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Starting Initial Data Needs Work

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{{short description|Train line in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width = 28em
| name = Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line
| color =
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = Jabalpur jnn.jpg
| image_width = 330
| caption = [[Jabalpur Junction railway station]] is an important railway station on Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line
| type =
| system = Fully electrified
| status = Operational
| locale = [[West Bengal]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Bihar]],<br/> [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Maharashtra]]
| start = {{stnlnk|Howrah}}
| end = [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus|Mumbai CST]]
| stations =
| routes =
| daily_ridership =
| open = 1870
| close =
| owner = [[Indian Railways]]
| operator = [[Eastern Railway zone|Eastern Railway]], [[East Central Railway zone|East Central Railway]], [[North Central Railway zone|North Central Railway]], [[West Central Railway zone|West Central Railway]], [[Central Railway zone|Central Railway]]
| character =
| depot = [[Kalyan Junction railway station]], {{stnlnk|Bhusawal}}, [[Itarsi Junction railway station]], {{stnlnk|Katni}}
| stock =
| linelength = Since 2004 {{convert|2160|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}. Before 2004 {{convert|2146|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
| tracklength =
| tracks = 4 in [[Bardhaman–Asansol section]] & [[Central line (Mumbai Suburban Railway)|Kalyan–Mumbai CST section]]
<br/> 3 in [[Howrah–Bardhaman chord]], [[Gaya–Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction section]], [[Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction – Kanpur section|Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction-Prayagraj section]] & [[Bhusawal–Kalyan section]] <br/> 2 in [[Asansol–Gaya section]], [[Prayagraj–Jabalpur section]] & [[Jabalpur–Bhusaval section]]
| gauge = {{track gauge|1676mm|allk=on}}
| old_gauge =
| minradius =
| racksystem =
| electrification = Fully electrified
| speed = up to {{convert|130|km/h|abbr=on}}
| elevation = Lowest at {{stnlnk|Howrah}} {{convert|8|m|ft}} (approx). Highest at Thull Ghats {{convert|1849|ft|m}} (approx)
| website = [http://www.indianrail.gov.in/enquiry/StaticPages/StaticEnquiry.jsp?StaticPage=index.html]
| map = {{Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line}}
| map_state = collapsed
}}

The '''Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line''', (formerly known as '''Howrah–Allahabad–Bombay line)''' {{Importance inline|date=July 2023}} is a railway line connecting [[Kolkata]] and [[Mumbai]] via [[Prayagraj]] (formerly Allahabad). The {{convert|2160|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} railway line was opened to traffic in 1870. This railway line was {{convert|2146|km|mi}} long until 2004. In 2004 the construction of [[Indira Sagar Dam]] submerged the old alignment near [[Khandwa]] and a new alignment of {{convert|14|km|mi}} long was relaid.

==Sections==
For more detailed study the cross-country line has been divided into smaller sections:
# [[Howrah–Bardhaman chord]]
# [[Grand Chord]]
# [[Bardhaman–Asansol section]]
# [[Asansol–Gaya section]]
# [[Gaya–Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction section]]
# [[Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction – Kanpur section|Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction–Prayagraj section]]
# [[Prayagraj–Jabalpur section]]
# [[Jabalpur–Bhusaval section]]
# [[Bhusawal–Kalyan section]]
# [[Central line (Mumbai Suburban Railway)|Kalyan–Mumbai CST section]]

==History==
The first train in India traveled from Bombay to [[Thane]] on 16 April 1853. By May 1854, [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]]'s Bombay–Thane line was extended to [[Kalyan, India|Kalyan]]. It was extended to [[Khopoli]] via Palasdhari in 1855. {{stnlnk|Bhusawal}} station was set up in 1860 and [[Pune]] connected in 1863. In Eastern India, construction of the [[Howrah–Delhi main line]] was completed and through connection between Delhi and Kolkata was established in 1865. The last link was the bridge across the [[Yamuna]] at [[Prayagraj]]. In 1866 Bhusawal-Khandwa section was opened and GIPR also extended its operations to [[Nagpur]]. [[East Indian Railway]], which had established the Howrah–Allahabad–Delhi line, opened the Allahabad–[[Jabalpur]] branch line in June 1867. GIPR connection over the Thull Ghat reached Jabalpur from [[Itarsi]] on 7 March 1870, linking up with EIR track there from Allahabad, and establishing connectivity between Mumbai and Kolkata.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-hist.html| title=IR History: Early Days – I| work=Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1832–1865)| access-date = 27 October 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history2.html| title=IR History: Early Days – II| work=Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1870–1899)| access-date = 27 October 2012 }}</ref>

The [[Bengal Nagpur Railway]] was formed in 1887 for the purpose of upgrading the [[Nagpur Chhattisgarh Railway]] and then extending it via [[Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh|Bilaspur]] to [[Asansol Junction|Asansol]], in order to develop a shorter Howrah–Mumbai route than the one via Allahabad.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://railwaysofraj.blogspot.in/2011/08/number-1-down-mail.html| title=Number 1 Down Mail| publisher=Railways of the Raj| access-date= 19 February 2012 }}</ref> The Bengal Nagpur Railway main line from Nagpur to Asansol, on the [[Howrah–Delhi main line]], was opened for goods traffic on 1 February 1891.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ser.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1 |title=Major Events in the Formation of S.E. Railway |publisher=South Eastern Railway |access-date=19 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401151628/http://www.ser.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0%2C1 |archive-date=1 April 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> It was only after [[Kharagpur Junction|Kharagpur]] was linked from the west and the south that it was connected to Howrah in 1900.

The opening of this track was part of the inspiration for the French writer [[Jules Verne]]'s book ''[[Around the World in Eighty Days]]''. At the opening ceremony, the Viceroy [[Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo|Lord Mayo]] concluded that "it was thought desirable that, if possible, at the earliest possible moment, the whole country should be covered with a network of lines in a uniform system."

==Electrification==
In August 1976, the New Delhi–Howrah route (via [[Grand Chord]]), and that includes the Howrah–Allahabad section of the Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line, was the first trunk route in the country to be completely electrified with AC traction. Electrification of Itarsi - Jabalpur - Allahabad was proposed in Railway Budget of 2011. The entire route was divided into sections and electrification was completed in parts. In March 2020, electrification of last remaining stretch betweek Katni Jn. and Satna was also done, thereby the Howrah Allahabad Mumbai route became completely electrified.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/now-mumbai-howrah-train-route-via-prayagraj-fully-electrified/articleshow/76696820.cms|title = Now Mumbai-Howrah train route via Prayagraj fully electrified | Allahabad News - Times of India|website = [[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

==Speed limits==
Most of the [[Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line]] and [[Howrah–Bardhaman chord]] (the line is common with this line up to Allahabad) is classified as 'A' class line where trains can run up to {{convert|160|km/h}} but in certain sections speeds may be limited to {{convert|120|–|130|km/h}}. The line from Bhusawal to Mumbai is also classified as 'A' class. The Allahabad–Bhusawal sector is classified as 'B' class where trains can run up to 130 km/h.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-pway.html| title=Permanent Way| work=Track Classifications| access-date=15 January 2012 }}</ref>

==Calcutta Mail==
The ''[[Imperial Indian Mail]]'' (now called 12321 up /12322 down Howrah–Mumbai Mail via Jabalpur), running on this route, was possibly the first [[List of named passenger trains in India|named train of Indian Railways]]. The Mumbai–Howrah Mail via Allahabad is called ''Calcutta Mail'' between Mumbai and Allahabad, and ''Mumbai Mail'' (some still call it by its old name, ''Bombay Mail'') between Allahabad(Now Prayagraj) and Howrah. It is still running for 151 years as the oldest active train on this route covering {{convert|2160|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} distance in 37 hours and 30 mins with an average running speed of {{convert|57.6|kph|mph}} .<ref>{{cite news| url=http://irfca.org/articles/isrs/fnrm2-fame-name.html| title=Trains of fame and locos with a name – Part 1| last=Dutta| first=Joydeep| publisher= IRFCA| access-date=7 November 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url= http://thelonelywanderer.wordpress.com/tag/indian-railways/ | title= In the footsteps of the Imperial Mail| publisher= The Lonely Wanderer| access-date= 27 May 2013 }}</ref>

==Inspiration for writing==
The Kolkata–Mumbai linkage, along with other events, inspired the French writer [[Jules Verne]] to write his book [[Around the World in Eighty Days]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Great_Indian_Peninsula_Railway |title = Great Indian Peninsula Railway | publisher= Grace's Guide|work=British Industrial History | access-date = 2013-03-28 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{external media
| float=right
| video1= [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GHPKWqsiYE Howrah Mumbai Mail speeding through the Gangetic plains]
}}

{{Indian Railways}}
{{Central Railway}}
{{Railways in Eastern India}}
{{Railways in Central India}}
{{Railways in Western India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Howrah-Allahabad-Mumbai line}}
[[Category:5 ft 6 in gauge railways in India]]
[[Category:Rail transport in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Jharkhand]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Bihar]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1870]]

Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line - Revision history

HwaNormanby23: Starting Initial Data Needs Work