Project Unigauge, started on 1 April 1992,
is an ongoing effort by
Indian Railways
Indian Railways is a state-owned enterprise that is organised as a departmental undertaking of the Ministry of Railways (India), Ministry of Railways of the Government of India and operates India's national railway system. , it manages the fou ...
to
convert and unify almost all
rail gauges
In rail transport, track gauge is the distance between the two rails of a railway track. All vehicles on a rail network must have wheelsets that are compatible with the track gauge. Since many different track gauges exist worldwide, gauge dif ...
in India to
broad gauge
A broad-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge (the distance between the rails) broader than the used by standard-gauge railways.
Broad gauge of , more known as Russian gauge, is the dominant track gauge in former Soviet Union countries ...
.
Progress
Lines that were scrapped
These lines were dismantled without a broad-gauge replacement. These were mostly industrial railways, forest railways, etc.
# – Pani Mines
# –
Lunavada
Lunavada (also transliterated as Lunawada) is a Municipal council (India), municipality in the Mahisagar district, Mahisagar district, formerly in the northern part of Gujarat state of India.
Lunawada is the administrative headquarters of the M ...
# –
Velavadar
#
Than –
Chotila
Chotila is a Hindu temple town and Taluka headquarters of Chotila Taluka, Surendranagar district, located near Rajkot, Gujarat, India.
Nearby railway stations included Than & Rajkot. The distance from the Than junction to Chotila is 21 km ...
# Victor – Dungar Junction
# –
Toda Rai Singh
# –
Agar
Agar ( or ), or agar-agar, is a jelly-like substance consisting of polysaccharides obtained from the cell walls of some species of red algae, primarily from " ogonori" and " tengusa". As found in nature, agar is a mixture of two components, t ...
# – Chandan Chauki
# –
Gauri Phanta
Lines which are to be preserved (will not be converted)
These lines have their original gauge preserved as these are identified as heritage railways. Some of these are also among the
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.
#
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, also known as the DHR or the Toy Train, is a narrow-gauge, gauge railway that runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal. Built between 1879 and 1881, it is about long. It c ...
(Narrow Gauge - 610 mm)
#
Kalka–Shimla Railway
The Kalka–Shimla Railway is a narrow-gauge railway in North India which traverses a mostly mountainous route from Kalka to Shimla. It is known for dramatic views of the hills and surrounding villages. The railway was built under the direction ...
(Narrow Gauge - 762 mm)
#
Kangra Valley Railway (Narrow Gauge - 762 mm)
#
Matheran Hill Railway
The Matheran Hill Railway (MHR) is a narrow-gauge heritage railway in Maharashtra, India, which is administered by the Central Railway zone. It covers a distance of , connecting Neral, India, Neral to Matheran in the Western Ghats. The MHR is o ...
(Narrow Gauge - 610 mm)
#
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR), colloquially called the "Toy Train" by locals, is a railway in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu, India, built by the British in 1908. The railway is operated by the Southern Railway and is the only rack railwa ...
(Meter Gauge - 1000 mm)
See also
*
Future of rail transport in India
The Indian Government is undertaking several initiatives to upgrade its aging railway infrastructure and enhance its quality of service. The Railway Ministry has announced plans to invest to upgrade the railways by 2030. Upgrades include 100% e ...
*
List of gauge conversions
This is a list of notable railway track gauge conversions, railway lines where the distance between the rails is broadened or narrowed. Conversions to broader gauge are generally to accommodate heavier loads or for wider cars, while conversions t ...
References
{{Navbox track gauge
History of rail transport in India