Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Journalism of Courage
Premium
Delhi’s oldest railway station set to turn 162 years: A look at trains, footfall, modernisation plan
Delhi oldest railway station: Delhi's oldest railway station is set to turn 162 years this year. Established in April 1864, this railway station was originally designed to handle just 100 passengers a day.
Delhi's oldest station falls under the administrative control of Northern Railway. (Image enhanced using AI)
Delhi oldest railway station: Delhi’s oldest railway station is set to turn 162 years this year. Established in April 1864, this railway station was originally designed to handle just 100 passengers a day. Today, however, it caters to over 1 lakh passengers daily. The station falls under the administrative control of Northern Railway‘s (NR) Delhi Division. Can you guess which railway station this is?
Oldest railway station in Delhi
The oldest railway station in Delhi is none other than Old Delhi Railway Station, popularly known as Delhi Junction. The station is located near the Chandni Chowk area in the national capital. It came into existence when a temporary building was constructed. The planning for construction of the present building commenced in 1890. The station building was constructed and opened in 1903. The nearest metro station to Old Delhi railway station is Chandni Chowk.
Design of Old Delhi railway station (Delhi Junction)
According to Northern Railway, the Delhi Junction railway station was built in Mughal architectural style, with design that resemble both mosque and fortress. “It could be used a hotel as well as a shelter during emergencies, with provision for security personnel gaining rapid access to the top in order to take up defensive positions.
This was an important consideration for the British as the neighbouring Chandni Chowk area was the epicenter of political activity,” NR said. The colour of Old Delhi railway station building is red so that it matches nearby landmarks like the Red Fort and Jama Masjid.
Old Delhi railway station (Image: Delhi Division/X)
Delhi Junction railway station: How many trains originate, terminate and pass daily
Speaking to Indianexpress.com, Ajay Michael, Senior Public Relations Officer (Sr PRO), Delhi Division, has said that a total of 237 trains pass through, originate from, or terminate at Old Delhi railway station daily. Of these, 129 are Mail/Express trains, 73 are EMU services, 10 are DEMU trains and 25 are Passenger trains.
No. of Trains — Indicating Individual Train Numbers
Daily train movement breakdown by type and category
237 Total Trains/Day
82 Originating/Day
79 Terminating/Day
76 Passing/Day
| Train Type | Originating | Terminating | Passing | Total/Per Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Per Day | Total | Per Day | Total/Per Day | |||
| M/ExpressMail / Express Trains | 32 | 33 | 64 | 129 | |||
| EMUElectric Multiple Unit | 32 | 29 | 12 | 73 | |||
| DEMUDiesel Electric Multiple Unit | 05 | 05 | 00 | 10 | |||
| PASSPassenger Trains | 13 | 12 | 00 | 25 | |||
| Total | 82 | 79 | 76 | 237 | |||
Originating trains
Terminating trains
Passing trains
Total per day
Source: Ministry of Railways
Old Delhi railway station footfall
Earlier, Delhi Junction railway station handled both broad and meter gauge trains. However, since 1994, the station was handling only broad gauge traffic. At present, Old Delhi Railway Station, which has 16 platforms, records an average daily footfall of around 1.75 lakh passengers.
Redevelopment of Old Delhi railway station
The Ministry of Railways has identified Old Delhi railway station for modernisation under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS). “The proposal for creation of a holding area at Delhi Junction is under consideration,” Ajay Michael said. In the coming years, Old Delhi railway station is expected to handle an estimated daily footfall of around 2 lakh passengers.
Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
Live Blog