Cutch State Railway (CSR) was an isolated 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railway in Cutch State, one of the princely states allied to Britain in India.
The railway was financed by the Maharao Khengarji Bawa of Cutch State. The laying of first rails started in 1900–01, from Tuna to Anjar, which became operational in 1905. The works for lines from Anjar to the then state capital Bhuj started in 1901-02 and completed in 1908. A further addition of 32 miles was done in 1912 from Varsamedi (near Anjar) to Bhachau and further extension of 15 miles up to Kandla port was started at the end of 1930 and completed in 1932. [1] [2] [3] [4] The narrow gauge lines of CSR were laid by Mistris of Kutch and the services of British engineers were also employed. [1] [2] The railway was owned, managed and operated by Cutch State.
In 1940 the railway carried 300,000 passengers, while the main freight traffic was cotton, grain and sugar. The railway used four small 4-4-0 type locomotives, later supplemented by three 25 ton 4-6-0 locomotives. The Maharao owned a petrol railcar designed by Everard Calthrop, which the Maharao used as a shooting car on his hunting expeditions. [4]
The Cutch State Railways continued to operate as separate system (even after independence of India and merger of the Princely State of Cutch) until the railway was merged into the Western Railway on 5 November 1951, at which time the total length was 72 miles. [5] [6]
In 1936, the company owned 6 locomotives, 7 railcars, 15 coaches and 66 goods wagons. [7]
It was labeled as a Class III railway according to Indian Railway Classification System of 1926. [8] [9]
The railway has been connected to Indian Railways and is under conversion to 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge. [10]
Madhapar is a village located in Kachchh district
Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Sir Khengarji III Sawai Bahadur was a progressive and one of the longest ruling monarchs and also the longest ruling king of the Princely State of Kutch from 1875 to 1942.
Kukma or Kookma is a village near the Bhuj town, taluka in Kachchh District of Indian State of Gujarat. It is located at a distance of 16 kilometers from Bhuj, the headquarters of Kachchh District.
Devaria or Devaliya or Deoria is a village in Anjar Taluka of Kutch at a distance of about 3 km from Anjar town of Kachchh District of Gujarat in India.
Nagor or Nagher is a village in Bhuj Taluka of Kutch at a distance of about 8 km from Bhuj town, the capital of Kachchh District of Gujarat in India.
Galpadar is a village in the Gandhidham Municipal Corporation, within the Kutch District of the Gujarat State of India. It is located at a distance of about 3 km from Gandhidham, 11 km from Anjar and 51 km from Bhuj.
Dhaneti or Dhanetee is a village in Bhuj Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat State of India. It is at a distance of about 26 km from Bhuj the Taluka and district headquarters of Kutch. Although it is in Bhuj Taluka, the Anjar Taluka headquarters of Anjar is only 18 km away.
Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya are a minority Hindu community of Gujarat in India, who claim to be Kshatriyas. They are an artisan community related with masonry, artistic carvings, sculpting and building and construction works. They are also known as the Mistri or Mistris of Kutch.
The Mistri are a Hindu caste found in state of Gujarat, India.
Gaidher / Gaidhar also known as Gajdhar is a word of Gujarati, Kutchi and Rajasthani language. The word Gaidher derives its origin from the word Gadh or Garh. The word Gadh in north Indian languages like Hindi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Marwari, Marathi means a fort, like Chittorgarh, Sinhgadh, Mehrangadh.
Naliya is a town, which is also the taluka headquarters of Abdasa Taluka of Kutch District (kachchh), Gujarat, India. It is located on the western end of Kutch 19 km by road from ancient port of Jakhau.
Jagmal Raja Chauhan (1887–1974), better known as Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja, was a noted railway contractor, industrialist, miner, private banker, aviation pioneer and philanthropist of India.
Cutch State, also spelled Kutch or Kachchh and also historically known as the Kingdom of Kutch, was a kingdom in the Kutch region from 1147 to 1819 and a princely state under British rule from 1819 to 1947. Its territories covered the present day Kutch region of Gujarat north of the Gulf of Kutch. Bordered by Sindh in the north, Cutch State was one of the few princely states with a coastline.
Gandhidham Junction railway station, located in Gandhidham, Gujarat, India, serves the people residing in Gandhidham and Kandla areas.
The Gandhidham–Bhuj section belongs to Western Railway of Kutch district in Gujarat state. It passes through Adipur and Anjar
The Gandhidham–Kandla Port section belongs to the Western Railway of Kutch district in Gujarat state.
The Gandhidham–Samakhiali section is a rail line belonging to the Western Railway of Kutch district in Gujarat state, India. It passes through Bhimasar, Chirai and Bhachau.
The Gandhidham–Palanpur section belongs to the Western Railway of Kutch district of Gujarat state.
Samakhiali Junction railway station is a railway station belonging to the Western Railway of Ahmedabad division.
The Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line belongs to Western Railway of Ahmedabad Division in Gujarat State.