Railway Zones in India: Check the complete list of Railway zones

India’s railway network, famed worldwide, boasts over 67,000 kilometers of track and serves more than 23 million passengers daily. Among its many zones, Central Railways is particularly notable for its extensive reach and pivotal role. This article delves into the historical origins and key contributions of India’s various railway zones, offering an in-depth examination of their organizational structure and operational dynamics. By tracing the evolution of these zones, we uncover how they have shaped the country’s transportation landscape.

Additionally, the readers can check out the zones in Indian railway at present, their routes and the zonal management structure for the Indian railways. Through this exploration, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the critical role that India’s railway zones play in the nation’s infrastructure and their enduring legacy in facilitating movement and commerce across the country.

Railway Zones Divisions in India

Here is the Railway Zones Division in India :

• Indian Railways functions through a well-defined system of zones and divisions.
• The entire railway system, encompassing the Kolkata Metro Railway, is structured into 19 Zones and 70 Divisions.
• Each Zone is divided into different division and each division operates under the leadership of a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), who reports directly to the General Manager of their respective zone.
• Instances exist where specific states oversee railway lines that extend across multiple Zonal Railways or Divisions.
• The distribution of responsibilities is based on operational and administrative needs, prioritizing divisions over state boundaries.

Central Railway Zone In India

Central Railway (CR) is one of the 19 zones in the Indian Railways network, with its main office at the famous Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai. This station is historically significant as it was where India’s first passenger train journey began, connecting Mumbai and Thane on April 16, 1853. This important event marked the start of India’s railway journey, which now has a rich history of over 170 years.

Central Railway Zone in India from 1951 to 1984

On November 5, 1951, the railway zone was established by unifying various government-owned railways, such as the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the Scindia State Railway from the erstwhile princely state of Gwalior, Nizam State Railway, Wardha Coal State Railway, and the Dholpur State Railway.

• The Central Railway Zone in India was formed in 1951 by merging the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railways with the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railways.
• The zone’s headquarters is located in Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
• From 1951 to 1984, Central Railway underwent rapid expansion and development.
• The network of lines was extended to cover new areas, including the Konkan region.
• New trains were introduced, and the existing fleet of locomotives and coaches was upgraded.
• Significant investments were made in safety and signaling technology.
• As a result, Central Railway became one of the most important and busiest railway zones in India.
• The zone played a key role in the country’s economic development and became a major tourist destination.

Here are some specific examples of developments in Central Railway from 1951 to 1984:

⇒The Konkan Railway was constructed between 1960 and 1984, spanning 760 kilometers along India’s western coast. It is considered one of the most scenic railway lines in the world.
⇒The Mumbai Suburban Railway was electrified between 1951 and 1984, becoming one of the busiest suburban railway networks globally, carrying over 7 million passengers daily.
⇒Central Railway introduced several new trains during this period, including the Rajdhani Express, the Shatabdi Express, and the Duronto Express, known for their speed and comfort.
⇒Significant investments were made in safety and signaling technology, including new signaling systems and automatic train protection.
⇒These developments made Central Railway one of the most important and busiest railway zones in India, contributing significantly to the country’s economic development and becoming a major tourist destination.

Railway Zone Headquarters

The Indian railway network is segmented into different zones, and each zone is further subdivided into divisions, resulting in a total of 69 divisions across the country. Each zone operates independently of its headquarters.

How many Railway Zones in India

India boasts 19 Railway zones, excluding Metro Rail systems. Indian Railways stands as one of the world’s largest rail networks, spanning 123,236 kilometers across these zones and 68 Divisions. The Northern zone is the largest in terms of route kilometers, while the Southern zone was the first to be established on April 14, 1951. Check the details below:

• Indian Railways is divided into zones to help manage its huge network efficiently. As of 2022, there are 19 railway zones in India, each split into several divisions. These zones look after trains, stations, tracks, and other railway activities in their areas.

   

• Indian Railways, run by the Ministry of Railways, is the national railway system of India. It manages and develops the railway network across the country. With over 7,000 stations, Indian Railways connects millions of people and transports goods across the country every day.

List of Railway Zones in India

The Indian Railways is so large that it’s divided into 19 different zones. Each zone manages a specific region, helping trains run smoothly and keeping the railways in good condition. These zones are essential for making sure everything on the railway network works well.

Central Railway Zone in India

Central Railway Zone, is an important part of Indian Railways, operates in the central region, and plays an important role in connecting major cities like Mumbai and Pune. Its headquarters are located at the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai.

1. Central Railway: The Central Railway zone is headquartered in Mumbai and covers the central part of India. Central Railway provides services in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
2. Konkan Railway: Konkan Railway is headquartered in Navi Mumbai and covers the Konkan region of India. Konkan Railway provides services in Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka, connecting major cities such as Mumbai, Goa, and Mangalore.
3. Metro Railway in Kolkata: The Metro Railway in Kolkata is a rapid transit system that serves the city of Kolkata in West Bengal. It is the first metro railway in India and operates services on a single line, connecting major parts of the city.

Northern Railway Zone in India

Northern Railway Zone is a key segment of the Indian Railways, serving the northern part of the country, including major cities like Delhi. With its headquarters in Delhi, it plays a pivotal role in facilitating railway connectivity and transportation in the region.

1. Northern Railway: The Northern Railway zone is headquartered in Delhi and covers the northern part of India. Northern Railway provides services in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir.
2. North Central Railway: The North Central Railway zone is headquartered in Prayagraj and covers the central part of India. North Central Railway provides services in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
3. North Eastern Railway: The North Eastern Railway zone is headquartered in Gorakhpur and covers the northeastern part of India. North Eastern Railway provides services in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and parts of West Bengal.
4. Northeast Frontier Railway: The Northeast Frontier Railway zone is headquartered in Maligaon and covers the northeastern part of India. Northeast Frontier Railway provides services in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and parts of West Bengal, Bihar, and Meghalaya.
5. North Western Railway: The North Western Railway zone is headquartered in Jaipur and covers the northwestern part of India. North Western Railway provides services in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Eastern Railway Zone in India

Eastern Railway Zone, an integral part of Indian Railways, operates in the eastern region, connecting cities like Kolkata. With its headquarters in Kolkata, it plays a vital role in the efficient transportation network of the eastern part of the country.

1. Eastern Railway: The Eastern Railway zone, headquartered in Kolkata, serves the eastern region of India, encompassing the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar.
2. East Central Railway: The East Central Railway zone, headquartered in Hajipur, operates in the central part of India, covering the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and certain areas of Uttar Pradesh.
3. East Coast Railway: Based in Bhubaneshwar, the East Coast Railway zone caters to the eastern coastal region of India, providing railway services in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

Southern Railway Zone in India

One of Indian Railways’ most important divisions, the Southern Railway Zone serves the southern region, which includes important towns like Chennai. With its main office located in Chennai, it is essential to preserve efficient rail communication and transit throughout the nation’s southern region.

1. Southern Railway: Serving the southern region of India, the Southern Railway zone has its main office at Chennai Central. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, and certain areas of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are served by Southern Railway.
2. South Central Railway: Serving the central region of India, the South Central Railway zone has its headquarters at Secunderabad Junction. In addition to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and portions of Maharashtra and Karnataka are served by South Central Railway.
3. South Coast Railway: Covering the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, the South Coast Railway zone has its headquarters in Visakhapatnam. South Coast Railway offers services in the Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada divisions.
4. South Eastern Railway: The South Eastern Railway zone is headquartered in Garden Reach, Kolkata, and covers the southeastern part of India. South Eastern Railway provides services in West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
5. South East Central Railway: The South East Central Railway zone is headquartered in Bilaspur and covers the southeastern part of central India. South East Central Railway provides services in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and parts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
6. South Western Railway: The South Western Railway zone is headquartered in Hubbali and covers the southwestern part of India. South Western Railway provides services in Karnataka, parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

Western Railway Zone in India

Western Railway Zone, an essential component of Indian Railways, operates in the western region and connects major cities like Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

1. Western Railway: The Western Railway zone is headquartered in Mumbai and covers the western part. 
2. West Central Railway: West Central Railway zone is headquartered in Jabalpur and covers Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan Zonal Management for Railways

Zonal Management for Railways

Central Advisory Committee for Railways in 1950, approved the plan for re-organizing the Indian Railways into six regional zones before this in 1944 government had taken the control of railways from every company involved, now today in 2024, there are 19 zones and each zone is headed by the General Manager (GM) and are further divided into sub-divisions, these divisions are headed by Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), they are in general responsible for operational management of their respective divisions.

Appointment of GM

• The Central Railway Zone includes several crucial train lines that connect different parts of Maharashtra. These include the CSMT-Kalyan-Karjat-Lonavala-Pune line, the CSMT-Kurla-Panvel route, the Mumbai CSMT-Kalyan-Igatpuri-Nashik road-Manmad-Jalgaon-Bhusawal-Akola-Badnera-Wardha-Nagpur line, and many others.
• In the South Central Railway, there are other important train routes like Pune to Daund to Solapur to Wadi to Tandur, Pune to Satara to Sangli to Miraj to Kolhapur, Miraj to Pandharpur to Kurduvadi to Barshi to Osmanabad to Latur to Latur Road, and Manmad to Aurangabad to Nanded.

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