The Indian Railways is among the largest railway network in the world. The railway network is also ideal for long-distance travel and movement of bulk commodities, it is six times more energy-efficient than road and four times more economical.
Organization of Railways in Rajasthan:
In India, the rail network is divided into 17 railway zones and further these zones are divided into divisions. There are two railway zones in Rajasthan and five railway divisions. Most of Rajasthan, along with some parts of Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana fall under North-Western Railway Zone. North Western Railway came being on 1st October, 2002 with head-quarter at Jaipur. It was carved out of 2 divisions each from Northern and Western Railways. Additionally, NW Zone is divided into 4 divisions:
- Jaipur Division
- Bikaner Division
- Jodhpur Division
- Ajmer Division
Download: NWR Network MAP
The second zone under which Rajasthan falls is – the West Central Railway Zone. This zone serves eastern & central Madhya Pradesh, southern Uttar Pradesh, and northeastern Rajasthan state. Kota is one of the important railway station falling under this zone. The WCR zone is divided into 3 divisions
- Jabalpur Division
- Bhopal Division
- Kota Division
Important Facts regarding Railway Network in Rajasthan:
- The total length of railway routes in the State was 5,893 km in March, 2016, which has remained 5,929 km at the end of March, 2018. The Railway length in state is 8.66 per cent of all India route length of 68,442 km.
- Banswara district does not have rail connectivity till now. Dungarpur – Banswara – Ratlam rail line project when complete will provide connectivity.
- Fulera was the first diesel Loco service center of Indian railways.
- Central India Manufacturing company (CIMCO) was established in 1957 at Bharatpur. It fills about 1/3rd demand of goods wagon.
- Biggest model room in India is located at Udaipur.
New Initiatives:
Dedicated Western Freight Corridor (WDFC)
- It is a broad gauge freight corridor under construction in India by Indian Railways.
- WDFC covers a distance of 1504 km of double line electric (2 X 25 KV) track from Dadri (UP) and Jawahar Lal Nehru Port (Mumbai).
- WDFC would pass through – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
- About 39 per cent of the Corridor passes through Rajasthan.
Jaipur Metro:
Jaipur Metro is a rapid transit system in the city of Jaipur, run & developed by Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (JMRC). The company is formed as per companies act of 1956 and is owned by Government of Rajasthan. The aim of company is Planning, designing, developing, constructing, maintaining, operating and financing the Mass Transit and other Urban Transport and People Mover Systems of all types and descriptions in the State of Rajasthan.
The first line of the Jaipur Metro was opened to public by Vasundhara Raje, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, on 3 June 2015, and thus, it became the sixth rapid transit system in India.
