Ahmedabad Junction railway station

Ahmedabad Junction Amdavad Junction
Express train and Passenger train station
General information
Location	Kalupur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat  India
Coordinates	23°01′35″N72°36′07″E / 23.026265°N 72.601902°E / 23.026265; 72.601902
Elevation	52.500 metres (172.24 ft)
Owned by	Indian Railways
Operated by	Western Railways
Line(s)	Ahmedabad–Mumbai main line, Ahmedabad–Delhi main line, Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar Capital section, Ahmedabad–Gandhidham main line, Jaipur–Ahmedabad line, Ahmedabad–Udaipur line, Ahmedabad–Botad line
Platforms	12 (3 under Bullet train construction)
Tracks	16
Connections	Ahmedabad Metro, BRTS, AMTS bus stop, taxicab stand, auto rickshaw stand
Construction
Structure type	Standard (on-ground station)
Parking	Yes
Accessible	Available
Other information
Status	Functioning (WiFi enabled)
Station code	ADI [1]
Zone(s)	Western Railway zone
Division(s)	Ahmedabad
History
Opened	20 January 1863;161 years ago (1863-01-20) [2]
Location Ahmedabad Junction Location within Ahmedabad Show map of Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Junction Ahmedabad Junction (Gujarat) Show map of Gujarat Interactive map

Ahmedabad Junction railway station (station code: ADI), commonly known as Kalupur railway station, is the main railway station of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is also the biggest railway station within Gujarat and one of the major railway stations in India.^{[ citation needed ]} It is the highest income-generating division in Western Railways. It connects to Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Howrah and other major cities of India, in addition to being a center of the Gujarati rail network connecting Saurashtra, Kutch, Vadodara, Surat, Himmatnagar, Palanpur, Porbandar, and Bhavnagar Terminus.^{[ citation needed ]}

History

Before the partition of India, the Sindh Mail used to travel to Hyderabad, Sindh via the Hyderabad–Mirpur Khas–Khokhrapar–Munabao–Barmer–Luni–Jodhpur–Pali–Marwar–Palanpur–Ahmedabad route. It was constructed by Gokuldas Contractor and Associates. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

1866 engraving of two minarets now adjacent to the station

On the north side of the station are the two tallest minarets in Ahmedabad, the only remnant of Sidi Bashir Mosque.

Background

Ahmedabad Junction is the primary station of rail transport for the city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, India and an important center of the Western Railways zone of the Indian Railways. Locally, people refer to it as Kalupur Station (as it is situated in the Kalupur area of the walled city) to distinguish it from other stations in the city. It contains total 12 platforms in which platform number 10, 11, 12 are closed due to Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed bullet train and 16 tracks. It serves trains that connect Ahmedabad to different parts of Gujarat, as well as major Indian cities.^{[ citation needed ]}

Railway lines

It is the center point railway station of Gujarat many lines begin from here. It includes Ahmedabad–Mumbai main line, Ahmedabad–Delhi main line (via Jaipur), Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar line (via Chandlodiya), Ahmedabad–Gandhidham main line, Jaipur–Ahmedabad line, Ahmedabad–Udaipur line, Ahmedabad–Botad Section.^{[ citation needed ]}

List of Suburban stations of Ahmedabad

There are total 19 railway station present in Ahmedabad:

Major railway stations are:

• Sabarmati Junction SBT
• Sabarmati Junction SBIB
• Maninagar
• Gandhigram
• Asarva
• Chandlodiya
• Chandlodiya B
• Gandhinagar Capital

Minor railway stations are:

• Vatva
• Chandkhera Road
• Vastrapur
• Ambli Road
• Geratpur
• Gora ghuma
• Kali Road
• Naroda
• Sarkhej
• Sanathal
• Sardargram
• Sahijpur
• Khodiyar

Loco Sheds

There are two Diesel Loco Shed of Western Railway present in Ahmedabad of its two suburban railway stations, that are Vatva and Sabarmati Junction. Vatva's Diesel Loco Shed holds over 100 ALCO locomotives, including the WDG-3A, WDM-3A, WDM-3D, WDS-6, WAP-4 and WAG-5 while Sabarmati's Diesel Loco Shed holds over 200 EMD locomotives, including the WDP 4D, WDG 4, WDG 4D, and WDG-5.

Infrastructure

The station has 12 platforms. There are an ample numbers of tea stalls, snack bars, medical shops, and enquiry desks. The station also has one cybercafe which is run by Tata Indicom and is currently equipped with Wi-Fi by Google Station and RailTel. The station is undergoing large-scale automation to make it a technologically advanced station, and new ATM outlets from ICICI Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Dena Bank, Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India, and other major banks have been installed. RailTel plans to open a cyber cafe in Ahmedabad Station.

Facilities

Ahmedabad Railway station has launched hand-push luggage trolley services at Ahmedabad railway station. Such trolleys are always available at airports, but for railway stations, it is a new initiative. The Railways will initially charge Rs 5 per luggage trolley from commuters. As of 2010, the service was available only for Platform no.1, but after new elevators and escalators become functional by the end of 2010, the trolley service would be introduced at all platforms of Ahmedabad railway station.^{[ citation needed ]}

Recent days, IRCTC has launched its VIP class executive lounge on platform 1 for passengers to spend their waiting time on economy rates which offers free wifi, urinals, AC, news paper, recliners and foods. ^[6]

Redevelop of Ahmedabad railway station

The Ahmedabad Junction railway station, also known as Kalupur railway station, is undergoing a significant redevelopment led by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in collaboration with Dinesh chandra R Agrawal (DRA) Infracon. ^[7]

This project, with an estimated cost of ₹2,400 crore, aims to transform the station into a modern transport hub, incorporating architectural elements inspired by local heritage, such as the Modhera Sun Temple and Adalaj Stepwell. The redesign plans include the construction of an open space Amphitheatre and architectural nods to the city's historical sites, aiming to enhance passenger amenities and preserve the station's cultural significance. ^[8]

Expected to complete within 36 months, the project will introduce an elevated road network and a multi-modal transport facility, reflecting efforts to accommodate future traffic and passenger needs up to the year 2060. The redevelopment was officially initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a virtual ground-breaking ceremony on February 26. This effort represents a key infrastructure upgrade for Gujarat, seeking to balance modern requirements with heritage conservation. ^[9]

References

1. "Indian railway codes". Indian Railways. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
2. "First train chugged out of Ahmedabad 154 years ago". The Times of India . 20 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
3. Murray, John (1949). Hearn, Sir Gordon Risley (ed.). A handbook for Travellers in India and Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon: Including the Portuguese and French Possessions and the Indian States. p. 211 – via Google Books.
4. Gandhi, Mahatma (1929). Young India. Vol. 11. Navajivan Publishing House. p. 50 – via Google Books; University of Virginia.
5. "Indian Railways FAQ: Geography : International". IRFCA. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
6. Nandini, Oza. "Three-star retiring facilities welcome passengers at Ahmedabad Railway Station". The Week. THEWEEK. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
7. "DMRC-DRA to redevelop Ahmedabad railway station for ₹2,400 crore". Hindustan Times. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
8. "Kalupur station redevelopment project gets rolling". The Times of India. 21 November 2023. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 21 March 2024.
9. DeshGujarat (24 February 2024). "Kalupur railway station in Ahmedabad to reconstructed in 36 months". DeshGujarat. Retrieved 21 March 2024.

External links

• Ahmedabad Junction railway station at the India Rail Info