‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1888-89’ [‎95r] (196/456)

RAILWAYS.
1883 - 89 .]
125 Chap IV.
Works in Progress.
PRODUCTION
AND
DISTRIBUTION.
(r. I. P. Railway System. — The double line from Bhusdval to Khandva,was opened for G. I. P. Railway
traffic on January llth, 1889. The doubling of this portion of the line has occupied four s y stem *
years, the provisional sanction for earthwork having been accorded early in 1885. On the
doubling of the section of the Ndgpur Branch between Bhusaval and Shegaon, the length
between the former station and Nargaon was also opened for traffic on the 11th of January.
The Bhopal Railway was handed over to the Indian Midland Railway Company on the 1st
January 1889.
B. B. 8f G. I. Railway System. —The deepening of the Gun Carriage Basin at CoKba B. B. & C. I. Rail-
was nearly finished, and the scheme for improving the existing accommodation for landing wa y system,
and dealing with stores, especially those belonging to the Rajputdna-Malwa Railway, was
in progress. The renewal of the line with steel rails and the gradual improvement of the
ballast were continued during the year. The new passenger station at Bandra was
completed, and the new sidings proceeded with. An extension of His Highness the Gaikwdr’s
Railway (2' 6" gauge) from Bahadarpur to Bodeli towards Chhota Udepur, a distance of
13 miles, was commenced in November 1888 and made fair progress. A broad-gauge line
from Anand Station to Pitlad was commenced in January 1889, the cost being defrayed by
His Highness the Gaikw&r, and estimates were submitted for a broad-gauge line from Nadiad
Station to Sojitra and forward to Pitlad, and for extending the Anand-Pitlad Branch to
join this line at Sojitra.
Rajputana-Malwa Railway System. —The line was bridged near Akhri and 7’854 miles Rajputana-Malwa
between Ajmere and Kishengarh were fenced. The fencing of 15 miles of line north of Railway system.
Ajmere was proceeded with and progress made in the provision of level-crossings and gate-
lodges. On the Cawnpore-Achnera Railway, the grand trunk-road diversions of the Kali
N?di Bridge at Kasganj and Khodaganj were completed and the Karon Nadi bridged. The
ex msion of the line from Muttra to Bindraban, a distance of about 8 miles, approached
co ipletion. The extension of the Mehsana-Vadnagar Railway from Mehsana to Kheralu
was completed, and the long-talked-of connection between the metre gauge systems of
K&thiawar and Rajputana advanced a step during the year by the commencement of the
Mehsana-Yiramgam line. The funds for this line are being provided by the Gaikwar of
Baroda, and the line is to be made and worked by the B. B. & 0. I. Railway Company upon
terms similar to those on which the same company works the Mehsana-Yadnagar-Kheralu
Rpdway. The length of the line is 39 miles and its estimated cost Rs. 12,61,379. When
this piece of line is opened there will only remain a small break between Yiramgdm and
Wadhwan in the communication of the two systems.
Southern Mardtha Railway System. —The only section opened during the year was a S. M. Railway
length of II miles from Harihar old to Harihar new station, on the southern extension. s;ys eln '
This length includes a fine bridge over the Tungabadhra river. A station with quarters, sheds
and other appurtenances was constructed at Guntakal during the year. The first section of
the Bellary-Kistna line from Guntakal to Nundyal, 88J miles in length, was worked by the
Southern Maratha Railway during the year. In October 1888 the abutment of a 2o-feet
span girder bridge was underscoured and fell down into the stream and the line was
breached at two other places. The remaining sections were under construction and it was
expected that the section from the Kistna Terminus to Cumbum would be opened in
September 1889 and the remaining portion of the line between Cumbum and Nandyal later
on in the year. Sanction to the construction of the Kolhapur State Railway from Miraj to
Kolhapur, a distance of 28f miles, at an estimated cost of Rs. 22,72,520, was given in March
1888. The line is being constructed at the expense of the Kolhapur State, and the work is
being carried out under the supervision of the State Engineer, Mr. Shannon. Materials for
the line are obtained through the . agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. of the Southern Mardtha Railway Company by
whom the line is to be worked when open for traffic.
. Mysore State Railway. —Four bridges washed away in 1887 were replaced by larger Mysore State
and firmer structures, and the largest, a bridge of three 60-feet girders, was opened for traffic Railway,
on the 8th October 1888. The northern portion of the Mysore extension from Harihar to
' Berur, 79 miles, was opened for traffic on the 21st February 1889. The southern division
alone remained incomplete, and it was expected that through connection would be established,
and the line opened for traffic by July 1889.
Bkavnagar-Gondal-Jundgad-Povbandar Railway. —The Jetalsar-Junagad portion of this Railways in
section was completed and opened for traffic of all kinds on the 1st September 1888. The KAthiAwdr.
Junagad-Yeraval portion was opened for goods traffic on the 1st November 1888, and for
passenger traffic on the 1st February 1889, but the permanent bridge over the Oojet river
had not been completed at the end of the year. The construction of the Hhoraji-Porbandar
extension was begun in March 1888, and by the end of the year under report the rails had
been laid 54 miles from Dhoraji and about 1J miles from Porbandar, leaving a gap of about
14J miles which was completed in the following month.
Morvi Railway.—Thz extension of the Morvi Railway from Wankaner to Rajkot sanc
tioned in June 1888 made good progress during the year.
Lines under Survey or Projected.
At the request of the Jundgad Darbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). a line of 4 miles to connect Navagad with Projected railways.
Jetalsar was surveyed and the plans of a projected extension of 2*6 miles from Yeraval to
P r ttan Somndth, for the convenience of the pilgrim traffic, were prepared. In March 1889,
th) Bombay Government submitted proposals to the Government of India for the survey
of a direct line of railway connecting Bombay and Sind through the province of Cutch.
B 692-32