Akola–Ratlam line

The Akola–Ratlam rail line is a railway line in India linking Akola in Maharashtra with Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh. As of January 2023, Ratlam to Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, Sanawad to Khandwa and Akot to Akola Has been Completed.

Akola–Ratlam line
A Passenger train between Mhow to Indore during Meter Gauge line on the Akola - Ratlam Line
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Maharashtra & Madhya Pradesh
Termini	Akola Junction Ratlam Junction
Service
Operator(s)	Western Railway Central Railway South Central Railway
Depot(s)	Mhow, Ratlam
Rolling stock	YDM-4, WDM-2, WDM-3A, WDG-3A, WDG-3C
History
Opened	1963
Technical
Track length	473 km (294 mi)
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification	25 kV AC, 50 Hz, overhead catenary
Operating speed	130 km/h
Route map Legend Mathura–Vadodara section Ratlam Junction Mathura–Vadodara section Nauganwan Pritam Nagar Runjia Sunderabad Barnagar Pirjhalar Gautampura Road Osra Fatehabad Chandwatiganj Ajnod Balauda Takun Palia Indore–Gwalior line Laxmibai Nagar Indore Junction Saifee Nagar Lokmanya Nagar Rajendra Nagar Rau Indore–Dahod line Haranya Kheri Mhow Dr. Ambedkar Nagar Manmad–Indore line PatalPani Kalakund Choral Mukhtiara Balwada Barwaha Omkareshwar Road Sanawad NTPC Khargone Nimar Kheri Kotla Kheri Attar Ajanti Jabalpur–Bhusaval section Khandwa Junction Jabalpur–Bhusaval section Mordar Jirwan Takal Gurhi Amlakhurd Ratnapur Tukhaitad Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra border Dabka Dhulghat Dhulghat Spiral Wan Road Hiwarkhed Adgaon Buzurg Akot Patsul Gandhi Smarak Road Ugwe Nagpur–Bhusawal section Akola Junction Nagpur–Bhusawal section Kacheguda–Manmad section 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge metre gauge

History

Construction of meter gauge line

The Akola–Ratlam metre-gauge line was opened in 1963. Dhulghat Spiral is a unique spiral located on this metre-gauge section at around 2 kilometres from Dhulghat station towards Akola. It is also called 'Char Cha Akda' in Marathi and 'Char Ka Aankda' in Hindi, which in English means 'the figure 4' – railway tracks are arranged like 4.^[1]

Conversion to broad gauge

In 2008, the Union Cabinet approved the gauge conversion for the Ratlam–Mhow–Khandwa–Akola railway line of 472.64 km. The gauge conversion is in process.^[2][3][4] It entails following 3 sections:

• Ratlam-Akot section in north - gauge conversion completed: After the Mathela–Nimarkhedi–NTPC Khargone section was converted to broad gauge on 12 August 2019 and electrificated on 15 March 2020,^[5][6] Ratlam-Akot section in the north

• Akot-Amlakhurd section in the middle - under conversion: Since Akot-Amlakhurd section of the line passes through Melghat Tiger Reserve which has 50 to 55 tigers, the conversion of this line was held up for several years due to pending clearance from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.^[7] Finally, forests and wildlife approval was granted in August 2024 when conversion of existing Akot-Amalkhurd meter gauge line via Patalpani-Kalakund-Balwada-Chaural was abandoned and instead a new alignment between Akot-Amalkhurd was finalised which bypasses the Melghat Tiger Reserve. This new 77-78 km lone alignment which is 30-32 km longer than the original alignment and entails a 7 km long 30 meter deep tunnel. Once converted this line will provide shortest route from Northwest India & North India to South India and Southeast India.^[8][9] New alignment passes through Hiwarkhed, Sonala, Jalgaon Jamod, and Usami.

• Akola Junction–Akot section in south - gauge conversion completed: Akola Junction–Akot section line gauge conversion project of this mainline was completed on 28 July 2020.^[10]

Facilities

Loco Shed

Mhow Diesel Loco Shed and Ratlam Diesel Loco Shed are loco sheds on this line. These were earlier metre-gauge sheds but are now converted to broad-gauge sheds.^[11][12][13]

Trains

• Ajmer–Hyderabad Meenakshi Express
• Mhow–Indore Passenger
• Indore–Dr. Ambedkar Nagar DEMU
• Ratlam–Laxmibai Nagar DEMU
• Indore–Ratlam DEMU
• Jodhpur–Indore Express
• Dr. Ambedkar Nagar–Sanawad Passenger
• Rewa–Dr. Ambedkar Nagar Express

Present status

• 2025 Aug: Akola-Ratlam line conversion to broad gauge was complete except the Akot-Amlakhurd section in the middle which too also received wildlife approval in July-August 2024 with a new longer alignment, thus paving for shortest route between North-Northwest India to South-Southeast India once completed.^[8][9]

See also

• Project Unigauge
• Wardha–Nanded line, under-construction