Quetta–Taftan Line

The Quetta–Taftan Railway Line (Urdu: کوئٹہ-تفتان مرکزی ریل راستہ) (also referred as Main Line 4 or ML-4) is one of four main railway lines in Pakistan, operated and maintained by Pakistan Railways. Inward from Pakistan's most western edge it begins at Quetta station and has services that continue beyond Koh-e-Taftan station in high mountains, west. Its length is 612 kilometers (380 mi) to the Iranian border, a few kilometers further west of that station. It has 18 active stations of which 14 are in Pakistan and 4 are in Iran. Many or all main services since 1940 (and 1922 to 1931) terminate on the natural continuation in eastern Iran at the high city of Zahedan, which sees a change of gauge (of track and rolling stock) for accessing the Trans-Iranian Railway.

Quetta–Taftan Railway Line
کوئٹہ-تفتان مرکزی ریل راستہ
Overview
Other name(s)Main Line 4
ML-4
Trans–Baluchistan Railway
Statusoperational
OwnerPakistan Railways
Termini
Stations18
Service
Operator(s)Pakistan Railways
History
Opened15 November 1905 (1905-11-15)
Technical
Line length612 km (380 mi)
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed105 km/h (65 mph) (Current)
160 km/h (99 mph) (Proposed)[1]
Route map
km
0
 Spezand Jn.
23
 Wali Khan
35
 Kanak
47
 Sheikh Wasil
71
 Kirdgap
97
 Galangur
122
 Kishingi
133
 Nushki
154
 Ahmedwal
195
 Pain Mall
238
 Padag Road
277
 Nok Chah
318
 Dalbandin
376
 Yakmach
446
 Azad
488
 Nok Kundi
513
 Alam Reg
534
 Tozghi
612
 Koh-e-Taftan
 Pakistan
 Iran
Border
638
 Mirjaveh
 Khan Muhammad Chah
732
 Zahedan
West of the Quetta Express Line (also called the Rohri–Chaman Railway), is the partly overlapping named Quetta-Taftan Line, the final northern Quetta section is the dual-named section
The line climbs through a thin section of the high (red-orange) belt of mountains, coming at closest 62 kilometres northeast of the thermally active volcano, pinpointed, Taftan as to its station at the trunk road town also called Taftan.

History

Originally known as the "Trans–Baluchistan Railway", the line was built as part of a strategic military route between British India (specifically the part now Pakistan) and Persia (now Iran). The Quetta to Nushki branch was approved by Lord George Hamilton, Secretary of State for India, in August 1902,[2] and it was opened on 15 November 1905. The part west of Nushki towards Iran was named the Nushki Extension Railway. Work started on it in September 1916 under the charge of P.C. Young as Engineer-in-Chief and it reached the Iranian town of Duzdap (now Zahedan, a small city) on 1 October 1922. By the time the railway reached Duzdap, the British had already demobilized their forces in East Persia in March 1921 which took away the importance of the newly built part. So much so that in 1931, the 221–kilometer section between Nok Kundi and Duzdap (Zahedan) was closed and track removed to be used elsewhere. World War II however, renewed interest in the Quetta-Zahedan link. British forces wanted to aid the Soviet forces by supplying material through Persia. Aid through Persia proved unnecessary (due to successful Arctic convoys of World War II and similar supplies) but the Quetta-Zahedan link was reopened on 20 April 1940 in Zahedan.

Stations

The stations are:

See also

References
  1. Pakistan Railways: A Performance Analysis - Citizens' Periodic Reports on the Performance of State Institutions (PDF). Islamabad: PILDAT. December 2015. p. 21. ISBN 978-969-558-589-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 24, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  2. "Latest intelligence - India". The Times. No. 36859. London. 29 August 1902. p. 3.


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