coal ex. Mumbai Port Trust to Thermal Power Houses of Maharashtra (Nasik, Bhusawal, Parli)
Iron & Steel loading from JSWD & JSWV (BB Division), Kalmeshwar & Wardha (NGP Division)
Cement loaded from cement plants on Solapur division (Wadi, Hotgi), Nagpur division (Ghugus & Chandrapur), Bhusawal division (Bhadli) for destinations on Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka.
Automobile loading from Nashik(BSL) Chinchwad & Khadki (PA) Ajni (NGP) and Daund (Sur Division)
Petroleum products are loaded from Trombay, Jasai & Uran city (Mumbai Division), Panevadi (Bhusawal Division), Loni (Pune Division) for destinations in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Iron-Ore loading from BPQ (NGP Division ) for Eastern states and Mumbai
Indigenous Fertilisers are loaded by Rashtriya Chemical Fertilisers Ltd. from Trombay and Thal - Vaishet on Mumbai division. The destinations are on Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa.
Sugar is loaded for exports as well as for Chhatisgarh, Eastern U.P., Bihar, West Bengal and
North-Eastern states from Pune & Solapur divisions. Loading is also offered at some stations on Bhusawal divisions.
Container traffic is loaded from Jawaharlal Nehru Port,Turbhe and New Mulund goods shed on Mumbai division for inter land inland container depots. Containers are also loaded from Nagpur and Chinchwad depots for Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.
Onion traffic is loaded from Nasik and Jalgaon districts on Bhusawal division for North-Eastern states, Eastern U.P. and Bihar / Jharkhand. This is a seasonal traffic since its a Kharif crop (Nov. - Apr).
ORGANISATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT – HQ OFFICE
The Commercial Department is responsible for the marketing & sale of the transportation provided by a railway, for creating and developing traffic, for securing and maintaining friendly relations with the travelling and trading public and for cultivating good public relations. The fixing of rates, fares and other charges and the correct collection, accountal and remittance of traffic receipts are the main functions.
The important matters dealt with in the Commercial Department are;
·Rates and fares
·Claims for refund and for compensation
·Prevention of Claims
·Marketing & Sales
·Passenger Amenities
·Inter-model co-ordination
·Research & Development
·Catering & Vending
·Ticket Checking
·Commercial Statistics
·Reserved and Unreserved Ticketing System
·Commercial Advertising and publicity.
****************************