View source for West Central Railway zone

{{Short description|Indian Railway zone}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name     = West Central Railway
| logo_filename     = West Central Railway Zone.svg
| logo_size         = 80px
| system_map        = Indianrailwayzones-numbered.png
| map_caption       = 12-West Central Railway
| map_size          = 
| marks             = 
| image             = 
| image_size        = 
| image_caption     = 
| locale            = *[[Madhya Pradesh]]
*[[Uttar Pradesh]]
*[[Rajasthan]] 
| start_year        = {{start date and age|2003}}
| end_year          =present 
| predecessor_line  = [[Central Railway zone]]<br />[[Western Railway zone]]
| successor_line    = 
| gauge             = Mixed
| old_gauge         =
| electrification   ={{convert|3012|km}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-06-10 |title=Bhopal: West Central Railway is 100% electrified, to save Rs 100 crore per year |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/bhopal-west-central-railway-is-100-electrified-to-save-rs-100-crore-per-year/articleshow/83391473.cms#:~:text=BHOPAL:%20West%20Central%20Railway%20(WCR,%E2%80%94%20Bhopal,%20Jabalpur%20and%20Kota. |access-date=2024-09-10 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> 
| length            = {{convert|2911|km}}
| hq_city           = [[Jabalpur Junction railway station|Jabalpur]]
| website           = {{URL|http://www.wcr.indianrailways.gov.in/}}
}}

The '''West Central Railway''' (abbreviated '''WCR'''), one of the 19 [[Zones and divisions of Indian Railways|zones]] of the [[Indian Railways]], came into existence on 1 April 2003. It is headquartered at [[Jabalpur]].<ref name="zones_and_divisions">{{cite web |title=Railway Zones and Divisions in The Country |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=168812. |website=Press Information Bureau |publisher=Ministry of Railways (Government of India) |access-date=1 January 2025 |date=21 July 2017}}</ref> It was created by taking away two divisions namely [[Bhopal railway division|Bhopal]] division and [[Jabalpur railway division|Jabalpur]] division from central railways and one division namely [[Kota railway division|Kota]] division from [[Western Railway zone]]. The WCR zone provides rail route coverage to the west central region of [[India]]. Most of its route is in the states of [[Madhya Pradesh]] and [[Rajasthan]] with a very little portion in the state of [[Uttar Pradesh]].

==History==
On 1 April 2003, the West Central Railway was reconstituted from parts of Central Railway and Western Railway by allocating [[Jabalpur]] and [[Bhopal]] divisions of the  [[Central Railway zone]] (CR) and the reorganized {{rwd|Kota}} of the [[Western Railway zone]] (WR) to WCR.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rmar2003/31032003/r310320031.html|title=New Railway zones to be functional from April 1|publisher=Press Information Bureau, Government of India|date=31 March 2003}}</ref>

==Jurisdiction==
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2019}}
The zone serves eastern & central [[Madhya Pradesh]], southern [[Uttar Pradesh]], and northeastern [[Rajasthan]] state. It contains the [[Tughlakabad Station metro station|Tuglakabad]] (TKD) locomotive shed, which belongs to [[Kota, Rajasthan|Kota]] Division of WCR but is situated in the Northern Railways territory.<ref>{{cite web |title=West Central Railway |url=https://wcr.indianrailways.gov.in/ |website=wcr.indianrailways.gov.in |publisher=Indian Railways |access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> WCR meets Northern Railway at [[Mathura]], Western Railway at Nagda, North Western Railway at [[Chittorgarh]], Central Railway at Khandwa and Itarsi, North Central Railway at Bina and Manikpur, South East Central Railway at Katni and East Central Railway at Singaroli stations.<ref>{{cite web |title=West Central Railway |url=https://wcr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1,291 |website=wcr.indianrailways.gov.in |publisher=Indian Railways |access-date=18 March 2021}}</ref>

==Divisions==

There are 3 divisions in West Central Railway zone;

* [[Jabalpur railway division]]
* [[Bhopal railway division]]
* [[Kota railway division]]

==Loco sheds==
There are five loco sheds in WCR.
* [[Electric Loco Shed, Tuglakabad|Electric Loco Shed, Tughlakabad]]
* [[Electric Loco Shed, Itarsi]]  
* [[Diesel Loco Shed, New Katni Junction]]
* Electric Loco Shed, New Katni Junction 
* Diesel Loco Shed, Itarsi

==Tourist places==
The following places of tourist interest are located on the rail route of WCR:

*[[Bandhavgarh National Park]], 
*[[Bhojpur, Madhya Pradesh|Bhojpur]], 
*[[Ranthambore National Park]], 
*[[Bharatpur, Rajasthan|Bharatpur]], 
*[[Jabalpur]], 
*[[Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh|Sanchi]], 
*[[Bhimbaithka]],
*[[Kanha National Park]],
*[[Shivpuri National Park]],
*[[Bhopal]],
*[[Kota, Rajasthan|Kota]], 
*[[Vidisha district|Vidisha]], 
*[[Bundi]], 
*[[Pachmarhi]], 
*[[Pench Tiger Reserve]], 
*[[Panna National Park]] and 
*[[Maihar]]

==See also==

* [[All India Station Masters' Association (AISMA)]]
* [[Rail transport in Madhya Pradesh]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://wcr.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1657794833507-A0%20system%20map%202022.pdf West Central Railway System Map]
* [http://www.wcr.indianrailways.gov.in/ West Central Railway website]

{{Indian Railways}}
{{Railways in Western India}}
{{Railways in Central India}}

{{coord missing|Rajasthan}}

[[Category:West Central Railway zone]]
[[Category:Zones of Indian Railways|W]]
[[Category:2003 establishments in India]]


{{India-rail-transport-stub}}