BHAVNAGAR DIVISION
INTRODUCTION
GeographicalSpread
Bhavnagar Division serves the Southern region of Saurashtra, comprising of Bhavnagar, Amreli, Junagadh and Porbander Districts and parts of Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, Rajkot and Jamanagar Districts of Gujarat. The total route Kilometer of the Division is 1327.76 Kms, consisting 666.27 Kms Broad Guage and 661.49 Kms Metre Guage. The surface of land in this area in most part is undulating with low hill ranges. The Girnar peak is the highest in Gujarat with a height of 1117 meters.
AREAS SERVED
Bhavnagar, Surendranagar, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Amreli, Junagadh and Porbandar districts of Gujarat are served by Bhavnagar division. The world famous Gir Lion Sanctuary is located in this Division.
History of Bhavnagar Division
Bhavnagar Division occupies an important posit ion in the history of t he I ndian Railways. Bhavnagar was the third princely State in the country after Baroda and Hyderabad to begin construction of Railway line with its own funds. I n Saurasht ra, Bhavnagar was t he first and Gondal t he second state to build a Railway network.
Railways in this region began in December 1880 with inauguration of the line from Bhavnagar Terminus to Wadhwan. Sir J ames Fergusson, Governor of Bombay inaugurated the line in the presence of Sir Takhtasinhj i, the ruler of Bhavnagar. The first train was run from Bhavnagar to Limdi carrying the Governor’s ent our age and guest s. I t ret ur ned t he same evening well in time for a St ate Bouquet in t he King’s palace at Neelambaug.
Soon after this the line from Dhola to Dhoraji was also completed with Bhavnagar and Gondal states sharing the cost of the same.
Const r uct ion of Railway li ne f r om Bh avnagar t o Wad hwan, which was i nit i ally opposed by the British, was taken up primarily as a relief measure due to extreme famine in the year 1877. Railway lines in other States were built to connect their important cities. These States were J unagadh, Porbander, Morbi and J amnagar.
I ndependence saw integration of t he princely states in the Indian Union. Bhavnagar was the first princely state in t he entire country to accede to I ndia. After integration, all these State Railways became the property of the then State Government of Saurashtra operating as “Saurasht ra Railways”. They were later taken over by t he Government of I ndia and merged with West ern Railway at the time of regrouping of Railways in early 1952. Bhavnagar Division was formally inaugurated on 15.08.1956
Other Details
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