Indian Railways/Zonal Railways

History Rolling Stock Introduction Indian Railways, one of the world's largest railway networks, is organized into 19 operational geographical zones (as of 2026), each headed by a General Manager who reports to the Railway Board. These zones are semi-autonomous administrative units that manage train operations, infrastructure maintenance, and commercial activities within their respective territories. The zonal system allows for decentralized management of India's vast railway network, which spans over 68,000 route kilometers across the country. See also: Indian Railways Zones and Divisions Historical Background The evolution of Indian Railways' zonal structure reflects the country's journey from private railway companies to a unified national system. In 1944, the Government of India took over all existing railway companies that were operating across the subcontinent. This nationalization laid the groundwork for systematic reorganization of the railway administration. In December 1950, the Central Advisory Committee for Railways approved a plan to reorganize Indian Railways into six regional zones. This reorganization came into effect in 1951–1952, when the first six zones were created: Southern Railway (April 14, 1951), Central Railway (November 5, 1951), Western Railway (November 5, 1951), Eastern Railway (April 14, 1952), Northern Railway (April 14, 1952), and North Eastern Railway (April 14, 1952). The number of zones expanded gradually over subsequent decades. South Eastern Railway was formed on August 1, 1955, followed by Northeast Frontier Railway on January 15, 1958. South Central Railway was carved out from portions of Southern and Central Railways on October 2, 1965 (operational from 1966), to provide some dedicated administrative focus to the Andhra Pradesh corridor. The most significant expansion occurred in the early 2000s. On October 1, 2002, two new zones were created: North Western Railway and East Central Railway. Then, on April 1 and April 3, 2003, five additional zones began operations: West Central Railway, South East Central Railway, East Coast Railway, North Central Railway, and South Western Railway. This brought the total to 16 zones. Konkan Railway, which had been operating as a separate entity since 1990, was formally integrated as a zone. Metro Railway, Kolkata was declared the 17th zone on December 19, 2010 (operational from 2019), making it the newest zone at that time. The most recent addition is South Coast Railway, which was announced on February 17, 2019, and became operational on June 1, 2026, bringing the total to 19 zones. Organizational Structure Indian Railways operates under a matrix organization where functional branches are under dual control i.e., both zonal and central. The Railway Board, established in March 1905 under the Indian Railway Board Act, serves as the apex body overseeing all railway operations. The Board has undergone several reorganizations, most recently in December 2019 when its size was reduced from eight to five members. Each zonal railway is headed by a General Manager who reports directly to the Railway Board. Zones are further subdivided into divisions, each headed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). As of 2024–2025, there are 68 to 69 operating divisions across all zones. Within each zone, functional departments are represented by Heads of Departments (HODs) responsible for specific functions such as engineering, mechanical, electrical, operations, commercial, personnel, medical, and security. These HODs include Principal Chief Engineer (PCE), Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer (PCME), Principal Chief Electrical Engineer (PCEE), Principal Chief Operations Manager (PCOM), Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCM), Principal Chief Personnel Officer (PCPO), and others. Divisional managers work alongside these functional heads. Staff are classified into gazetted (Groups A and B) and non-gazetted (Groups C) categories. Group A officers, who constitute about 1.5% of the workforce, are primarily recruited through the Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS) via the Civil Services Examination or Engineering Services Examination. Group B employees are promoted from Group C, while Group C staff are recruited through Railway Recruitment Control Board examinations. The Zones of Indian Railways thumb|270x270px|Credit: Superbenjamin. The 18 zones of Indian Railways on a map. (Metro Railway Kolkata zone isn't shown) Indian Railways currently comprises 19 operational zones, each serving specific geographical regions. The zones vary significantly in size, route length, and number of divisions. The Six Main Zones These were the first six zones to be created. Northern Railway Northern Railway, headquartered in Delhi, was established on April 14, 1952. It is one of the largest zones by route length, covering approximately 7,363 kilometers. The zone operates across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Northern Railway comprises six divisions: Ambala, Delhi, Firozpur, Lucknow, Moradabad, and Jammu. The zone plays a critical role in connecting the national capital to northern and northwestern India. Southern Railway Southern Railway, headquartered in Chennai, was the first zone formed on April 14, 1951 (some sources say April 14, 1950). It covers Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, with a route length of 5,093 kilometers. The zone has six divisions: Chennai, Madurai, Palakkad, Salem, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tiruchirappalli. SR is easily the oldest and most established zone, serving the southern peninsula. Western Railway Western Railway, headquartered at Mumbai Churchgate, was established on November 5, 1951. It covers Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, with a route length of 6,156 kilometers. The zone has six divisions: Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Mumbai WR, Rajkot, Ratlam, and Vadodara. WR is one of the busiest zones, handling substantial suburban traffic in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Central Railway Central Railway is headquartered at Mumbai CSMT (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) and was formed on November 5, 1951. It covers Maharashtra, parts of Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka, with a route length of 4,203 kilometers. The zone comprises five divisions: Bhusawal, Mumbai CR, Nagpur, Pune, and Solapur. CR serves as a critical link between western and central India and even has a Rajdhani named after it. (It is called CR Rajdhani) Eastern Railway Eastern Railway is headquartered in Kolkata and was formed on April 14, 1952. It covers West Bengal, Jharkhand, and parts of Odisha and Bihar, with a route length of 2,823 kilometers. The zone comprises four divisions: Asansol, Howrah, Malda, and Sealdah. ER serves the densely populated and industrialized regions of eastern India, including the Kolkata metropolitan area which contains both Howrah and Sealdah stations. North Eastern Railway North Eastern Railway is headquartered in Gorakhpur and was formed on April 14, 1952. It covers eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar, with a route length of approximately 3,470 kilometers. The zone has three divisions: Izzatnagar, Lucknow, and Varanasi. NER serves important pilgrimage centers and agricultural regions in the Purvanchal area. It got cut in half because of the formation of the Northeast Frontier Railways zone. The Other Main Zones These were the other important zones created after the six main zones. Northeast Frontier Railway Northeast Frontier Railway, headquartered in Guwahati, was established on January 15, 1958. It serves the entire northeastern region of India, covering Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and parts of West Bengal and Bihar. With a route length of 4,348 kilometers, NFR operates five divisions: Alipurduar, Katihar, Lumding, Rangiya, and Tinsukia. The zone faces unique operational challenges due to the region's difficult terrain and weather conditions and yet, it gains profit. Southeastern Railway South Eastern Railway, headquartered at Garden Reach in Kolkata, was established on August 1, 1955. It covers parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha, with a route length of 2,758 kilometers. The zone has four divisions: Adra, Chakradharpur, Kharagpur, and Ranchi. SER is known for its mineral-rich territory, handling significant freight traffic related to coal and iron ore along the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC). South Central Railway South Central Railway is headquartered in Secunderabad and was formed on October 2, 1965 (operational from 1966). It serves Telangana, parts of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, with a route length of 3,572 kilometers. The zone comprises three divisions: Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and Nanded. SCR was carved out from Southern and Central Railways to provide focused administration to the Andhra region. East Central Railway East Central Railway is headquartered in Hajipur and was formed on October 1, 2002. It covers Bihar and Jharkhand, with a route length of 4,238 kilometers. The zone comprises five divisions: Danapur, Dhanbad, Mughalsarai, Samastipur, and Sonpur. ECR was carved out from Eastern and North Eastern Railways to better serve Bihar. It was one of the most important zonal expansions. North Western Railway North Western Railway is headquartered in Jaipur and was formed on October 1, 2002. It covers Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana, with a route length of 5,705 kilometers. The zone comprises of four divisions: Ajmer, Bikaner, Jaipur, and Jodhpur. NWR was carved out from Northern and Western Railways to better serve the Rajasthan region. The Extra Zones These were zones which were made as an extra addition to the zonal expansion. South Western Railway South Western Railway, which is headquartered in Hubballi, was established on April 3, 2003. It covers Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, with a route length of 3,692 kilometers. The zone has three divisions: Bengaluru, Hubballi, and Mysuru. SWR was created to provide focused administration to Karnataka's railway network as there is lots of traffic in Bengaluru and Hubballi junctions. West Central Railway West Central Railway is headquartered in Jabalpur and was formed on April 3, 2003. It covers Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, with a route length of 3,060 kilometers. The zone comprises three divisions: Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Kota. WCR was carved out from Central and Western Railways for more coordinated administration across Madhya Pradesh. North Central Railway North Central Railway, headquartered in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), was established on April 3, 2003. It covers Uttar Pradesh and parts of Madhya Pradesh, with a route length of 3,522 kilometers. The zone has three divisions: Agra, Jhansi, and Prayagraj. NCR was formed from portions of Northern and Central Railways for administration and expansion purposes. South East Central Railway South East Central Railway is headquartered in Bilaspur and was formed on April 1, 2003. It covers Chhattisgarh and parts of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand, with a route length of 2,396 kilometers. The zone comprises three divisions: Bilaspur, Nagpur, and Raipur. SECR was carved out from South Eastern and Central Railways to serve the mineral-rich Chhattisgarh region. East Coast Railway East Coast Railway, headquartered in Bhubaneswar, was established on April 3, 2003. It covers Odisha and parts of Andhra Pradesh, with a route length of 2,701 kilometers. The zone has three divisions: Khurda Road, Sambalpur, and Rayagada. ECoR was formed from portions of South Eastern and South Central Railways. It is one of the only three coastal railway zones. The Most Recently Added Zones These were added recently to the Zonal Railways of India. (Top 3) Konkan Railway Konkan Railway, headquartered in Navi Mumbai (CBD Belapur), was formally integrated as a zone on July 19, 1990. It covers the Konkan coastal region of Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka, with a route length of 756 kilometers. The zone has two divisions: Ratnagiri and Karwar. Konkan Railway is known for its engineering marvels, including numerous bridges and tunnels through the Western Ghats. South Coast Railway South Coast Railway (SCoR) is the newest and 18th operational zone of Indian Railways (often referred to as Zone 17 in some counting systems that exclude Metro Railway or Konkan Railway). The zone was officially constituted and began operations on June 1, 2026, with its headquarters in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. SCoR was carved from three different railway zones to manage Andhra Pradesh. Metro Railway, Kolkata thumb|320x320px|Credit: ArnabSaha. A Kolkata Metro CRRC Dalian rake. Metro Railway, Kolkata, headquartered in Kolkata, was declared the 17th zone on December 19, 2010 (operational from 2019). KMRC operates the Kolkata Metro network, with a route length of 73.2 kilometers and 58 stations. The zone has no divisions and operates five metro lines (Blue, Green, Purple, Orange, and Yellow) with both broad gauge and standard gauge tracks. Metro Railway handles urban rapid transit in the Kolkata metropolitan area. It is the smallest railway zone in India that just so happens to be a metro network too. Divisions of Indian Railways As of 2025–2026, there are 68 to 69 operating divisions across 19 zones, each headed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) who is responsible for day-to-day operations, maintenance, and administration within their division. This divisional structure enables decentralized management while maintaining coordination through zonal and central authorities. Organizational Structure Each zonal railway is headed by a General Manager who reports directly to the Railway Board. Zones are further subdivided into divisions, each headed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). The DRM serves as the chief executive of a railway division and is responsible for managing and administering a particular geographical area. Key responsibilities include ensuring punctuality and safety of all passenger and freight trains passing through or originating within the division, monitoring train movements, managing line capacity, and resolving disruptions. DRMs oversee efficient movement of wagons and coaches, ensuring optimal utilization of rolling stock, and managing yard operations. They coordinate maintenance of tracks, bridges, stations, and other fixed assets through various engineering departments. Commercial operations including passenger ticketing, freight booking, fare collection, and customer service also fall under their purview. DRMs ensure safety of train operations and security of railway material, passengers, and belongings, while managing personnel matters, discipline, and welfare of divisional staff. Within each division, functional departments are represented by senior divisional officers who report both to the DRM and to their respective zonal Heads of Departments (HODs). These include the Senior Divisional Engineer (DEN), responsible for maintenance of fixed assets including tracks, bridges, and buildings; the Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer (DMME), who oversees maintenance of diesel locomotives, carriage, and wagon fleets; the Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer (DEE), managing station lighting, power supply, overhead equipment, and electric rolling stock; the Senior Divisional Signal & Telecommunication Engineer (DSTE), handling signalling and telecommunication infrastructure; the Senior Divisional Operations Manager (DOM), managing train operations and traffic control; the Senior Divisional Finance Manager (DFM), managing accounting and financial matters; the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), handling passenger and freight commercial operations; the Senior Divisional Personnel Officer (DPO), managing human resources; the Senior Divisional Safety Officer (DSO), ensuring operational safety; the Senior Divisional Material Manager (DMM), managing material stores; the Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS), providing healthcare facilities; and the Senior Divisional Security Commissioner (DSC), handling security matters. This framework ensures that divisions have operational autonomy while maintaining technical and functional coordination with zonal and central authorities. List of Divisions The following is a list of all railway divisions of Indian Railways, organized by zone. Central Railway (CR) Mumbai CR Division Bhusaval Division Nagpur Division Solapur Division Pune Division Eastern Railway (ER) Asansol Division Howrah Division Malda Division Sealdah Division Kolkata Division East Central Railway (ECR) Sonpur Division Samastipur Division Danapur Division Dhanbad Division Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Division (formerly Mughalsarai) Hajipur Division East Coast Railway (ECoR) Khurda Road Division Sambalpur Division Rayagada Division Bhubaneshwar Division Northern Railway (NR) Ambala Division New Delhi Division Lucknow Division Moradabad Division Firozpur Division Jammu Division North Central Railway (NCR) – Prayagraj Prayagraj Division Agra Division Jhansi Division North Eastern Railway (NER) Lucknow Division Izzatnagar Division Varanasi Division Gorakhpur Division Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Alipurduar Division Katihar Division Lumding Division Rangiya Division Tinsukia Division Guwahati Division North Western Railway (NWR) Ajmer Division Bikaner Division Jaipur Division Jodhpur Division Southern Railway (SR) Chennai Division Madurai Division Palakkad Division Tiruchchirappalli Division Thiruvananthapuram Division Salem Division South Central Railway (SCR) Hyderabad Division Nanded Division Secunderabad Division South Coast Railway (SCoR) Visakhapatnam Division (formerly Waltair) Vijayawada Division Guntur Division Guntakal Division South Eastern Railway (SER) Adra Division Chakradharpur Division Kharagpur Division Ranchi Division South East Central Railway (SECR) Raipur Division Nagpur Division Bilaspur Division South Western Railway (SWR) Bengaluru Division Hubballi Division Mysuru Division Western Railway (WR) Mumbai Central Division Vadodara Division Ratlam Division Ahmedabad Division Rajkot Division Bhavnagar Division West Central Railway (WCR) Bhopal Division Jabalpur Division Kota Division Konkan Railway (KR) Ratnagiri Division Karwar Division Navi Mumbai Division Metro Railway, Kolkata (KMRC) (No divisions. It operates as a single integrated urban transit network) This divisional framework enables Indian Railways to manage its vast network efficiently through decentralized administration while actually maintaining coordination through zonal and central oversight.