Satpura narrow-gauge lines

Satpura narrow-gauge lines
Overview
System	Steam/diesel
Locale	Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
Operation
Opened	1903
Closed	2015
Owner	Indian Railway
Operator(s)	South East Central Railway
Technical
Track gauge	2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

Satpura narrow-gauge lines was a network of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge railway lines in states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in central India.

After the Great Famine of 1876–78 in central India, the Bengal Nagpur Railway began planning to open a low-cost railway track that would unite the region, allowing both access to the agricultural and mineral resources of the region, further safeguarding the inhabitants should another famine arise. Nainpur was the focal point of the network and was even bestowed with the prestige of being a divisional headquarters for some time. The lines came up in the early years of the 20th century. The first portion of the Gondia–Nainpur line was opened on 13 April 1903, Nainpur and Chhindwara were connected in 1904 and Jabalpur in 1905. The Chhindwara–Pench Coalfield line came up in 1906–07 and the Nainpur-Mandla Fort line in 1909. The extensive network of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge tracks measured just over 1,000 km.

The Satpura narrow-gauge lines are under conversion to 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge.

The section between Gondia and Balaghat was converted to broad gauge in 2005–2006 connecting Balaghat to India's national network for the first time. Work is underway to convert the Balaghat–Jabalpur section to broad gauge. The narrow gauge trains running between Jabalpur and Balaghat were stopped in October 2015 and the track was closed for gauge conversion. The gauge conversion is expected to be completed by 2018-2019. The 85 km broad gauge track from Jabalpur to Ghunsore railway station was operational in September 2017 and the 28 km track from Ghunsore to Nainpur is expected to be converted by early 2018.

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