Indore (Madhya Pradesh): On Tuesday, train services on the meter gauge between Mhow and Omkareshwar Road on the Indore-Khandwa section chugged for the last time. The Railways is gearing up for the broad gauge in this section.
The last train departed from Omkareshwar Road railway station for Mhow at 9.25 am on Tuesday. Before the departure, people gathered at the station to bid an emotional farewell and the train’s loco pilot Daulatram Meena and co-driver Rishi Kumar were garlanded.
Always Special
The Indore-Khandwa rail line has always been special for travellers. It runs from Omkareshwar to Badwah, Balwara, Choral, Kalakud and Patalpani to Mhow. This track has always been special because of the scenic beauty. Tunnels, waterfalls, dense forests have always enthralled passengers on board. Many boarded the train departing Mhow on Monday and Omkareshwar Road on Tuesday in order to be a part of history.
Passengers scribble messages
More than 100 passengers reached Omkareshwar Road station and several of them scribbled messages on the train coaches with chalks. The youth wrote messages like…
* Meter gauge’s last journey
* Meter gauge was the best
* Will miss this track
People also clicked selfies with the train and the track.
The Holkar Estate government sanctioned a loan
150 years ago, in 1873, the Holkar Estate government had sanctioned a loan of Rs 1 crore to the British government at the rate of 4% interest per annum to connect Khandwa with Indore through rail. The British government laid the track for goods trains in 1877 while the passenger train chugged out on January 1, 1878.
