Meter Gauge Track in Railways – Detailed Explanation
A meter gauge track is a railway track in which the distance between the inner sides of the two rails is exactly 1,000 mm (1 metre). This distance is called the track gauge. A meter gauge track has a spacing of exactly 1,000 mm (1 meter) between the inner sides of the rails.
To put it in context, India uses multiple gauges:
- Broad Gauge (1676 mm) – the most common and standard today
- Meter Gauge (1000 mm) – narrower than broad gauge
- Narrow Gauge (762 mm or 610 mm) – even smaller, used in hilly or light routes
Meter gauge lines were widely built during earlier periods because they were cheaper to construct, especially in regions with lower traffic or difficult terrain. However, they have some limitations:
- Lower speed compared to broad gauge
- Less carrying capacity
- Not compatible with the main broad gauge network
Because of this, Indian Railways has been steadily converting most meter gauge routes into broad gauge under projects like “Unigauge,” to improve connectivity, speed, and efficiency. That said, a few meter gauge routes still exist today, often in specific regions or as heritage lines.
Junagadh–Delvada : Meter Gauge Train
Western Railway has announced the resumption of the Junagadh–Delvada meter gauge train from 25 March 2026, along with partial changes in the timings of the Junagadh–Chalala meter gauge train. Keeping in mind passenger demand and convenience, the Bhavnagar Division of Western Railway has decided to restart the Junagadh–Delvada meter gauge passenger service. This decision has been taken after considering operational requirements and safety standards.
- Train No. 52951/52952 (Delvada–Junagadh–Delvada daily meter gauge passenger) will resume its services from 25 March 2026.
- Train No. 52952 (Junagadh–Delvada) will start from 25 March 2026. The train will depart from Junagadh at 08:00 hrs and arrive at Delvada at 14:40 hrs.
- Train No. 52951 (Delvada–Junagadh) will start from 26 March 2026. The train will depart from Delvada at 11:00 hrs and reach Junagadh at 17:25 hrs.
- This train will halt at the following stations en route: Vadal, Junagadh, Hadmatiya, Jamwala, Balotra, Gir Hadmatiya, Jamwala, Chalala, Vithalwadi, Saradiya, Girsomnath, Satadhar, Visavadar, Junagadh Cabin, Bilkha, and Toraniya.
- In addition, the timings of Train No. 09595/09596 (Junagadh–Chalala–Junagadh daily meter gauge passenger special) have been partially revised from 25 March 2026.
- Train No. 09595 (Junagadh–Chalala) will now depart at 11:30 hrs instead of 10:40 hrs and will reach Chalala at 14:50 hrs instead of 14:10 hrs.
- Train No. 09596 (Chalala–Junagadh) will depart at 15:20 hrs instead of 14:40 hrs and will arrive at Junagadh at 18:45 hrs instead of 17:35 hrs.
- Furthermore, Train No. 52933/52956 (Junagadh–Veraval–Junagadh daily passenger) has been temporarily cancelled from 25 March 2026.
- Western Railway has requested passengers to plan their journey according to the updated timetable and extend their cooperation to the railway administration.
