The Ministry of Railways has announced a huge number of vacancies through various recruitment notifications on the official website. As Indian Railways will fill up a large number of candidates with different educational backgrounds, candidates must collect detailed knowledge regarding the organization. Most of the candidates are wondering about “How many Railway Zones are there in India in 2024?” Sometimes the questions related to this can also be asked in the examination in the General Awareness section.
Indian Railways
Indian Railways is a government-owned organization managed by the Ministry of Railways. It runs the national railway system in India. The Railway Board, led by a chairman, oversees its operations and reports to the Ministry of Railways. The organization is structured into different departments and divided into various operational zones based on geography. The organization is split into different teams for specific jobs, such as running trains, maintaining tracks, handling traffic, managing train carriages, controlling signals, dealing with materials, managing staff, ensuring security, handling finances, and looking after health and safety.
Establishment of Railway Zones
Central Railways of India is distinguished by its expansive railway network, spanning more than 67,000 kilometers of tracks and serving an astonishing daily passenger count exceeding 23 million. The idea of railway zones in India started in the early 1950s when the Indian government took over the railways. In 1944, all the railway companies in existence at the time were taken over by the Government. At first, there were only six zones, mainly set up according to geography. As time passed, more zones were created to meet the increasing transportation needs of the country.
How many Railway Zones are there in India in 2024?
There are a total of 17 operational zones of Indian Railways as of 2024 with 68 divisions in it. A General manager heads the zones which are further subdivided into divisions. Each division is headed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), responsible for the respective divisions’ operation and maintenance. There is a proposal for the 18 operational zone named as South Coast Railway Zone in 2023, which is not operational yet.
List of Indian Railway Zones
The below table provides you with a concise outline of all the zonal railways in India including the year of creation, their headquarters, number, and the name of the division in each zone.
| S.No | Zonal Railway | Headquarter | Year of Creation | Number of Division | Name of Divisions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Central Railway | Mumbai | 1951 | 5 |
|
| 2. | Eastern Railway | Kolkata | 1952 | 4 |
|
| 3. | East Central Railway | Hajipur | 2002 | 5 |
|
| 4. | East Coast Railway | Bhubaneswar | 2003 | 3 |
|
| 5. | Northern Railway | New Delhi | 1952 | 5 |
|
| 6. | North Central Railway | Prayagraj | 2003 | 3 | |
| 7. | North Eastern Railway | Gorakhpur | 1952 | 3 |
|
| 8. | Northeast Frontier Railway | Guwahati | 1958 | 5 |
|
| 9. | North Western Railway | Jaipur | 2002 | 4 |
|
| 10. | Southern Railway | Chennai | 1951 | 6 |
|
| 11. | South Central Railway | Secunderabad | 1966 | 6 |
|
| 12. | South Eastern Railway | Kolkata | 1955 | 4 |
|
| 13. | South East Central Railway | Bilaspur | 2003 | 3 | |
| 14. | South Western Railway | Hubli | 2003 | 3 |
|
| 15. | Western Railway | Mumbai | 1951 | 6 |
|
| 16. | West Central Railway | Jabalpur | 2003 | 3 | |
| 17. | Metro Railway | Kolkata | 2010 | – | |
| Total | 68 |
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