Bhilwara railway station (station code: BHL) is a railway station serving the city of Bhilwara in the state of Rajasthan, India. It lies on the Ajmer–Ratlam line and is administered by the Ajmer railway division of the North Western Railway zone of Indian Railways.
Key facts
| Station name | Bhilwara railway station |
|---|---|
| Station code | BHL |
| Location | Bhilwara, Rajasthan, India |
| Line | Ajmer–Ratlam line |
| Operator | Indian Railways |
| Zone | North Western Railway |
| Division | Ajmer |
| Track gauge | Broad gauge (1,676 mm) |
| Electrification | Yes |
Overview
The station is the principal railhead of Bhilwara, an industrial city known for its textile manufacturing, and acts as a regional connecting point on the broad-gauge corridor that links Ajmer with Ratlam via Chittorgarh. Bhilwara is connected by rail to several major cities including Jaipur, Udaipur, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Indore.
Background
The Ajmer–Khandwa metre-gauge route, of which the Bhilwara section was a part, was constructed during the late nineteenth century by the Rajputana–Malwa Railway, an undertaking developed under the auspices of the colonial-era Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway. The line later passed through successive reorganisations of Indian Railways. As part of Project Unigauge, the Ajmer–Chittorgarh–Ratlam corridor was converted from metre gauge to broad gauge, after which Bhilwara was integrated into the broad-gauge network and subsequently electrified.
Facilities
- Multiple platforms with foot overbridges connecting them.
- Computerised passenger reservation and unreserved ticketing counters.
- Waiting rooms, retiring rooms and refreshment stalls.
- Parcel and goods handling facilities, supporting the city's textile industry traffic.
Significance
As Bhilwara is one of the largest textile producing centres in India, the station handles substantial parcel and freight movement in addition to passenger services. It is the busiest station between Ajmer and Chittorgarh on the route and serves as the gateway for visitors to the surrounding Mewar region.