This is an archive article published on December 16, 2020
Explained: Why Gujarat is seeing protests to save a 107-year-old railway line
The narrow gauge train connecting Billimora in Navsari district with Waghai in Dang district was started by rulers of the Gaekwad dynasty of the princely state of Baroda in 1913.
Written by Kamal Saiyed
, Edited by Explained Desk
Surat | Updated: December 17, 2020 12:44 PM IST
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The train was mostly used by tribal vegetable sellers. (File)
The Western Railways has decided to scrap 11 narrow gauge routes and branch lines in Gujarat, calling them unviable. One of these is the 107-year-old Billimora-Waghai line, once run by the Gaekwad Baroda State Railway (GBSR), against the closure of which political leaders have started a campaign pitching.
History of the Billimora-Waghai train
The narrow gauge train connecting Billimora in Navsari district with Waghai in Dang district was started by rulers of the Gaekwad dynasty of the princely state of Baroda in 1913. This was much before the Western Railway came into existence in 1951 with the merger of the Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway, the Saurashtra, Rajputana and Jaipur state Railways. At the instance of Gaekwad rulers, the British laid railway tracks and it was operated by Gaekwad Baroda State Railway (GBSR) owned by Sayajirao Gaekwad III. The Gaekwad jurisdiction was spread across parts of Saurashtra, Mehsana in north Gujarat, and Billimora in South Gujarat.
The 63-km Billimora-Waghai and the 19-km Choranda-Moti Karal routes are among those five routes the Indian Railways had proposed to be preserved as “industrial heritage” in 2018. Sources said the Billimora-Waghai train that runs among Gujarat’s most forested routes, was used for the purpose of transportation of sag timber from deep forest areas. For about 24 years the train was run by a steam engine, which was replaced by diesel engine in 1937. After Independence the Western Railway took charge of the train from GBSR. In 1994, the original steam engine was put on the display at Churchgate Heritage Gallery in Mumbai.
Before the pandemic lockdown, the five-coach train made two trips from Billimora to Waghai, covering nine railway stations — Gandevi, Chikhli, Rankuwa, Dholikuwa, Anaval, Unai, Kevdi road, Kala Amba, and Dungarda. The railway tickets were available at Unai, Billimora and Waghai Railway stations and the entire journey costs Rs 15 one way. 📣 Follow Express Explained on Telegram
What was the railway order
On December 10, Mudit Chandra, executive director (Freight marketing) of the Ministry of Railways issued a letter to the General Manager of Western Railways, ordering permanent closure of 11 “uneconomic branch lines and narrow gauge sections” of the Western Railways which had given the proposal of its closure. The lines to be closed are Nadiad-Bhadran, Ankleshwar-Rajpipla, Boriyavi-Vadtal-Swaminarayan, Kosamba-Umarpada, Samlaya Junction-Timba road, Jhagadiya Junction-Netrang, Chhuchhapura-Tankhala, Chhota Udepur-Jambusar, Billimora-Waghai, Choranda-Moti Karal and Chandod-Malsar.
The train was majorly used by the tribals staying in the interior villages in Dangs district in South Gujarat, which has no road connectivity to reach towns like Gandevi and Billimora for work to sell their agriculture produce. The craftsmen of Dangs district also used this train to sell their products to the shop keepers in these town. So do the students from interior villages to go to colleges in the towns.
Soon after the announcement to scrap the services, newly BJP elected MLA from Dangs, Vijay Patel, Congress MLA of Vansda in Navsari district Anant Patel and Bipin Rawat, a social worker of Waghai, started a movement to restart the services for tribals. Patel made a written representation to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal where he has said that it was the lifeline for the tribals and should ideally be upgraded and used for tourism. MLA Anant Patel started a relay of protest at each of the railway stations on the route.
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Rawat claims there is no health services in the interior villages in Dangs and during medical emergency the patients use this train to reach the towns for medical treatment in government and private hospitals. Even the tribal people, who wanted to go to Surat and Mumbai, use this train to reach Billimora station for further rail connectivity via broad gauge.
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
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