Cutch State Railway

Cutch State Railway (CSR) was an isolated 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railway in Cutch State, one of the princely states allied to Britain in India.

History

The railway was financed by the Maharao Khengarji Bawa of Cutch State. The laying of first rails started in 1900–01, from Tuna to Anjar, which became operational in 1905. The works for lines from Anjar to the then state capital Bhuj started in 1901-02 and completed in 1908. A further addition of 32 miles was done in 1912 from Varsamedi (near Anjar) to Bhachau and further extension of 15 miles up to Kandla port was started at the end of 1930 and completed in 1932.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] The narrow gauge lines of CSR were laid by Mistris of Kutch and the services of British engineers were also employed.^[1]^[2] The railway was owned, managed and operated by Cutch State.

In 1940 the railway carried 300,000 passengers, while the main freight traffic was cotton, grain and sugar. The railway used four small 4-4-0 type locomotives, later supplemented by three 25 ton 4-6-0 locomotives. The Maharao owned a petrol railcar designed by Everard Calthrop, which the Maharao used as a shooting car on his hunting expeditions.^[4]

The Cutch State Railways continued to operate as separate system (even after independence of India and merger of the Princely State of Cutch) until the railway was merged into the Western Railway on 5 November 1951, at which time the total length was 72 miles.^[5]^[6]

Rolling stock

In 1936, the company owned 6 locomotives, 7 railcars, 15 coaches and 66 goods wagons.^[7]

Classification

It was labeled as a Class III railway according to Indian Railway Classification System of 1926.^[8]^[9]

Conversion to broad gauge

The railway has been connected to Indian Railways and is under conversion to 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge.^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b Nanji Bapa Ni Nondh-pothi by Dharshi Taunk. (1999) Published from Vadodara. Pg. 90 Cutch State Railway Contracts done by Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya or Mistris of Kutch : Details : Tuna to Anjar in 1900–01 (lines opened in 1905), Anjar to Bhuj in 1901-02 lines opened in 1908), Varsamedi to Bhachua (line opened in 1912) & to Kandla in 1930 (lines opened in 1932) with names of Mistri Contractors.
^ ^a ^b Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas: A brief History and Glory: by Raja Pawan Jethwa. (2007). Published from Calcutta. Section II: Mileage wise available Details of Railway lines laid. Pages:54-60
^ Transportation History of Kutch. Want to know more about it, http://bhujbolechhe.org/en/blog/tarunkant-chhaya/kcchnaa-vaahn-vyavhaarno-itihaas Archived 29 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
^ ^a ^b Hughes, Hugh 1994 Indian Locomotives Pt. 3, Narrow Gauge 1863-1940. Continental Railway Circle.
^ "Chapter 1". Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
^ With effect from 5 November 1951, ...and Kutch State Railways to form Western Railway Statistical abstract, India, Issue 11 published by India. Office of the Economic Adviser, India. Central Statistical, Organisation, 1962. Page No. 316.
^ World Survey of Foreign Railways. Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C. 1936. p. 225.
^ "Indian Railway Classification". Retrieved 10 November 2022.
^ World Survey of Foreign Railways. Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C. 1936. p. 223–226d.
^ http://deshgujarat.com/2015/12/06/bhuj-naliya-broad-gauge-conversion-work-kicks-off/ Bhuj Naliya broad gauge conversion work kicks off

[A-1] Nanji Bapa Ni Nondh-pothi by Dharshi Taunk. (1999) Published from Vadodara. Pg. 90 Cutch State Railway Contracts done by Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya or Mistris of Kutch : Details : Tuna to Anjar in 1900–01 (lines opened in 1905), Anjar to Bhuj in 1901-02 lines opened in 1908), Varsamedi to Bhachua (line opened in 1912) & to Kandla in 1930 (lines opened in 1932) with names of Mistri Contractors.

[x-2] Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas: A brief History and Glory: by Raja Pawan Jethwa. (2007). Published from Calcutta. Section II: Mileage wise available Details of Railway lines laid. Pages:54-60

[B-3] Transportation History of Kutch. Want to know more about it, http://bhujbolechhe.org/en/blog/tarunkant-chhaya/kcchnaa-vaahn-vyavhaarno-itihaas Archived 29 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine

[Hughes-4] Hughes, Hugh 1994 Indian Locomotives Pt. 3, Narrow Gauge 1863-1940. Continental Railway Circle.

[finance-5] "Chapter 1". Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-23.

[6] With effect from 5 November 1951, ...and Kutch State Railways to form Western Railway Statistical abstract, India, Issue 11 published by India. Office of the Economic Adviser, India. Central Statistical, Organisation, 1962. Page No. 316.

[7] World Survey of Foreign Railways. Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C. 1936. p. 225.

[8] "Indian Railway Classification". Retrieved 10 November 2022.

[9] World Survey of Foreign Railways. Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C. 1936. p. 223–226d.

[10] ttp://deshgujarat.com/2015/12/06/bhuj-naliya-broad-gauge-conversion-work-kicks-off/ Bhuj Naliya broad gauge conversion work kicks off

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v t e Railways in Western India
National network / trunk lines	New Delhi–Mumbai main line Konkan Railway Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line Mumbai–Chennai line Jaipur–Ahmedabad line Ahmedabad–Mumbai main line
Branch lines / sections	Mathura–Vadodara section Akola–Ratlam line Nagda–Ujjain section Ujjain–Bhopal section Ahmedabad–Viramgam section Bhusawal–Kalyan section Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line Gandhidham–Bhuj section Gandhidham–Kandla Port section Gandhidham–Palanpur section Gandhidham–Samakhiali section Jodhpur–Bathinda line Maliya Miyana–Wankaner section Marwar Junction–Munabao line Mumbai Dadar–Solapur section Nagpur–Bhusawal section Samakhiali–Maliya Miyana section Solapur–Guntakal section Surendranagar–Bhavnagar line Viramgam–Mahesana section Viramgam–Maliya Miyana section Viramgam–Okha line Dharangadhra–Surendra Nagar section Viramgam–Surendra Nagar section Wankaner–Surendra Nagar section Rajkot–Wankaner section Jamnagar–Porbandar line Porbandar–Jetalsar section Rajkot–Somnath line Palitana–Sihor section Bharuch–Dahej line Ankleshwar–Rajpipla section Anand–Khambhat line Vasad–Kathana line Kanjari Boriyavi–Vadtal line Anand–Godhra section Bilimora–Waghai section Udhna–Jalgaon line Ahmedabad–Udaipur line
Suburban lines	Ahmedabad (Planned) Mumbai (Western line Central line Harbour line Trans-Harbour line Port line) Pune
Metro rail	Mumbai Metro Navi Mumbai Metro Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad Greater Nashik Metro Surat Metro Pune Metro Nagpur Metro
Monorail	Mumbai
Defunct lines revived / under revival	Nagpur Chhattisgarh Railway Barsi Light Railway
Defunct lines	Salsette–Trombay Railway Bhavnagar State Railway Gaekwar's Baroda State Railway Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Cutch State Railway
Railway divisions	Bhusawal Pune
Railway companies	Central Railway Western Railway West Central Railway Konkan Railway Corporation Great Indian Peninsula Railway Saurashtra Railway Mumbai Port Trust Railway
See also	Indian Railways Ahmedabad–Prayagraj (Allahabad) Weekly Superfast Express Bholu (mascot) Urban rail transit in India Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor Bhor Ghat