COMMUNICATIONS

RAILWAYS

Akola occupies a central and favourable position in regard to railway communications. It is advantageously situated on the Bombay-Calcutta broad gauge railway line and the Khandwa-Purna metre gauge rail route. The importance of the district as regards railway communication could be understood if we take note of the fact that the district is being served by the railways since 1867. Of the total length of 354 km. of railways in Akola district the broad gauge accounts for 83 km, narrow gauge 57 km. and metre gauge 214 km. The existing railway mileage in the district is 3.79 miles per 100 square miles of area against 2.66 miles per 100 square miles in the State. It may be noted that as a result of regrouping of the Indian Railways in 1952 the Great Indian Peninsula Railway was grouped under the Central Railway and the Bombay-Bhusawal-Nagpur route, the Murtizapur-Achalpur route, the Murtizapur-Yeotmal route and the Khandwa-Purna route were placed under the Central Railway.

Bombay-Bhusawal-Nagpur-Howrah Route : The portion of the Bombay-Bhusawal-Nagpur route falling within Akola district was opened for traffic in 1867. The double track line was constructed between 1918 and 1922. This trunk route traverses the Nasik, Jalgaon and Buldhana districts before entering Akola district. It enters Akola district after leaving Shri Kshetra Nagjhari railway station in Buldhana district. It runs through the heart of the district, and traverses the Balapur, Akola and Murtizapur tahsils, a total distance of 57 miles. The topography through which this line passes is plain and is more dry than green. It passes through the fertile and alluvial cotton soils and serves the needs of the heavy passenger and goods traffic from Akola and Murtizapur. This important route is crossed by the Khandwa-Purna line at Akola, while the Murtizapui-Achalpur and the Murtizapur-Yeotmal lines emanate from it. These feeder lines have lent to the commercial importance of this line.

The stations on this route (with their distance from Bombay) are: Paras 564 km., Gaigaon 572 km., Akola 584 Km., Borgaon 603 km., Katepurna 611 km., Murtizapur 622 km., Mana 634 km., and Kurum 647 km. The passenger trains running daily on this railway route are: (1) Bombay-Calcutta Mail via Nagpur, (2) Bombay-Howrah Express via Nagpur, (3) Dadar-Nagpur Express, (4) Nagpur-Kolhapur Maharashtra Express and (5) Bhusawal-Nagpur Passenger (two trains with the same name). The following is a description of a few important stations on this line.

Akola. Akola is an important station and a junction on this railway line. This station is provided with a spacious II class waiting hall and I class waiting room, which are well equipped with the necessary furniture etc. There are two platforms for broad gauge trains and one for metre gauge trains. These platforms are paved, covered and electrified. Fans and clocks have been provided on the platforms. There are separate booking offices for upper and lower class passengers at the station. Amenities like enquiry office, reservation of scats, public call office, cloak room, cold water, book stalls, etc., have been provided at Akola. There are two tea stalls and one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian refreshment rooms. Convenient transport facilities, such as a city bus service, taxis, rikshaws, etc., are always available at the station to carry passengers to and from the town. From the commercial point of view Akola is the most important station next only to Nagpur in Vidarbha region.

Murtizapur.—Murtizapur is an important station and a junction in Akola district. It is provided with a spacious II class waiting hall. The I class waiting room is well equipped with fans, light, latrines, etc. There are three platforms, two for broad gauge trains and one for narrow gauge trains. All these platforms are covered and electrified. Fans and clocks have been provided on the platforms. There are separate booking offices for upper and lower class passengers at the station. There are two tea stalls as also vegetarian and non-vegetarian refreshment rooms.

Khandwa-Hingoli Purna Line: The portion of Khandwa-Hingoli-Purna metre gauge route falling within Akola district was opened for traffic on 2nd January 1961. This route traverses from north to south through the Akot, Akola and Washim tahsils. It runs through the central part of the district and the topography through which it traverses is plain. This line enters Akola district after passing through Melghat tahsil in Amravati district, covers a distance of 214 km, in this district and leaves for Parbhani district. There are in all 18 stations in the district on this line. Stations on this route (with their distances from Khandwa) are: Hiwarkhed 100 km., Adgaon-Buzurg 119 km., Akot 131 km., Patsul., 142 km., Gandhi Smarak Road 156 km., Ugwe 164 km., Akola 174 km., Sivni Shivapur 183 Km., Barshi-Takli 195 km., Punoti 203 km., Lohogad 208 km., Aman Vadi 220 km., Jaulka 230 km., Dubalvel 237 km., Kata Road 243 km., Washim 253 km., and Kekatumar 263 km. Of these stations besides Akola. Akot and Washim are important on this route in the district, a brief description of which is given below.

Akot.—Akot station on the Khandwa-Hingoli-Purna metre gauge railway line has a 1 class and 11 class waiting room and one II class waiting hall. There is also a separate waiting room for ladies. All these waiting rooms are equipped with amenities, such as, fans, tables, chairs etc. There is only one platform for up and down trains. The platform is paved, covered and electrified. Fans are also provided on the platform. There are separate booking offices for upper and lower class passengers at the station. The station is provided with amenities like cloak room, book stall, tea stall and refreshment room.

Washim.—Washim is another important station on this line. Being in the heart of a very rich cotton cultivating area, there is brisk business in cotton. Thousands of bales of cotton are exported from this station annually to Bombay, Nagpur, Sholapur and other places. The other important items of export are cotton seed, oil-cake, grains and pulses. Railway communications have lent added importance to this town. The station is well built and has one platform for up and down trains. It is equipped with electric fans, light, potable water, tea-stalls and benches. There are upper as well as lower class waiting rooms equipped with all the necessary amenities to the travelling public. A separate wailing room for ladies is also provided. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian refreshment facilities are also provided. There are book stalls and fruit stalls also.

Murtizapur-Yeotmal Route: The Murtizapur-Achalpur railway route has added to the prosperity and economic growth of the rich cotton tracts of the eastern zone of Akola district and has accelerated the growth of trade and commerce as also facilitated passenger transport on a large scale.

This narrow gauge route emanates from the Bombay-Nagpur-Calcutta broad gauge line from Murtizapur junction and goes from north to south and covers a distance of 57 km, in Akola district.

The construction of the railway line was completed in November 1914 by the former Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company for a Branch Line Company called the Central Provinces Railway. [History of Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways, p. 119.] With the termination of contracts with the former Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company the line was brought under direct State management from July 1925. Though known as the Central Provinces Railway it was grouped in 1952 under the Central Railway.

The permanent way consists of 35 lbs. flat footed steel rails laid on pressed steel peapod sleepers The line is chiefly ballasted with broken stone and sand. Murum is also used as ballast for the sides. The sharpest curve is of 1.49 metres (4.78 feet) radius, the ruling gradient being 1 in 100. [History of Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways, p. 119.]

The topography of the countryside through which the line passes is plain with a few hills and may be described to be more dry than green. In its northern stretch it runs through the black cotton soil country. This line has ten railway stations in this district viz., (distance from Murtizapur being given against each) Murtizapur Town 2 km., Kinkhed 13 km., Vilegaon 20 km., Bhadsivni 24., Pohe 27 km., Karanja 32 km., Karanja Town 34 km., Dadgaon 39 km., Somthan 44 km., and Sangwi 48 km. A few of the stations on this line are described below.

Karanja.—Karanja is an important station on the Murtizapur-Yeotmal narrow gauge route, both as regards passenger traffic and goods traffic. Being in the heart of a very rich cotton cultivating area, there is brisk business in cotton. Thousands of bales of cotton are exported from this station annually. The other important items of export are cotton-seed, grain and pulses. The station has one platform which is adequately provided with amenities like potable water, tea-stalls, benches and waiting sheds. There is a fruit stall and a book stall. The station is also equipped with an upper class waiting room and a waiting hall for lower class passengers.

Sangwi.—Sangwi station is 48 km., away from Murtizapur and exports cotton seed and grains to Bombay, Nagpur, Murtizapur, Akola, Shegaon and Chalisgaon. It is equipped with amenities such as, a waiting hall for II class passengers, an upper class waiting room, tea stall, potable water and a cloak room.

Murtizapur-Achalpur route: This narrow gauge railway route emanates from the Bombay-Nagpur-Calcutta trunk route at Murtizapur and runs towards the north to enter in Amravati district wherein it terminates at Achalpur. It was constructed by the former Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company for a Branch Line Company [For details of company contract and constructional aspect refer the account of the Murtizapur-Yeotmal route given earlier.] known as the Central Provinces Railways Company, and was opened for traffic on December, 1913.[History of Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways, p. 119.]

This route covers a distance of about 14 km., in this district and passes through a fertile countryside known for cotton cultivation. The area through which it passes is almost plain with an occasional hill or two. There is only one railway station on this line in the district which is 13 km., from Murtizapur junction. The goods traffic on this line includes raw cotton, foodgrains (dals, jowar and wheat) and timber from the Achalpur forests in Amravati district.

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