>Vatsmaxed: /* top */updated template, replaced: Broad gauge → {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} broad gauge

2021-06-24T13:43:41Z

top: updated template, replaced: Broad gauge → {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} broad gauge

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{{short description|Railway section in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width = 28em
| name = Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section
| color =
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = 18463 Prashanti Express at Alamanda with WAP-4 Loco.JPG
| image_width = 250px
| caption = 18463 Prashanti Express at Alamanda railway station on Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section
| type =
| system =
| status = Operational
| locale = [[Odisha]], [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| start = {{stnlnk|Khurda Road}}
| end = [[Visakhapatnam Junction|Visakhapatnam]]
| stations =
| routes =
| daily_ridership =
| open = 1899
| close =
| owner = [[Indian Railways]]
| operator = [[East Coast Railway zone|East Coast Railway]], [[South Coast Railway zone|South Coast Railway]]
| character =
| depot =
| stock =
| linelength =
| tracklength = {{convert|424|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
| tracks = 2
| gauge = {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} [[broad gauge]]
| old_gauge =
| minradius =
| racksystem =
| electrification =
| speed = up to {{convert|130|km/h|abbr=on}}
| elevation =
| website =
| map = {{Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section}}
| map_state = collapsed
}}

The '''Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section''' is a railway line connecting {{stnlnk|Khurda Road}} in the Indian state of [[Odisha]] and [[Visakhapatnam Junction|Visakhapatnam]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]]. The main line is part of the [[Howrah–Chennai main line]].

==Geography==
The Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section traverses the [[Eastern Coastal Plains]], first the southern part of the Odisha plains from the [[Mahanadi River Delta]] to a little beyond [[Chilika Lake]] and then the [[Northern Circars]]. The coastal plains lie between the [[Eastern Ghats]] and the [[Bay of Bengal]] and at places the Eastern Ghats come close to the sea. This area has a number of rivers flowing into the sea – [[Rushikulya]], [[Vamsadhara River|Vamsadhara]] and [[Nagavali River|Nagavali]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/india/Coastal-Plains-of-India/3029|title = Coastal Plains of India|publisher= Country facts – the world at your finger tips| access-date = 2013-01-17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.zahie.com/categories/details/social-studies/the-coastal-plains-of-india.html|title = The Coastal Plains of India|publisher= Zahie.com| access-date = 2013-01-17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.geol.lsu.edu/WDD/ASIAN/Mahanadi/mahanadi.htm |title = Mahanadi River Delta, India, Asia|publisher= The World Delta Database| access-date = 2013-01-17 }}</ref>

===Port development===
[[Visakhapatnam Port]] at the mouth of the Meghadrigedda was opened in 1933. It was initially developed by [[Bengal Nagpur Railway]]. The port has an inner harbour and an outer harbour . Visakhapatnam port handled 68.04 million tonnes of cargo in 2010–11, which was the second highest in India after [[Kandla]]. Visakhapatnam port is being upgraded to handle ships up to 200,000 DWT.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.vizagport.com/AboutUs/History.aspx| title = Port of Visakhapatnam| work = History| publisher = vizagport| access-date = 2013-01-24| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121111025637/http://www.vizagport.com/AboutUs/History.aspx| archive-date = 11 November 2012| url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-254388645/vizag-port-feels-heat.html |title = Vizag port feels the heat of competition from Gangavaram|work= The Hindu Business Line|date=19 April 2011| via= Access My Library| access-date = 2013-01-24}}</ref>

[[Gangavaram Port]] came up in 2008 and is claimed to be deepest port in India, which can handle ships up to 200,000 DWT.<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.gangavaram.com |title = Welcome to Gangavaram Port| publisher= Port Gangavaram| access-date = 2013-01-24}}</ref>

A minor port is proposed to be developed at [[Bheemunipatnam]], near the mouth of the [[Gosthani River]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.apports.in/in/content/view/44/62/| title = Bheemunipatnam Port| publisher = Department of Ports, Government of Andhra| access-date = 2013-01-24| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130310070612/http://www.apports.in/in/content/view/44/62/| archive-date = 10 March 2013| url-status = dead}}</ref>

[[Gopalpur-on-Sea]] is being developed into a deep sea port capable of handling ships up to 120,000 DWT.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gopalpurports.com/ |title = Gopalpur port | access-date = 2013-01-25}}</ref>

==History==

===Howrah–Chennai main line===
During the period 1893 to 1896, {{convert|1287|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} of railway tracks covering the entire coastal stretch from {{stnlnk|Cuttack}} to [[Vijayawada Junction|Vijayawada]], was built and opened to traffic by [[East Coast State Railway]].<ref name=ser>{{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 = 2013-01-02 | 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><ref name=waltair>{{cite web | url = http://www.mannanna.com/mannannaArt1.html | title = History of Waltair Division | publisher = Mannanna.com | access-date = 2013-01-02 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121011235936/http://www.mannanna.com/mannannaArt1.html | archive-date = 11 October 2012 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>[[Bengal Nagpur Railway]]'s line to Cuttack was opened on 1 January 1899.<ref name=ser/> The southern part of the East Coast State Railway (from Waltair to Vijayawada) was taken over by [[Madras Railway]] in 1901.<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history3.html |title = IR History: Part III (1900-1947)| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 2013-01-19}}</ref> The {{convert|514|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}-long northern portion of the East Coast line to Cuttack, including the branch line to {{stnlnk|Puri}}, was taken over by [[Bengal Nagpur Railway]] in 1902.<ref name=waltair/><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1,261 | title = History | publisher = East Coast Railway | access-date = 2013-01-02 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110131114416/http://www.eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0%2C1%2C261 | archive-date = 31 January 2011 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

===Branch lines===
The {{convert|79|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} Vizianagaram–Parvatipuram line was opened in 1908–09 and an extension to Salur was built in 1913. The Parvatipuram–Raipur line was completed in 1931.<ref name=ser/> (More information is available in the [[Jharsuguda–Vizianagaram line]].)

In 1960, Indian Railway took up three projects: the Kottavalasa–Koraput–Jeypore–Kirandaul line ([[Dandakaranya Project ]]), the Titlagarh–Bolangir–Jharsuguda Project and the Rourkela–Kiriburu Project. All the three projects taken together were popularly known as the DBK Project or the Dandakaranya Bolangir Kiriburu Project.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.baral.us/Orissa-rail-history.pdf |title =History of Indian Railways in Orissa |last=Baral |first=Chitta | access-date = 2012-11-27 }}</ref> The Kottavalasa–Kirandaul line was opened in 1966–67.<ref name=waltair/>

The Paralakhemedi Light Railway opened the Naupada–Gunupur line between 1900 and 1931.<ref name=ser/><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rail-trail/466993/1 |title = Paralakhemedi Light Railway | work= The Indian Express|date=28 May 2009| access-date = 2012-12-10 }}</ref> The line was converted to broad gauge in 2011.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&id=0,6,338,646&dcd=573&did=13339748308319C148E1216987466056FE87C93D0A9D3.web91 |title = Performance of Waltair Division in 2011-12 | publisher= Waltair Division of East Coast Railway| access-date = 2012-11-27 }}</ref>

===Railway reorganization===
The [[Bengal Nagpur Railway]] was nationalized in 1944.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history3.html |title = IR History: Part - III (1900–1947)| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 2012-11-21}}</ref> [[Eastern Railway zone|Eastern Railway]] was formed on 14 April 1952 with the portion of [[East Indian Railway Company]] east of [[Mughalsarai]] and the Bengal Nagpur Railway.<ref name=zones>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-geog.html#newzone |title = Geography – Railway Zones| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 2012-11-21 }}</ref> In 1955, [[South Eastern Railway zone|South Eastern Railway]] was carved out of Eastern Railway. It comprised lines mostly operated by BNR earlier.<ref name=zones/><ref name=railhist>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history4.html |title = IR History: Part - IV (1947–1970)| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 2012-11-21 }}</ref> Amongst the new zones started in April 2003 were [[East Coast Railway zone|East Coast Railway]] and [[South East Central Railway zone|South East Central Railway]]. Both these railways were carved out of South Eastern Railway.<ref name=zones/>

==Electrification==
[[Howrah–Chennai Mail]] was the first train in South Eastern Railway to be hauled by a diesel engine ([[WDM-1]]) in 1965.<ref name=railhist/>

The Khurda–Visakhapatnam section was completely electrified by 2002. The Howrah–Chennai route was completely electrified by 2005.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history7.html |title = IR History Part VII (2000–present) | publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 2013-01-02 }}</ref>

==Speed limits==
The entire Kharagpur–Visakhapatnam–Vijayawada main line is classified as a "Group B" line which can take speeds up to 130 km/h. In the branch lines the speed limit is 100 km/hr.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/IRPWM/PermanentWayManualCh2_data.htm |title = Chapter II – The Maintenance of Permanent Way| access-date = 2013-01-02 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==

{{Railways in Eastern India}}
{{Railways in Southern India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khurda Road - Visakhapatnam section}}
[[Category:5 ft 6 in gauge railways in India]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Odisha]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Khurda Road railway division|*]]
[[Category:Waltair railway division|*]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1899]]
[[Category:1899 establishments in India]]

Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section - Revision history

>Vatsmaxed: /* top */updated template, replaced: Broad gauge → {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} broad gauge