Quetta–Taftan Railway Line

Quetta–Taftan Railway Line کوئٹہ-تفتان مرکزی راه آهن خط
Overview
Other name(s)	Main Line 4 ML-4 Trans–Baluchistan Railway
Termini	Quetta Koh-e-Taftan
Stations	23
Operation
Opened	15 November 1905 (1905-11-15)
Owner	Pakistan Railways
Operator(s)	Pakistan Railways
Technical
Line length	523 km (325 mi)
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	105 km/h (65 mph) (Current) 160 km/h (99 mph) (Proposed)[1]
Route map Legend km 0 Quetta 11 Sar-I-Ab 25 Spezand Jn. to Rohri–Chaman Railway Line 40 Wali Khan 73 Sheikh Wasil 123 Galangur 138 Kishingi 150 Nushki 201 Ahmedwal 368 Padag Road 529 Dalbandin 645 Yakmach Gat Azad 864 Nok Kundi Alam Reg Tozghi 1108 Koh-e-Taftan  Pakistan  Iran Border Mirjaveh Khan Muhammad Chah Zahedan

Quetta–Taftan Railway Line (Urdu: کوئٹہ-تفتان مرکزی راه آهن خط‎) (also referred as Main Line 4 or ML-4) is one of four main railway lines in Pakistan, operated and maintained by Pakistan Railways. The line begins from Quetta station and ends at Koh-e-Taftan station. The total length of this railway line is 325 kilometers (202 mi). There are 23 railway stations from Queta to Koh-e-Taftan. The line then crosses into Iran and extends to Zahedan.^[2]

History

Originally known as the "Trans–Baluchistan Railway", the line was constructed as part of a strategic military route between the British Raj (now Pakistan) and Persia (now Iran). The Quetta to Nushki branch line was opened on November 15, 1905. The railway construction west of Nushki towards Iran was named the Nushki Extension Railway. Work started on it in September 1916 under the charge of Mr. P.C. Young as Engineer-in-Chief and the railway line reached the Iranian town of Duzdap (now Zahedan) on October 1, 1922. By the time the railway line reached Duzdap, the British had already demobilized their forces in East Persia. This demobilization happened in March 1921 and it took away the importance of the newly built railway. So much so that in 1931, the 221 kilometer section between Nok Kundi and Duzdap (Zahidan) was closed down and track removed to be used elsewhere. World War II however, renewed interest in the Quetta-Zahidan link. British forces wanted to aid the Soviet forces by supplying material through Persia. The aid never materialized but the Quetta-Zahedan link was reopened on 20 April 1940 in Zahedan.

Stations

The stations on this line are as follows:

See also

• Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line
• Rohri-Chaman railway line
• Railway lines in Pakistan

External links

• The Trans-Baluchistan Railway All Things Pakistan July 13, 2007, now an archived website
• Pilgrimage to Dalbandin by Salman Rashid posted January 2013. The author’s father was an Assistant Engineer with North Western Railway at Dalbandin from April 1943 to December 1944

References

Railway lines in Pakistan
Main lines   Karachi–Peshawar Line (ML1)   Kotri–Attock Line (ML2)   Rohri–Chaman Line (ML3)   Quetta–Taftan Line (ML4)   Taxila–Khunjerab Line (ML5) (Proposed)
Branch Lines Hyderabad–Badin Branch Line Hyderabad–Khokhrapar Branch Line Bahawalnagar–Fort Abbas Branch Line Samasata–Amruka Branch Line Sher Shah–Kot Addu Branch Line Golra Sharif–Thal Branch Line Lodhran–Khanewal Branch Line Lodhran–Raiwind Branch Line Khanewal–Wazirabad Branch Line Wazirabad–Narowal Branch Line Shahdara Bagh–Sangla Hill Branch Line Shahdara Bagh–Chak Amru Branch Line Shorkot–Sheikhupura Branch Line Shorkot–Lalamusa Branch Line Sangla Hill–Kundian Branch Line Lahore–Wagah Branch Line
Urban railways Peshawar Circular Railway Karachi Circular Railway
Proposed or under construction Karachi–Gwadar Railway Line (Makran Railway) Gwadar–Mastung Branch Line Basima–Jacobabad Branch Line Bostan–Zhob–Dera Ismail Khan Branch Line Islamabad–Muzaffarabad Branch Line
Tourist and heritage railways Khyber Pass Railway Changa Manga Forestry Railway