Manish at 03:40, 1 May 2025

2025-05-01T03:40:04Z

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{{Short description|Indian railway company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
[[File:Bombay Prov north 1909.jpg|thumb|The 1909 map of Bombay Presidency shows Cutch State Railway line linking [[Bhuj]] to [[Tuna Port|Tuna]] via [[Anjar, India|Anjar]]. Other additions to Railway, made later, are obviously, not there.]]
'''Cutch State Railway (CSR)''' was an isolated {{RailGauge|2ft6in|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railway|narrow gauge]] railway in [[Cutch State]], one of the [[princely states]] allied to Britain in India.

== History ==
The railway was financed by the [[Maharao]] [[Khengarji III of Kutch|Khengarji Bawa]] of [[Cutch State]]. The laying of first rails started in 1900–01, from [[Tuna]] to [[Anjar, India|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.<ref name=A/><ref name=x/><ref name=B>Transportation History of Kutch. Want to know more about it, http://bhujbolechhe.org/en/blog/tarunkant-chhaya/kcchnaa-vaahn-vyavhaarno-itihaas {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529122844/http://bhujbolechhe.org/en/blog/tarunkant-chhaya/kcchnaa-vaahn-vyavhaarno-itihaas |date=29 May 2014 }}</ref><ref name=Hughes>Hughes, Hugh 1994 ''Indian Locomotives Pt. 3, Narrow Gauge 1863-1940''. Continental Railway Circle.</ref> The narrow gauge lines of CSR were laid by hiring of British engineers and labor contractor works were mostly entrusted to [[Mistris of Kutch]], who were skilled in Railway contract works.<ref name=A>''Nanji Bapa Ni Nondh-pothi'' by Dharshi Taunk. (1999) Published from Vadodara. Pg. 90 ''Cutch State Railway'' Contracts done by Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya or Mistris of Kutch : Details : Tuna to Anjar in 1900–01 (lines opened in 1905), Anjar to Bhuj in 1901-02 lines opened in 1908), Varsamedi to Bhachua (line opened in 1912) & to Kandla in 1930 (lines opened in 1932) with names of Mistri Contractors.</ref><ref name=x>''Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas: A brief History and Glory'': by Raja Pawan Jethwa. (2007). Published from Calcutta. Section II: Mileage wise available Details of Railway lines laid. Pages:54-60</ref> 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 {{whyte|4-4-0}} type locomotives, later supplemented by three 25 ton {{whyte|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.<ref name=Hughes/>

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 (India)|Western Railway]] on 5 November 1951, at which time the total length was 72 miles.<ref name=finance>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/FinanceCode/ADMIN_FINANCE/AdminFinanceCh1_Data.htm|title=Chapter 1|access-date=2009-12-23|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601024404/http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/financecode/ADMIN_FINANCE/AdminFinanceCh1_Data.htm |archive-date=1 June 2009|df=dmy}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=DbMZAAAAMAAJ&q=kutch+state+railway With effect from 5 November 1951, ...and Kutch State Railways to form Western Railway] Statistical abstract, India, Issue 11 published by India. Office of the Economic Adviser, India. Central Statistical, Organisation, 1962. Page No. 316.</ref>

==Rolling stock==
In 1936, the company owned 6 [[locomotive]]s, 7 railcars, 15 coaches and 66 goods wagons.<ref>{{cite book |title=World Survey of Foreign Railways |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HxHLQGfxDa0C&pg=RA16-PA20 |year=1936 |publisher=Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C.|language=English |page=225}}</ref>

==Classification==
It was labeled as a Class III railway according to [[Indian Railway Classification]] System of 1926.<ref>{{cite web| title=Indian Railway Classification | url=https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Indian_Railway_Classification | access-date=10 November 2022| language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=World Survey of Foreign Railways |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HxHLQGfxDa0C&pg=RA16-PA18 |year=1936 |publisher=Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C.|language=English |page=223–226d}}</ref>

==Conversion to broad gauge==
The railway has been connected to [[Indian Railways]] and is under conversion to {{RailGauge|1676mm|allk=on}} [[broad gauge]].<ref>http://deshgujarat.com/2015/12/06/bhuj-naliya-broad-gauge-conversion-work-kicks-off/ Bhuj Naliya broad gauge conversion work kicks off</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Class III railways according to Indian Railway Classification System}}
{{Railways in Western India}}
{{Western Railway}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cutch State Railway}}
[[Category:Transport in Bhuj]]
[[Category:2 ft 6 in gauge railways in India]]
[[Category:Defunct railway companies of India]]
[[Category:History of rail transport in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Transport in Kutch district]]
[[Category:History of Kutch]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1900]]
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 1951]]
[[Category:1951 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1900]]
[[Category:Cutch State]]

Cutch State Railway - Revision history

Manish at 03:40, 1 May 2025