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{{short description|Railway line in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width = 28em
| name = New Delhi–Chennai main line
| color =
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image =
| image_width =
| caption =
| type =
| system =
| status = Operational
| locale = [[Delhi]], [[Haryana]], [[Uttar Pradesh]],<br/>[[Rajasthan]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Telangana]] <br/>[[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| start = [[New Delhi railway station|New Delhi]]
| end = [[Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central railway station]]
| stations =
| routes =
| daily_ridership =
| open = {{start date and age|1929||}}
| close =
| owner = [[Indian Railways]]
| operator = [[Northern Railway zone|Northern Railway]], [[North Central Railway zone|North Central Railway]], [[Central Railway zone|Central Railway]], [[South Central Railway zone|South Central Railway]], [[Southern Railway zone|Southern Railway]]
| character =
| depot =
| stock =
| linelength = {{convert|2182|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
| tracklength =
| tracks = 2/3/4
| gauge = {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} [[broad gauge]]
| old_gauge =
| minradius =
| racksystem =
| electrification = [[25 kV AC railway electrification|25 kV 50 Hz AC]] [[Overhead lines|OHLE]] during 1980–1991
| speed = up to 160 km/h
| elevation =
| website =
| map = [[File:Grand Trunk Express and Tamil Nadu Express (NDLS-MAS) Route map.jpg|250px]]{{Delhi–Chennai line}}
| map_state = collapsed
}}

The '''New Delhi–Chennai main line''' is a railway line connecting [[Chennai]] and [[Delhi]] cutting across southern part of the [[Eastern Coastal Plains]] of India, the [[Eastern Ghats]], the [[Deccan Plateau]] and the [[Yamuna|Yamuna valley]]. It covers a distance of {{convert|2182|km|mi}} across [[Delhi]], [[Haryana]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Telangana]], [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Tamil Nadu]]. The route is used by the [[Grand Trunk Express]] and as such is referred to by many as the {{nowrap|'''Grand Trunk Route'''}}.

[[File:Grand Trunk Express - AC 2 tier coach.jpg|thumb|Grand Trunk Express is one of the important train on Delhi-Chennai main line.]]

==History==
The Agra–Delhi chord was opened in 1904.<ref name=irhistoryiii>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history3.html|title = IR History: Part III (1900–1947)| publisher= IRFCA| access-date =17 March 2014}}</ref> Some parts of it were relaid during the construction of New Delhi (inaugurated in 1927–28).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/TopStories/A-fine-balance-of-luxury-and-care/Article1-723880.aspx | title = A fine balance of luxury and care | work = Hindustan Times|date=21 July 2011 | access-date = 17 March 2014 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130602112944/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/TopStories/A-fine-balance-of-luxury-and-care/Article1-723880.aspx | archive-date = 2 June 2013 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

The Agra–Gwalior line was opened by the Maharaja of Gwalior in 1881 and it became the Scindia State Railway.

The Indian Midland Railway built the Gwalior–Jhansi line and the Jhansi–Bhopal line in 1889.<ref name=irfcaii>{{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 = 17 March 2014}}</ref>

The Bhopal–Itarsi line was opened by the Begum of Bhopal in 1884.<ref name=irfcaii/> Itarsi was linked with Nagpur between 1923 and 1924.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://nagpur.nic.in/gazetteer/gaz1966/final_gazettee/comm1.html| title = Introduction| work = Nagpur Itarsi Route| publisher = Nagpur district authorities| access-date = 17 March 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090410104748/http://nagpur.nic.in/gazetteer/gaz1966/FINAL_GAZETTEE/comm1.html| archive-date = 10 April 2009| url-status = dead}}</ref>

The period of construction of the Nagpur–Balharshah line is uncertain.

The Vijayawad–Madras line was constructed in 1899.<ref name=irfcaii/>

The Wadi–Secunderabad line was built in 1874 with financing by the Nizam of Hyderabad. It later became part of [[Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway]]. In 1889, the main line of the Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway was extended to Vijayawada, then known as Bezwada.<ref name=irfcaii/>

With the completion of the Kazipet–Balharshah link in 1929, Madras was directly linked to Delhi.<ref name=irhistoryiii/>

==Intermediate branch lines==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Branch !! Length
|-
| [[Nizamabad–Peddapalli section|Nizamabad–Peddapalli]] || {{convert|177|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
|-
|[[Nagpur–Secunderabad line]]
|581 km (361 mi)
|-
|[[Kazipet–Vijayawada section]]
|201 km (125 mi)
|}
==Sections==
The {{convert|2182|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}-long trunk line, amongst the long and busy trunk lines connecting the metros, has been treated in more detail in smaller sections:
# [[Kanpur–Delhi section|Agra Chord]]
# [[Agra–Bhopal section]]
# [[Bhopal–Nagpur section]]
# [[Nagpur–Hyderabad line|Nagpur–Kazipet section]]
#[[Kazipet–Vijayawada section]]
# [[Vijayawada–Chennai section]]

==Electrification==
The Vijayawada–Madras section electrified by 1980.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history7.html |title = IR History Part VII (2000–present) | publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 17 March 2014 }}</ref>

The Vijayawada–Kazipet sector was electrified in 1985–88.<ref name=electric>{{cite web| url = http://irfca.org/docs/electrification-history.html|title = History of Electrification| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 17 March 2014}}</ref>

The Kazipet–[[Ramagundam railway station|Ramagundam]]–Balharshah–Nagpur sector was electrified in 1987–89.

The Bhopal–Itarsi sector was electrified in 1988–89 and the Nagpur–Itarsi sector in 1990–91.

The Agra–Bhopal sector was electrified in 1984–89.

The Agra–Faridabad section was electrified in 1982–85.<ref name=electric/>

==Speed limits==
The Delhi–Chennai line (Grand Trunk route) is classified as a "Group A" line which can take speeds up to 160 km/h.<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 = 17 March 2014}}</ref>

==Passenger movement==
[[New Delhi railway station|New Delhi]], [[Mathura Junction railway station|Mathura Junction]], [[Agra cantonment railway station|Agra Cantt.]], [[Gwalior Junction railway station|Gwalior]], [[Jhansi Junction railway station|Jhansi]], [[Bhopal Junction railway station|Bhopal]], [[Habibganj railway station|Habibganj]], [[Nagpur railway station|Nagpur]], [[Ramagundam railway station|Ramagundam]], [[Warangal railway station|Warangal]], [[Vijayawada Junction|Vijayawada]], [[Gudur railway station|Gudur]] and [[Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central railway station]], on this line, are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianrail.gov.in/7days_Avl.html |title=Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry |work=Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways |publisher=IRFCA |access-date=17 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140510115649/http://www.indianrail.gov.in/7days_Avl.html |archive-date=10 May 2014 }}</ref>

==Diamond quadrilateral==
The Delhi–Chennai line is a part of the [[Diamond Quadrilateral|diamond quadrilateral]]. The routes connecting the four major metropolises (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata), along with their diagonals, known as the diamond quadrilateral, carry about half the freight and nearly half the passenger traffic, although they form only 16 per cent of the length.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-geog.html#newzone |title = Geography – Railway Zones |work= Major routes| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 17 March 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Indian Railways}}
{{Railways in Northern India}}
{{Railways in Central India}}
{{Railways in Southern India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:New Delhi-Chennai main line}}
[[Category:5 ft 6 in gauge railways in India]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1929]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Delhi]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Haryana]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Tamil Nadu]]

New Delhi–Chennai main line - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article