The Vijayawada–Gudur section is a railway line connecting Vijayawada in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and Gudur. The main line is part of the Howrah–Chennai and New Delhi–Chennai main lines.[1][2]

Vijayawada–Gudur section
Vijayawada Jan Shatabdi Express is an important train on the Vijayawada–Gudur section
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleAndhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
Termini
Service
Operator(s)South Coast Railway, Southern Railway
History
Opened1899
Technical
Track length455 km (283 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
ElectrificationYes
Operating speedup to 130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map

km
to Visakhapatnam–Vijayawada section
to Vijayawada–Machilipatnam branch line
to Kazipet–Vijayawada section
0 / 31
Vijayawada Junction
Krishna River
5 / 26
Krishna Canal
12
Mangalagiri
23
Namburu
25
Pedakakni Halt
29
Resauli
30
New Guntur
NH5-IN.svg NH 5
Guntur Junction
DRM Halt
Nallapadu
to Pagidipalli–Nallapadu section
to Guntakal Junction
41
Vejendla
47
Sangam Jagarlamudi
51
Angalakuduru
NH5-IN.svg NH 5
23
Kolanukonda
19
Pedavadlapudi
16
Chiluvur
10
Duggirala
6
Kolakaluru
55 / 0
Tenali
3
Chinnaravuru
10
Zampani
14
Vemuru
20
Penumarru
23
Bhattiprolu
28
Pallikona
34
Repalle
70
Modukuru
77
Nidobrolu
82
Machavaram
89
Appikatla
Nalamanda
98
Bapatla
106
Stuartpuram
109
Ipurupalem
113
Chirala
116
Jandrapeta
121
Vetapalemu
Gundalkamma River
124
Kota Pandilla Palli
128
Kadavkunduru
133
Chinna Ganjam
140
Uppugunduru
144
Reparla Halt
147
Ammanabrolu
153
Karavadi
162
Ongole
172
Surareddipalem
Muse River
181
Tanguturu
Pateru River
190
Singarayakonda
200
Ulavapadu
Ramayapatnam Port
214
Tettu
228
Kavali
240
Sri Venkateswarapalem
245
Bitragunta
NH5-IN.svg NH 5
251
Alluru Road
263
Talamanchi
267
Kodavaluru
NH5-IN.svg NH 5
275
Padugupadu
Penner River
279
Nellore
281
Nellore South
286
Vedayapalem
NH5-IN.svg NH 5
295
Venkatachalam
Krishnapatnam Port / To Nadikudi–Srikalahasti section
NH5-IN.svg NH 5
Kommalapudi
308
Manubolu
317 / 0
Gudur Junction
to Gudur–Renigunta section
to Gudur–Chennai section
Source:Google maps, Indiarailinfo/Vijayawada-Chennai Jan Shatabdi,
Delta Fast Passenger

Geography

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The Vijayawada–Gudur line runs along the Coromandel Coast, lying between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. The main line crosses the Krishna immediately after its departure from Vijayawada.[3][4]

Railway zone jurisdiction

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The track from Vijayawada to Gudur is under the administrative jurisdiction of South Central Railway[5]

History

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The Southern Mahratta Railway Company linked Goa with Guntakal with a metre-gauge line and also linked Vijayawada with Mormugao in 1890.[6] During the period 1893 to 1896, 1,287 km (800 mi) of the East Coast State Railway, from Vijayawada to Cuttack was built and opened to traffic,[7][8] and construction of the Vijayawada–Gudur link in 1899 enabled the through running of trains along the eastern coast of India.[6] The southern part of the East Coast State Railway (from Waltair to Vijayawada) was taken over by Madras Railway in 1901.[9] The track doubled during the period from the 1st April to the 31st October, Bezwada-Gudur section 1958 is 7.5 Mils. Total mileage under construction is about 46 miles of which 5 miles i«s readv for opening and another 8 miles of permanent wav have been linked. The Section is beaingdoubling part of a mileage aggregating 101 By April 1959 about 40 miles is ex-pected to be completed As the earth-work and bridging involved is heavy, no definite date for completion of the balance can yet be given but it t« expected that the full 101 miles will br readv by 31 March 1961.[10]

Railway reorganization

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In the early 1950s legislation was passed authorizing the central government to take over independent railway systems that were there. On 14 April 1951 the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway Company and Mysore State Railway were merged to form Southern Railway. Subsequently, Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway was also merged into Southern Railway. On 2 October 1966, the Secunderabad, Solapur, Hubli and Vijayawada Divisions, covering the former territories of Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway and certain portions of Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway were separated from Southern Railway to form the South Central Railway. In 1977, Guntakal division of Southern Railway was transferred to South Central Railway and the Solapur division transferred to Central Railway. Amongst the seven new zones created in 2010 was South Western Railway, which was carved out of Southern Railway.[11]

Electrification

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Howrah–Chennai Mail was the first train in South Eastern Railway to be hauled by a diesel engine (WDM-1) in 1965.[12] The Vijayawada–Gudur–Chennai section was completely electrified by 1980. The Howrah–Chennai route was completely electrified by 2005.[13] Section-wise electrification was as follows: Vijayawada–Chirala 1979–80; Chirala–Ongole, Ongole–Ulavapadu, Ulavapadu–Bitragunta, Bitragunta–Pagudupadu, Gudur–Venkatagiri, Venkatagiri–Renigunta, and Renigunta–Tirupati 1983–85; Krishna Canal–Guntur, Krishna Canal–Tenali and Guntur–Tenali 1987–89; Arakkonam–Renigunta 1982–85.[14]

Speed limits

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The New Delhi to Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station line (Grand Trunk route), of which the Vijayawada–Gudur section is a part, is planned to be upgraded into a "Group A" line which will enable it to take speeds up to 160 km/h. On the branch lines the speed limit is 100 km/h.[15]

Passenger movement

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Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central railway station, Vijayawada and Nellore, on the main line, and Tirupati Main and Vellore Katpadi, on branch lines, are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "3rd rail line joining Duvvada, Gudur to be completed in 5 yrs". The Business Standard. Vijayawada. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Goods train derailment: SCR cancels several trains". The Hindu. Vijayawada. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Coastal Plains of India". Country facts – the world at your finger tips. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  4. ^ "The Coastal Plains of India". Zahie.com. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Vijayawada Gudur Jan Shatabdi". India Rail Info. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  6. ^ a b "IR History:Early days II". 1870–1899. IRFCA. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Major Events in the Formation of S.E. Railway". South Eastern Railway. Archived from the original on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  8. ^ "History of Waltair Division". Mannanna.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  9. ^ "IR History: Part III (1900–1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  10. ^ https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1559/1/lsd_02_06_18-11-1958.pdf page 34
  11. ^ "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  12. ^ "IR History: Part – IV (1947–1970)". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  13. ^ "IR History Part VII (2000-present)". IRFCA. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  14. ^ "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  15. ^ "Chapter II – The Maintenance of Permanent Way". Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry". Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways. IRFCA. Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
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