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Narrow-gauge railways in India

{{Short description|Railway in India}}

{{refimprove|date=April 2018}}

This is a list of former and current narrow-gauge railways in India. All railways except the heritage ones are closed or under conversion/are converted to the nation-wide standard {{RailGauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} gauge, under Project Unigauge. Despite attempts to convert the entire country into broad-gauge many Metro systems and Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor are done under Standard-gauge railway.{{Cite news |last=Ravibabu |first=Sudhanshu Mani & M. |date=2023-10-08 |title=Revisiting the rail gauge debate |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/revisiting-the-rail-gauge-debate/article67397379.ece |access-date=2024-08-09 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}

In 2007, India had 45 narrow-gauge lines in operation and most of these lines were made in pre-independence era predominantly in territories controlled by Princely states or terrain with steep gradient.{{Cite web |date=2020-12-16 |title=Western Railway is killing off the last of its 'toy trains' |url=https://lifestyle.livemint.com//news/talking-point/western-railway-is-killing-off-the-last-of-its-toy-trains-111608022543082.html |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=Mintlounge |language=en}}

Defunct lines

=== {{RailGauge|1000mm|lk=on}} ===

=== {{RailGauge|2ft6in|lk=on}} ===

  • Barsi Light Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Bengal Provincial Railway (closed)
  • Bhavnagar Tramway (closed)
  • Cherra Companyganj State Railways (closed)
  • Cooch Behar State Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Cutch State Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Dehri Rohtas Light Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Dholpur–Sarmathura Railway (being converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge){{Cite web |title=Last narrow-gauge line in plains of north India is counting its days |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/specials/2022/11/25/remaining-narrow-gauge-service-in-north-india.html |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=The Week |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2019-04-23 |title=Netas connect Karauli, Dholpur with rail line only during polls |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections/rajasthan/news/netas-connect-karauli-dholpur-with-rail-line-only-during-polls/articleshow/68998478.cms |access-date=2024-08-08 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}
  • Gaekwar's Baroda State Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Martin's Light Railways (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Mayurbhanj State Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • McLeod's Light Railways (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Morvi Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Nasik Tramway (closed)
  • Pachora–Jamner railway (to be converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Parlakimedi Light Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Rajpipla State Railway (converted to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Satpura Railway (under conversion to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge){{Cite news |date=2020-08-24 |title=Decks cleared for rail travel between Itwari-Chhindwara |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/decks-cleared-for-rail-travel-between-itwari-chhindwara/articleshow/77721244.cms |access-date=2024-08-08 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}{{Cite news |date=2015-09-20 |title=Narrow gauge section of Nagpur division of Railways closes from October 1 in Satputda valley |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/narrow-gauge-section-of-nagpur-division-of-railways-closes-from-october-1-in-satputda-valley/articleshow/49033275.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-08-08 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}
  • Shakuntala Railway (under conversion to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge) (Yavatmal - Murtizapur - Achalpur section and Arvi - Pulgaon section).{{Cite news |date=2021-07-22 |title=Wildlife nod must to upgrade railway line through Amravati's Melghat: Piyush Goyal |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/wildlife-nod-must-to-upgrade-rly-line-through-melghat-goyal/articleshow/84623329.cms |access-date=2024-08-08 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}
  • Abhanpur - Rajim/Dhamtari (under conversion to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge)
  • Itwari - Nagbhir (under conversion to {{RailGauge|5ft6in}} broad gauge){{Cite news |date=2019-11-25 |title=Itwari-Nagbhid narrow gauge train now history |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/itwari-nagbhid-narrow-gauge-train-now-history/articleshow/72214123.cms |access-date=2024-08-08 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}{{Cite web |title=Last narrow gauge line in Central India to chug into history |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/travel/travel-news/2019/08/19/last-narrow-gauge-line-central-india-chug-history.html |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=Onmanorama}}

=== {{RailGauge|2ft|lk=on}} ===

List of operational lines

class="wikitable"

|+

!Sl No

!Zone

!Name

!From

!To

!Operational length

!Future Prospectus

1

|Southern Railway

|Nilgiri Mountain Railway 1000mm

|Mettupalayam (MTP)

|Udhagamandalam(UAM)

|46 km

|

2

|Northeast Frontier Railway

|DHR (Toy Train) 610mm

|New Jalpaiguri (NJP)

|Darjeeling

|83.9 km

|

3

|Northern Railway

|Kangra Valley Railway 762mm

|Pathankot

|Joginder Nagar

|164 km

|

  • Longest {{RailGauge|2ft6in|lk=on}} Gauge Railway in the World
  • UNESCO Heritage Site (tentative list)
4

|Northern Railway

|Kalka–Shimla Railway 762mm

|Kalka

|Shimla

|96.6 km

|

5

|Central Railway

|Matheran Hill Railway 610mm

|Neral

|Matheran

|21 km

|

6

|Western Railway

|Pachora–Jamner railway

|Pachora Junction

|Jamner

|56 km

|

  • Gauge conversion announced in 2016.{{Cite web |title=Regarding conversion of proposed narrow gauge railway line between Navin Pachora to Jamner to broad gauge {{!}} District Jalgaon, Government of Maharashtra {{!}} India |url=https://jalgaon.gov.in/notice/regarding-conversion-of-proposed-narrow-gauge-railway-line-between-navin-pachora-to-jamner-to-broad-gauge-3/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |language=en-US}}
7

|Western Railway

|Bilimora–Waghai

|Bilimora

|Waghai

|63 km

|

  • Heritage airconditioned train service in operation since 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-03 |title=Indian Railways to resume Bilimora-Waghai narrow gauge train in Gujarat with AC Tourist coach |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/business/railways-indian-railways-to-resume-bilimora-waghai-narrow-gauge-train-in-gujarat-with-ac-tourist-coach-2323153/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=Financialexpress |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-12-16 |title=Explained: Why Gujarat is seeing protests to save a 107-year-old railway line |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/billimora-waghai-railway-line-gujarat-7107392/ |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{Asia in topic|Narrow-gauge railways in}}