Delhi–Fazilka line

The Southern Punjab Railway Co. commissioned the Delhi–Bathinda–Samasatta line in 1897.[1] The line passed through Muktasar and Fazilka tehsils and provided direct connection through Samma Satta (now in Pakistan) to Karachi.[2] In 1901–02, the Jodhpur–Bathinda line of Rajputana–Malwa Railway was extended from Bikaner to Bathinda via Hanumangarh, to connect it with the metre-gauge section of the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway to the south and the metre-gauge of North Western Railway's Delhi–Fazilka line (Delhi–Hisar–Bhatinda–Karachi line) to the north.[3] In 2000s, Jodhpur-Bikaner-Bathinda line was converted to broad gauge.[4] In 2009, the metre gauge Hisar-Sadulpur section was converted to broad gauge.[5][6]

Fazilka and Hussainiwala on this line are two defunct border crossing points on the India–Pakistan border.

After partition of India, a line linked Amrooka on the Pakistan side of the India–Pakistan border, opposite Fazilka, to Samma Satta. The only train running through these tracks was withdrawn in 2011.[7]

The Hussainiwala–Ganda Singh Wala railway crossing, near Firozpur, became defunct with the partition of India. The broad-gauge spur from Kasur Junction in Pakistan has been closed.[8] A strategically important bridge that was blown up during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 at Hussainiwala, has been rebuilt and opened in 2013.[9]

The Okhla–New Delhi–Shakurbasti line was electrified in 1982–83.[10] As of 2011, only 3 km of the 60 km Shakurbasti–Rohtak was remaining.[11] The EMU services of Delhi Suburban Railway was extended up to Rohtak in 2013.[12]

After electrification up to Rohtak, further electrification begun in February 2015. Electrification up to Jind Junction was completed in 2017. Operations of electric locos up to Jind begin in January 2018. After this, electrification up to Bathinda Junction got completed in March 2018.

Electrification of Kurukshetra–Narwana and Jind–Panipat branch lines was started in 2018 and has been completed in 2019.

Electrification of Jind–Sonipat branch line is also under planning.

Delhi–Bathinda is a double electric line.[13]

Shakurbasti has a diesel loco shed. It houses WDS-4A, WDS-4B, WDS-4D, WDM-2 WDM3A, WDS6 and DEMUs. It also has a broad-gauge trip shed for WDM-2 and WDG-3A locos. WDS-4 shunting locos based all over Northern Railway are sent here for periodical maintenance.[14]

The 42 km (26 mi) new 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)-wide broad-gauge line between Fazilka and Abohar was opened in 2012.[15]

The Rewari–Rohtak line was commissioned in 2013.[16]

Work for a new line from Rohtak to Hansi via Meham was inaugurated in 2013.[17]

A new line from Jind to Sonipat was completed in 2015 and is operational now.

Central Government approved a new rail line from Jind to Hansi via Narnaund.

Southern Punjab Railway was taken over by the state and merged with North Western Railway in 1930.[18]

With the partition of India in 1947, North Western Railway was split. While the western portion became Pakistan West Railway, and later Pakistan Railways, the eastern part became Eastern Punjab Railway.[19]

In 1952, Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company, west of Mughalsarai, Bikaner Railway and Eastern Punjab Railway.[20]

• Trains at Old Delhi
• Trains at Sarai Rohilla
• Trains at Bhathinda
• Trains at Firozpur Cantonment
• Trains at Fazilka