Ludhiana–Fazilka line

The Ludhiana–Fazilka line is a railway line connecting Ludhiana and Fazilka both in the Indian state of the Punjab. The line is under the administrative jurisdiction of Northern Railway.

History
The Southern Punjab Railway Co. opened the 711 km long Delhi–Jind-Bhatinda–Fazilka-Bahawalnagar-Samma Satta line in 1897. The line passed through Rohtak-Jind-Bhatinda-Muktasar-Fazilka-Bahawalnagar and provided direct connection through Samma Satta (now in Pakistan) to Karachi. The extension from the Macleodganj (later renamed Mandi Sadiqganj and now in Pakistan) railway line to Ambala via Qasamwala-Hindumalkote-Abohar-Bhatinda-Patiala was opened by the same company in 1902.

Railway border crossings
Fazilka and Hussainiwala on this line are two defunct railway border crossing points on the India–Pakistan border. Before partition of India in 1947, there were 711 km long Delhi-Samma Satta & 445 kmlong Delhi-Raiwind railway lines, which were operational. After partition of India, a 20 km line linked Amruka on the Pakistan side of the India–Pakistan border, opposite Fazilka, towards Samma Satta. The only train running through these tracks was withdrawn after 1965 war. 275 km long Amruka-Samma Satta line & 28 km long Kasur-Raiwind lines are operational in Pakistan now. The Hussainiwala–Ganda Singh Wala railway crossing, near Firozpur, became defunct with the partition of India. The 16 km broad gauge line from Kasur Junction in Pakistan has been closed. A strategically important 1681 m Kaiser-E-Hind Rail-cum-Road Bridge was blown up during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 at Hussainiwala, and was never rebuilt. In 2013, Sutlej Barrage Bridge on Hussainiwala was opened after restructuring.

Loco sheds
Ludhiana diesel shed holds 170+ locos including WDM-2, WDM-3A and WDG-3A. Ludhiana electric loco shed was commissioned in 2001 and houses WAM-4, WAG-5 and WAG-7 locos.

Developments
The 81 km long broad gauge line between Fazilka & Firozpur was laid in 1950, destroyed in 1965 & 1971 wars & finally re-laid in 1972 as a 84.8 km long  broad gauge line. The 42 km new -wide broad gauge line between Fazilka and Abohar declared on 2010, was opened in 2012.

The Indian Railways have been considering proposals for converting the existing 124 km Ludhiana–Firozpur single line into a double line.

Passenger movement
Ludhiana is the only station on this line which is amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.

Railway reorganisation
Sind Railway (later reorganised as Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway) was formed a guaranteed railway in 1856. It constructed broad-gauge railways from Delhi to Multan via Lahore, and from Karachi to Kotri. Multan and Kotri were connected by ferry service on the Indus River. In 1871–72, Indus Valley Railway was formed to connect Multan and Kotri. At the same time, Punjab Northern State Railway started constructing from Lahore towards Peshawar. In 1886, Sind, Punjab and Delhi Railway was acquired by the state and amalgamated with Indus Valley Railway and Punjab Northern State Railway to form North-Western State Railway. Southern Punjab Railway was taken over by the state and merged with North Western Railway in 1930.

With the partition of India in 1947, North Western Railway was split. While the western portion became Pakistan West Railway, and later Pakistan Railways, the eastern part became Eastern Punjab Railway. In 1952,Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company west of Mughalsarai, Jodhpur Railway, Bikaner Railway and Eastern Punjab Railway.