Guntur division
Encyclopedia
Guntur Railway Division is one of the six divisions of South Central Railway
(SCR), a zone of the Indian Railways
. SCR has its head quarters at Secunderabad
, Andhra Pradesh
and serves almost the whole of the state of Andhra Pradesh, a large part of Maharashtra
along with small portions of Madhya Pradesh
, Karnataka
and Tamil Nadu
.The headquarters of the Guntur Division are located at Rail Vikas Bhavan, Pattabhipuram, Guntur
.
, its creation was announced in 1997 by the then Union Minister of Railways, Ram Vilas Paswan
. The objective behind this move was to better administer the railway network in East Central Andhra Pradesh, one of the most backward regions of the state. The poorly developed road network in this region provides ample scope for the growth of the Railways. An Officer-on-Special Duty (OSD) was initially posted at Guntur to oversee the formation of the division. It became fully functional on 1 April 2003 with P.N Shukla as its first Divisional Railway Manager.
The newly built divisional headquarters office, Rail Vikas Bhavan at Pattabhipuram in Guntur is a landmark structure in the city, having a semi-circular design and mostly covered by tinted glass, was developed by P.N Shukla.The Rail Vihar Colony another land mark structure with a man-made lake , garden complex and eco-park, aptly named "The Pleasant Valley" a hilltop house for the DRM -The Rock Villa and a beautiful officers'colony was added by M.Akhtar, between 2007-09. The current Divisional Railway Manager is Anand Mathur, an officer of the IRPS
cadre.
The division is located completely in Andhra Pradesh and covers the districts of Nalgonda
, Guntur
, Kurnool
and Prakasam
.
Consisting entirely of Broad Gauge
track, it was formed by merging the most far-flung and least productive stretches of Vijayawada
, Secunderabad
and Guntakal
divisions of the South Central Railway
. It has 67 major and minor stations spread over a total route length of 618.8 kilometers. Their category wise breakup is
A (Annual revenue above Rs 60 million): Guntur Junction (1)
B (Annual revenue between Rs 30 to 60 million): Nadikudi, Nandyal and Nalgonda (3)
C: No stations
D: 8 stations
E: 37 stations
F: (Halt Stations): 18 stations
About 17 pairs of Express trains and 26 pairs of ordinary passenger trains operate through the division. The route breakup is as follows
A primarily freight-driven division, Guntur started with earnings of only Rs. 930 million in 2003. A steady increase saw the figure reach Rs. 2.72 billion in 2007-08 before the ongoing worldwide recession
brought it down to Rs. 2.37 billion in 2008-09. There was a marginal increase in the number of passengers carried as well as the earnings therefrom.
The division's total expenditure in 2008-09 was to the tune of Rs. 1.35 billion, primarily owing to its track renewal and passenger amenities works. Its Performance Efficiency Index was therefore pegged at 57.04%. The corresponding figures for 2007-08 were 0.89 billion and 32.92% respectively.
The Division was awarded the Signal and Telecommunications Shield of Excellence at the 54th Railway Week Celebrations of the South Central Railway in April, 2009.
The primary commodity transported by the division is cement
. Other commodities include grain
s, cotton
, chillies and timber
waste. The main freight loading points are
in Goa to Masulipatnam in the erstwhile Madras Province of British India. It was originally built to Metre Gauge
by the Southern Mahratta Railway (later the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway-MSMR) during 1889-90. The track passed through the Nallamala Hills and as a result quite a few major engineering works were undertaken in the course of the railroad construction, the most impressive of them being the massive Dorabavi Viaduct and the Bogada Tunnel, both of them about 30 km from Nandyal. This section was converted to Broad Gauge during 1993-95 under Indian Railways
' Project Unigauge. The gauge conversion was a difficult task owing to the difficult terrain. The old alignment between Gazulapalli and Diguvametta was abandoned and a new Bogada tunnel, about 1.6 km in length and a new Dorabavi Viaduct located at a much lower altitude were constructed at a huge expense. The railway passes through the historic Cumbum
Tank starting from Cumbum railway station for a distance of about 7 km. It is one of the most picturesque valleys in Guntur
-Nandyal
section of South Central Railway.
The Guntur-Macherla (GNT-MCLA) section was opened in 1930 by the MSMR to serve the backward inner Telangana
region. It too was originally metre gauge
and was converted to Indian gauge
in 1992-93. This section was used for the transport of limestone, quartz &cement, primarily from Piduguralla
, popularly known as the Lime City.
The section from Guntur to the coastal town of Repalle
was built to the broad gauge by the Madras and Southern Railway in 1916. This line connected to the East Coast main line at Tenali
. The section from Tenali to Repalle was owned by Guntur District Board until 1964.
The foundation stone for the 152 km long Bibinagar
-Nadikudi
rail project that opened an alternative route to Secunderabad
from Vijayawada
and connected the interior of Telangana to Hyderabad was laid by the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi
on 7 April 1974. The project was finally finished in 1989 and the line commissioned a year later. Two major bridges to span the Krishna River
and Musi
are located in this section. It is used by many south/east bound trains in a bid to decongest the heavily used Warangal
-Vijayawada
line. Cement is an important commodity that is transported through this line. besides quartz , coal and fertilizer.The doubling of 27 kms Guntur -Vijayawada section was completed in the year 2008 and opened for traffic in the same year.
are Nalgonda
, Miryalaguda, Nadikudi
, Sattenapalle, Piduguralla
, Tenali
, Repalle
. On the Nandyal stretch, the major towns are Donakonda
, Cumbum
, Vinukonda
, Narasaraopet
, Markapur
, Giddalur and Nandyal
.
South Central Railway
The South Central Railway is one of the 16 railway zones in India. It is headquartered at Secunderabad and has the following divisions:# Secunderabad# Hyderabad# Guntakal # Vijayawada# Guntur# Nanded...
(SCR), a zone of the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
. SCR has its head quarters at Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
and serves almost the whole of the state of Andhra Pradesh, a large part of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
along with small portions of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
and Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
.The headquarters of the Guntur Division are located at Rail Vikas Bhavan, Pattabhipuram, Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
.
Overview
One of the newest divisions of Indian RailwaysIndian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
, its creation was announced in 1997 by the then Union Minister of Railways, Ram Vilas Paswan
Ram Vilas Paswan
Ram Vilas Paswan is the president of the Lok Janshakti Party and a Rajya Sabha MP.-Early life and education:Paswan was born to a Dusadh family...
. The objective behind this move was to better administer the railway network in East Central Andhra Pradesh, one of the most backward regions of the state. The poorly developed road network in this region provides ample scope for the growth of the Railways. An Officer-on-Special Duty (OSD) was initially posted at Guntur to oversee the formation of the division. It became fully functional on 1 April 2003 with P.N Shukla as its first Divisional Railway Manager.
The newly built divisional headquarters office, Rail Vikas Bhavan at Pattabhipuram in Guntur is a landmark structure in the city, having a semi-circular design and mostly covered by tinted glass, was developed by P.N Shukla.The Rail Vihar Colony another land mark structure with a man-made lake , garden complex and eco-park, aptly named "The Pleasant Valley" a hilltop house for the DRM -The Rock Villa and a beautiful officers'colony was added by M.Akhtar, between 2007-09. The current Divisional Railway Manager is Anand Mathur, an officer of the IRPS
Indian Railway Personnel Service
The Indian Railway Personnel Service is a cadre of the Group-A services of the Government of India. The officers of this service are responsible for managing the Human Resources of the Indian Railways which has a work force of about 1.4 million employees....
cadre.
Jurisdiction
Nalgonda district
Nalgonda / Nallagonda District is a district in Andhra Pradesh. It has a population of 3,483,648 of which 13.32% is urban as of 2001.-Etymology:Its name is derived from two Telugu words Nalla & Konda i.e...
, Guntur
Guntur district
Guntur district is located in Andhra Pradesh along the east coast of Bay of Bengal. The district has a coastline of around 100 kilometers. Guntur City is the largest city in the district and administrative center of Guntur District. The district is a major center for learning.-Etymology:There are...
, Kurnool
Kurnool district
Kurnool District is a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, located in the west-central part of the state on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra and Handri rivers. The town of Kurnool is currently the headquarters of the district...
and Prakasam
Prakasam district
Prakasam District is an administrative district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, in India. The district headquarters is located at Ongole City...
.
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
track, it was formed by merging the most far-flung and least productive stretches of Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
, Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
and Guntakal
Guntakal
Guntakal is a town in Anantapur district in the southwestern part of the state of Andhra Pradesh and 50 km away from Bellary of Karnataka, India. It has a population of 2,26,658...
divisions of the South Central Railway
South Central Railway
The South Central Railway is one of the 16 railway zones in India. It is headquartered at Secunderabad and has the following divisions:# Secunderabad# Hyderabad# Guntakal # Vijayawada# Guntur# Nanded...
. It has 67 major and minor stations spread over a total route length of 618.8 kilometers. Their category wise breakup is
A (Annual revenue above Rs 60 million): Guntur Junction (1)
B (Annual revenue between Rs 30 to 60 million): Nadikudi, Nandyal and Nalgonda (3)
C: No stations
D: 8 stations
E: 37 stations
F: (Halt Stations): 18 stations
About 17 pairs of Express trains and 26 pairs of ordinary passenger trains operate through the division. The route breakup is as follows
| Section | Distance in km | Double/Single line | Traction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krishna canal Krishna canal Krishna canal is a junction station near Vijayawada where one of the railway lines from Guntur meets Howrah-Chennai mainline.... Jn (excl.) to Guntur Guntur Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra... |
27 | Double | Electric |
| Guntur Guntur Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra... Jn to Nallapadu Nallapadu Nallapadu is a suburb of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India and lies at the base of the Kondavidu Hills. It is situated about 5 km south west of Guntur and is also known as Narasinghapuram after a nearby hilltop temple. Railway lines to Guntakal and Macherla/Secunderabad bifurcate from here... |
5 | Double | Electric |
| Tenali Tenali Tenali , is a town and a mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It has a population of 149,839 . It is located 16 miles east of Guntur City. Three canals of the Krishna River flow through Tenali making it a part of the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. One of the canals is... Jn (excl.) to Guntur Junction |
24 | Single | Electric |
| Nallapadu Jn to Pagidipalli Pagidipalli Pagidipalli is a railway junction located near Bibinagar in Nalgonda district where Nadikudi line meets Secunderabad-Kazipet line.... (excl.) |
239 | Single | Diesel |
| Nallapadu Jn to Nandyal Nandyal Nandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of... |
257 | Single | Diesel |
| Repalle Repalle Repalle is a town, mandal and a municipality in Guntur district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located 28 miles south of Guntur.-Geography:Repalle is located at... to Tenali Tenali Tenali , is a town and a mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It has a population of 149,839 . It is located 16 miles east of Guntur City. Three canals of the Krishna River flow through Tenali making it a part of the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. One of the canals is... (excl.) |
32 | Single | Diesel |
| Nadikudi Nadikudi Nadikudi is a railway junction in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India . Trains that go to Macherla divert at Nadikudi Junction. The town nearest town to Nadikudi is Dachepalle.... Jn to Macherla Macherla Macherla is a town and a municipality in Guntur District in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the bank of Chandra Vanka.- Geography :Macherla is located at . It has an average elevation of 136 metres .... |
35 | Single | Diesel |
| Total | 618 | 32 km of double line | 56 km of electrified track |
Comparative earnings
(Figures in million rupees)| Service | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger | 535.3 | 590.3 | 602.0 | 598.0 |
| Other Coaching | 54.0 | 61.5 | 64.1 | 65.0 |
| Freight | 1981.6 | 2049.1 | 1680.4 | 2380.0 |
| Sundry | 16.3 | 25.5 | 25.6 | 26.0 |
| Total | 2587.2 | 2728.6 | 2372.1 | 3060.0 |
| No. of Passengers (millions) | 17.9 | 20.5 | 21.3 | 22.0 |
| Vol. of Freight (Million tonnes) | 2.6 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
A primarily freight-driven division, Guntur started with earnings of only Rs. 930 million in 2003. A steady increase saw the figure reach Rs. 2.72 billion in 2007-08 before the ongoing worldwide recession
Late 2000s recession
The late-2000s recession, sometimes referred to as the Great Recession or Lesser Depression or Long Recession, is a severe ongoing global economic problem that began in December 2007 and took a particularly sharp downward turn in September 2008. The Great Recession has affected the entire world...
brought it down to Rs. 2.37 billion in 2008-09. There was a marginal increase in the number of passengers carried as well as the earnings therefrom.
The division's total expenditure in 2008-09 was to the tune of Rs. 1.35 billion, primarily owing to its track renewal and passenger amenities works. Its Performance Efficiency Index was therefore pegged at 57.04%. The corresponding figures for 2007-08 were 0.89 billion and 32.92% respectively.
The Division was awarded the Signal and Telecommunications Shield of Excellence at the 54th Railway Week Celebrations of the South Central Railway in April, 2009.
The primary commodity transported by the division is cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
. Other commodities include grain
Food grain
thumb|150px|Barleythumb|150px|LentilGrains are small, hard, dry seeds harvested for human food or animal feed Agronomists also call the plants producing such seeds grains or grain crops....
s, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, chillies and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
waste. The main freight loading points are
- M/S India Cements Ltd.: Vishnupuram.
- M/S Penna Cements Ltd.: Vishnupuram and Miryalaguda.
- Rice: Miryalaguda and NalgondaNalgondaNalgonda is a town and a municipality in Nalgonda district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its name is derived from two Telugu words Nalla and Konda . Nalgonda in the past is referred to as Nilagiri. During the period of Bahamani kingdom, it had been renamed as Nallagonda...
. - Foodgrains, Cotton husk, Chillies: Reddipalem.
- Timber waste: MarkapurMarkapurMarkapur is a town and a municipality in Prakasam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the Third largest Town in Prakasam district.-Geography:Markapur is located at . It has an average elevation of 145 metres ....
and Cumbum
History
The Krishna Canal-Nandyal (KCC-NDL) stretch was a part of the important East-West coast link that connected MargaoMargao
Margao and commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It is the administrative headquarters of South Goa district and of the Salcete taluka.- Etymology :...
in Goa to Masulipatnam in the erstwhile Madras Province of British India. It was originally built to Metre Gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
by the Southern Mahratta Railway (later the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway-MSMR) during 1889-90. The track passed through the Nallamala Hills and as a result quite a few major engineering works were undertaken in the course of the railroad construction, the most impressive of them being the massive Dorabavi Viaduct and the Bogada Tunnel, both of them about 30 km from Nandyal. This section was converted to Broad Gauge during 1993-95 under Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
' Project Unigauge. The gauge conversion was a difficult task owing to the difficult terrain. The old alignment between Gazulapalli and Diguvametta was abandoned and a new Bogada tunnel, about 1.6 km in length and a new Dorabavi Viaduct located at a much lower altitude were constructed at a huge expense. The railway passes through the historic Cumbum
Cumbum, Andhra Pradesh
Cumbum is a village and a Mandal in Prakasam district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.-Geography:Cumbum is located at . It has an average elevation of 184 meters . This township is under Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. It was a Taluk with a Tahsildar and a small regiment during 1850s...
Tank starting from Cumbum railway station for a distance of about 7 km. It is one of the most picturesque valleys in Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
-Nandyal
Nandyal
Nandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of...
section of South Central Railway.
Telangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...
region. It too was originally metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
and was converted to Indian gauge
Indian gauge
Indian gauge is a track gauge commonly used in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Chile. It is also the gauge that is used on BART , in northern California.- Scotland :...
in 1992-93. This section was used for the transport of limestone, quartz &cement, primarily from Piduguralla
Piduguralla
Piduguralla is a town and mandal headquarters in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh state. It is famous for white cement and lime stone industries, cotton, rice and mirchi farming fields...
, popularly known as the Lime City.
The section from Guntur to the coastal town of Repalle
Repalle
Repalle is a town, mandal and a municipality in Guntur district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located 28 miles south of Guntur.-Geography:Repalle is located at...
was built to the broad gauge by the Madras and Southern Railway in 1916. This line connected to the East Coast main line at Tenali
Tenali
Tenali , is a town and a mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It has a population of 149,839 . It is located 16 miles east of Guntur City. Three canals of the Krishna River flow through Tenali making it a part of the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. One of the canals is...
. The section from Tenali to Repalle was owned by Guntur District Board until 1964.
The foundation stone for the 152 km long Bibinagar
Bibinagar
Bibinagar is a mandal headquarter in Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located on Warangal Highway between Hyderabad and Bhongir.-Commercial area:...
-Nadikudi
Nadikudi
Nadikudi is a railway junction in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India . Trains that go to Macherla divert at Nadikudi Junction. The town nearest town to Nadikudi is Dachepalle....
rail project that opened an alternative route to Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
from Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
and connected the interior of Telangana to Hyderabad was laid by the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
on 7 April 1974. The project was finally finished in 1989 and the line commissioned a year later. Two major bridges to span the Krishna River
Krishna River
The Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
and Musi
Musi River (India)
The Musi River is a tributary of Krishna River in the Deccan Plateau region of Andhra Pradesh state in India. It flows through a major portion of Hyderabad, India and divides the historic old city with the new city. Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar is known as gandipet are the two dams built on it...
are located in this section. It is used by many south/east bound trains in a bid to decongest the heavily used Warangal
Warangal
Warangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...
-Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
line. Cement is an important commodity that is transported through this line. besides quartz , coal and fertilizer.The doubling of 27 kms Guntur -Vijayawada section was completed in the year 2008 and opened for traffic in the same year.
Abandoned lines
- The 10 km long VejendlaVejendlaVillage Name : VejendlaMandal : ChebroluDistrict : GunturState : Andhra Pradeshcountry : IndiaPIN : 522213Vejendla is one of the major village in Chebrolu Mandal of the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in between Tenali and Guntur, it is 12 km away...
-Tsunduru stretch that connected to the ChennaiChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
-Howrah mainline.
- The 27 km long stretch that was built to carry building material to the Nagarjuna Sagar dam site from MacherlaMacherlaMacherla is a town and a municipality in Guntur District in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the bank of Chandra Vanka.- Geography :Macherla is located at . It has an average elevation of 136 metres ....
.
Cities and towns served
The major cities and towns served by the division on the Pagidipalli-Repalle route apart from GunturGuntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
are Nalgonda
Nalgonda
Nalgonda is a town and a municipality in Nalgonda district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its name is derived from two Telugu words Nalla and Konda . Nalgonda in the past is referred to as Nilagiri. During the period of Bahamani kingdom, it had been renamed as Nallagonda...
, Miryalaguda, Nadikudi
Nadikudi
Nadikudi is a railway junction in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India . Trains that go to Macherla divert at Nadikudi Junction. The town nearest town to Nadikudi is Dachepalle....
, Sattenapalle, Piduguralla
Piduguralla
Piduguralla is a town and mandal headquarters in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh state. It is famous for white cement and lime stone industries, cotton, rice and mirchi farming fields...
, Tenali
Tenali
Tenali , is a town and a mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It has a population of 149,839 . It is located 16 miles east of Guntur City. Three canals of the Krishna River flow through Tenali making it a part of the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. One of the canals is...
, Repalle
Repalle
Repalle is a town, mandal and a municipality in Guntur district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located 28 miles south of Guntur.-Geography:Repalle is located at...
. On the Nandyal stretch, the major towns are Donakonda
Donakonda
Donakonda is a town and a Mandal in Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The name comes from a nearby hill. It had a population of 23,137 at the time of the 2001 Census.- Geography :...
, Cumbum
Cumbum
Cumbum may refer to:*Cumbum, Tamil Nadu - A town in Tamil Nadu in India.*Cumbum, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh - A town in Andhra Pradesh in India....
, Vinukonda
Vinukonda
Vinukonda is a town in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It had a population of 52,830 at the time of the 2001 Census. Local mythology holds a hill nearby as the place where Rama was informed of his wife Sita's abduction. The name therefore literally translates to "Hearing Hill". It is also...
, Narasaraopet
Narasaraopet
Narasaraopet or Narasaraopeta is a town in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It had a population of 95,002 at the time of the 2001 Census. The name comes from Narasa Rao, a wealthy landlord who owned much of the surrounding areas...
, Markapur
Markapur
Markapur is a town and a municipality in Prakasam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the Third largest Town in Prakasam district.-Geography:Markapur is located at . It has an average elevation of 145 metres ....
, Giddalur and Nandyal
Nandyal
Nandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of...
.
Places of interest served by the division
- MangalagiriMangalagiriMangalagiri is a town, and a mandal of Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. Mangalagiri is a part of Vijayawada urban agglomeration. It is situated on the Guntur-Vijayawada road, to the south-east of Vijayawada and to the north-east of Guntur City.-History:Mangalagiri means 'The holy hill'...
: Located on the Guntur-Vijayawada route, Mangalagiri is the site of a renowned Hindu temple and is famous for its handloom industry.
- Nagarjuna sagar: 29 km away from MacherlaMacherlaMacherla is a town and a municipality in Guntur District in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the bank of Chandra Vanka.- Geography :Macherla is located at . It has an average elevation of 136 metres ....
station, Nagarjunasagar is a huge artificial lake created by the construction of a dam and hydropower station on the River Krishna. The submerged valley was the site of the Ancient Krishna River Valley civilization that flourished in the Later Buddhist period. A 2000-year-old stupa and the remains of a university are among the relics that now lie underwater. The recoverable relics were rescued and are now displayed at the Archaeological Museum in Nagarjunakonda, an island in the lake. Also nearby are the well known Ethipothala FallsEthipothala FallsEthipothala Falls is a high river cascade, situated on the Chandravanka river, a tributary of River Krishna. The waterfall is a combination of three streams namely Chandravanka Vagu, Nakkala Vagu and Tummala Vagu. It is situated about from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. The river the joins the main river...
, one of the largest in India.
- SrisailamSrisailamSrisailam is a holy town and mandal, situated in Nallamala Hills of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located on the banks of River Krishna, about 232 km south of Hyderabad....
: Located in the Nallamalla Hills, 85 km from MarkapurMarkapurMarkapur is a town and a municipality in Prakasam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the Third largest Town in Prakasam district.-Geography:Markapur is located at . It has an average elevation of 145 metres ....
station and 125 km from VinukondaVinukondaVinukonda is a town in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It had a population of 52,830 at the time of the 2001 Census. Local mythology holds a hill nearby as the place where Rama was informed of his wife Sita's abduction. The name therefore literally translates to "Hearing Hill". It is also...
, Srisailam is the site of a major hydroelectric project on the River Krishna. It is also a much revered pilgrimage spot for Hindus due to the Shiva temple and its status as one of the 12 Jyothirlingams. The town is the gateway for the Rajiv Gandhi National Park that spreads over 3568 km2 and is one of the last major refuges of the Royal Bengal Tiger.
- AmaravatiAmaravati, Andhra PradeshAmaravathi is a small town situated on the banks of the River Krishna in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is famous for its Amareswara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is one of the famous Pancharamas. Amaravati, also known as Dhanyakataka/Dharanikota was the site of a...
: 30 km from Guntur, Amaravati was the capital of the Satavahanas, a powerful dynasty that ruled modern Andhra Pradesh and MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
for 500 years after the fall of the Mauryan Empire. It is also the site of a famous Shiva temple and the ruins of the Amaravati Stupa, a Buddhist shrine of Ashokan era, panels of which are now found in Tokyo and London museums.
- MahanandiMahanandiMahanandi is a village located east of the Nallamala Hills in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a picturesque village surrounded by thick forests. Within 15 km of Mahanandi, there are nine Nandi shrines known as Nava Nandis. Mahanandi is one of the Nava Nandis. The Mahanandiswara...
: About 16 km from Nandyal is Mahanandi, one of the most popular shrines in Andhra Pradesh. Nestled in the Nallamalla Hills, Mahanandi is famous for the Mahanandiswara Swamy Temple, dedicated to Lord ShivaShivaShiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. It is one of the Navanandis. A unique feature of the shrine is that one is allowed to touch the linga present in the Garbha-griha.
- MacherlaMacherlaMacherla is a town and a municipality in Guntur District in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the bank of Chandra Vanka.- Geography :Macherla is located at . It has an average elevation of 136 metres ....
: 131 km from Guntur, Macherla is the terminus of the NadikudiNadikudiNadikudi is a railway junction in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India . Trains that go to Macherla divert at Nadikudi Junction. The town nearest town to Nadikudi is Dachepalle....
-Macherla line and the nearest railhead for Nagarjuna Sagar. It is also the site of a famous 13th century temple dedicated to Sri Laxmi Chennakesava Swamy.
- UppalapaduUppalapaduUppalapadu is a village near Guntur City, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It is also a reputed bird sanctuary..- Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary :...
Bird Sanctuary: 8 km away from Guntur. It is the site of a wetland that hosts a large variety of both local and migratory birds. It is famous for the spot-billed PelicanSpot-billed PelicanThe Spot-billed Pelican or Grey Pelican is a member of the pelican family. It breeds in southern Asia from southern Pakistan across India east to Indonesia. It is a bird of large inland and coastal waters, especially large lakes...
that migrates from south and southeast Asia to nest in this wetland.
- CumbumCumbumCumbum may refer to:*Cumbum, Tamil Nadu - A town in Tamil Nadu in India.*Cumbum, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh - A town in Andhra Pradesh in India....
Lake: Built by the Gajapati Kings of Orissa in the 15th century, the dam on the River Gundlakamma is one of the oldest in Asia. At the turn of 20th century the height of the dam was 57 feet (17.4 m) and the drainage area was 430 square miles (1,113.7 km²). The direct irrigation land was about 10300 acres (41.7 km²) in all. The dam is a short distance away from Cumbum Station on the Nandyal line.
- BhattiproluBhattiproluBhattiprolu is a small village in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh State in Southern India.-History:The original name of Bhattiprolu was Pratipalapura, a flourishing Buddhist town in the ancient Sala kingdom that predated Andhra Satavahanas. From available inscriptional evidence, King Kuberaka...
: About 28 km from TenaliTenaliTenali , is a town and a mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It has a population of 149,839 . It is located 16 miles east of Guntur City. Three canals of the Krishna River flow through Tenali making it a part of the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. One of the canals is...
on the RepalleRepalleRepalle is a town, mandal and a municipality in Guntur district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located 28 miles south of Guntur.-Geography:Repalle is located at...
line, Bhattiprolu was one of the earliest sites of pre-Mauryan BuddhismBuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
in South India. A phrase written on a piece of pottery, excavated from the Stupa there is the earliest example of Brahmi script in South India, dating back to 4th century BC. It is thus the site from where TamilTamil languageTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and Telugu scriptTelugu scriptTelugu script, an abugida from the Brahmic family of scripts, is used to write the Telugu language, a language found in the South-Central Indian state of Andhra Pradesh as well as several other neighboring states. The Telugu script is derived from the Bhattiprolu script...
evolved.
Miscellaneous
- The division has 386 level crossing gates in its jurisdiction. It maintains 6 telephone exchanges and runs 4 hospitals/health units.
- There are a total of 37 officers in the division and its sanctioned staff strength is 4618.
- As part of its greenery efforts, the division maintains a 50 acres (202,343 m²) park called Kartik Vanam with more than 6500 trees, both native and exotic. It also has a duck park in it.
- Some of the popular trains passing through the division are the Falaknuma ExpressFalaknuma Express2703/2704 Falaknuma Express is a superfast train of The Indian Railways connecting Howrah to Secunderabad. The train belongs to the South Central Railway. It runs daily and connects important stations such as Bhubaneswar, Vishakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Guntur. It is a fast alternative to other...
, the Amaravati ExpressAmaravati ExpressAmaravati Express is an important train organized by Indian Railways...
, Prashanthi Express, MachilipatnamMachilipatnamMachilipatnam is a city and a special grade municipality in the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located south east of state capital, Hyderabad.-History:...
-BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
ExpressExpress trainExpress trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station...
via NandyalNandyalNandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of...
, Bhubaneswar-Bangalore Garibrath weekly Express via NandyalNandyalNandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of...
, Vishakha Express,Howrah-Prasanthi Nilayam weekly express via Markapuram & Nandyal, Palnadu Express and the Chennai Express.
Current projects
- Shifting Reddipalem Goods Yard to make way for New Guntur Railway which will be a bypass for north bound trains.
- The doubling and electrification of Tenali-Guntur and the electrification of Guntur- NandyalNandyalNandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of...
- GuntakalGuntakalGuntakal is a town in Anantapur district in the southwestern part of the state of Andhra Pradesh and 50 km away from Bellary of Karnataka, India. It has a population of 2,26,658...
are proposed for Railway Board's approval.
- A new line from Vishnupuram to Janapahad has also been sanctioned for the benefit of Cement industries which may ultimately be connected to Jaggayapet
- A new line from NandyalNandyalNandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of...
to YerraguntlaYerraguntlaYerraguntla or Erraguntla is a census taluk and mandal in Cuddapah district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.Yerraguntla is called a land of Cement Factories.The Factories like India Cements Limited , India Cements Limited , Zuari Cements and Bharathi Cements Corporation Ltd are famous for...
to enable more cement loading.
- Converting many stations in the division to standard layout stations in order to provide crossing facilities there.
- Establishing a new self sufficient residential colony, Rail Vihar, for the staff and officers at Nallapadu, Guntur.
- Providing additional pit line at Reddipalem yard for washing,cleaning and maintenance of Coaching Rakes.
- Beautification and providing passenger amenities at Adarsh and Model Stations over Guntur DivisionGuntur divisionGuntur Railway Division is one of the six divisions of South Central Railway , a zone of the Indian Railways. SCR has its head quarters at Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh and serves almost the whole of the state of Andhra Pradesh, a large part of Maharashtra along with small portions of Madhya...
- Providing a passenger lift at GunturGunturGuntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
station for old ladies and physically disabled persons.
See also
- Train Transit in GunturTrain Transit in GunturTrain transit is a common mode of transportation in Guntur City and its region. There are many local railway stations to cover its suburban and rural regions...
- Guntur City
- Indian RailwaysIndian RailwaysIndian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
- South Central RailwaySouth Central RailwayThe South Central Railway is one of the 16 railway zones in India. It is headquartered at Secunderabad and has the following divisions:# Secunderabad# Hyderabad# Guntakal # Vijayawada# Guntur# Nanded...