North Central Railway zone

{{distinguish|text=the former Northern Central Railway in the United States}}

{{Infobox rail

| railroad_name = 80px
North Central Railway

| logo_filename =North Central Railway Zone.svg

| logo_size =80px

| system_map = Indianrailwayzones-numbered.png

| map_caption = 13-North Central Railway

| map_size =

| marks =

| image =

| image_size =

| image_caption =

| locale = North-Central India

| start_year = {{start date and age|2003}}

| end_year = present

| predecessor_line = Northern Railway zone
Central Railway zone

| successor_line =

| gauge = Mixed

| old_gauge =

| electrification =

| length = {{convert|3062|km}}

| hq_city = Prayagraj

| website = [http://www.ncr.indianrailways.gov.in/ ncr.indianrailways.gov.in]

}}

The North Central Railway (abbreviated NCR) is one of the 19 railway zones in India. The largest railway station in NCR is Prayagraj Junction & Kanpur Central as busiest. It is headquartered at Prayagraj and comprises three divisions: Prayagraj, Jhansi, and Agra of the erstwhile Northern Railway, Jhansi division of the erstwhile Central Railway, and new Agra division.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/north-central-railway-introduces-gross-happiness-index-for-running-staff/articleshow/63657794.cms|title=North Central Railway introduces Gross Happiness Index for running staff - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-10-24}}

History

{{see also | Rail transport in India#History | label 1 = Indian railway history | Northern Railway zone#History | label 2 = NR history | North Western Railway zone#History | label 3 = NWR history | North Eastern Railway zone#History | label 4 = NER history }}

File:India_railways1909a.jpg

The North Central Railway, in its present form, came into existence on 1 April 2003. The North Central Railway's present network extends over a large area of North Central India, covering the states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana.

By December 2017, railways for the first time installed 6,095 GPS-enabled "Fog Pilot Assistance System" railway signalling devices in four most affected zones, Northern Railway zone, North Central Railway zone, North Eastern Railway zone and North Western Railway zone, by doing away with the old practice of putting firecrackers on train tracks to alter train divers running trains on snail's pace. With these devices, train pilots precisely know in advance, about the location of signals, level-crossing gates and other such approaching markers.[//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/62042305.cms Indian Railways to use GPS-enabled devices to fight fog this season], Economic Times, 12 Dec 2017.

In 2022, the North Central Railway Zone achieved 100% electrification of its network.{{Cite web |title=Indian Railways touches another milestone! North Central Railway is now 100 percent electrified |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/infrastructure/railways/indian-railways-touches-another-milestone-north-central-railway-is-now-100-percent-electrified/2728873/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Financialexpress |language=en}}

Divisions

Serving the heartland of India, the North Central Railways comprises the following three divisions.

Area covered

The zone spreads across all three divisions mentioned above. It extends from Ghaziabad (excl.) in the north to Mughalsarai (excl.) in the east on New Delhi-Howrah trunk route and from Palwal (excl.) to Bina (excl.) on New Delhi Mumbai/Chennai corridor. North Central Railway span parts of UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh with about 3062 route km of BG comprising predominantly double line- electrified sections defining the sides and diagonals of the Golden Quadrilateral.{{Cite news|url=https://www.pnr.meramaal.com/hi/northern-railway-zone-2/|title=उत्तरी रेलवे क्षेत्र (Northern Railway Zone)|date=2018-10-22|work=Pnr status, train running status, seat availability, PNR|access-date=2018-10-24|language=hi-IN}} NCR consists of 202 main line stations & 221 branch line stations. This zone forms a corridor for trains almost directions viz. East to north and north to east a total of 29 pairs of mail-express trains daily west/south to north and north to south/west total 37 pairs of M/Exp. Trains daily east to Southwest and southwest to east a total of 25 pairs of Mail/Express trains daily East to West & West to East a total of 12 pairs of Mail/Express Trains Daily.{{cite web|url=http://www.ncr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1,261|title=North Central Railways / Indian Railways Portal|website=www.ncr.indianrailways.gov.in}}

Major stations

class="wikitable sortable" style="background:#fff;"

! style="background:#ffd750;" |Category of station

! style="background:#ffd750;" |No. of stations

! style="background:#ffd750;" |Names of stations{{Cite web |url=http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/StationRedevelopment/AI&ACategoryStns.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128044328/http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/StationRedevelopment/AI%26ACategoryStns.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 January 2016 |date=2016-01-28 |access-date=2019-04-18 |title=Archived copy }}

style="text-align:center;" |A-1 Category

| style="text-align:center;" |6

| style="text-align:center;" |{{rws|Prayagraj Junction}}, Gwalior Junction, {{rws|Kanpur Central}}, Mathura Junction, Agra Cantonment, Jhansi Junction

style="text-align:center;" |A Category

| style="text-align:center;" |15

| style="text-align:center;" |Tundla, Aligarh, Morena, {{rws|Etawah}}, {{rws|Fatehpur}}, {{rws|Phaphund}}, {{rws|Mirzapur}}, Banda, Chitrakutdham Karwi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Orai, Agra Fort, Raja ki Mandi

style="text-align:center;" |B Category