04 August,2026 12:16 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
The Bhima river railway bridge, constructed entirely from stone, remains intact despite the disappearance of the original railway alignment
[popcorn number="1856 " desc=" Year Katraj railway station became operational " class="Default"]
Since 2021, a junior railway official from Solapur division of Central Railway, Raj P Mhamane, 24, has been documenting and unearthing historically abandoned stations, submerged railway alignments, century-old bridges, and long-forgotten engineering works, preserving a slice of railway history that has quietly survived the march of time.
The monogram of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (1849-1951), the predecessor of Central Railway. PICS/By Special Arrangement
The Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) was the country's first railway company, and it grew out of Mumbai and eventually evolved into one of the world's largest rail networks. Every such exercise in documenting, cataloguing and preserving its surviving records, structures and artefacts enriches the broader understanding of the evolution of Indian Railways as a whole.
An abandoned platform of Katraj railway station, operational between 1856 and 1977
Mhamane, from the Safety Branch, Solapur division, has come up with a remarkable documentation project that has brought renewed attention to the forgotten railway heritage of the division, revealing how century-old railway structures continue to stand as silent witnesses to India's railway evolution. The study traces the legacy of railway infrastructure dating back to the mid-19th century.
A flag exchange cabin at the Diksal (Bhigwan end) of Katraj station
One of the most fascinating discoveries highlighted in the report is the story of Bhigwan railway station, originally known as Diksal railway station. Established during the early expansion of the GIPR, the station continues to function today while preserving rare elements of traditional railway operations.
Raj P Mhamane, junior railway official, Solapur division, CR
A manually operated control cabin adjacent to the level crossing still manages the proceed signal, representing one of the few surviving examples of historic railway working systems. The report also documents how the convergence of old and new railway alignments near Bhigwan resulted in noticeable changes in railway mileage markers, reflecting engineering modifications made during later route developments.
The manually operated control cabin at Bhigwan railway station. Pics/By Special Arrangement
The study revisits the historic decision taken in 1854 to construct the railway line connecting Pune to Raichur. Construction began in 1856 under the GIPR, with the first completed section between Diksal and Barsi Road opening on October 23, 1859.
The water reservoir at Mohol station, a living railway station with historic roots
This pioneering railway corridor laid the foundation for modern rail connectivity through Daund, Kurduwadi, Mohol, Solapur, Kalaburagi, Wadi, and Raichur, significantly accelerating economic development across the Deccan region.
A water reservoir at Pomalwadi station, which was established in 1856
Several railway stations that once bustled with activity now survive only as architectural remains. The report documents Katraj railway station, operational between 1856 and 1977, whose abandoned station building, platform and historic control cabins still exist. These cabins once regulated passenger and freight traffic using manual signalling systems that determined train precedence on the single-line route.
The Barsi Road narrow gauge station
Similarly, Pomalwadi railway station, established in 1856, served as an important intermediate stop equipped with a passenger platform, loop line and water storage facilities for steam locomotives. Today, remnants of its station building, bridges, and water reservoir continue to survive near the Bhima river backwaters.
Among the report's most significant observations is the survival of several 19th-century engineering structures.
The Bhima river railway bridge, constructed entirely from stone masonry, remains intact despite the disappearance of the original railway alignment. Measuring approximately 1317 feet in length, the bridge consists of 28 segmental arches built using thousands of carefully crafted masonry blocks. The structure reportedly cost R2.6 lakh during its construction - an enormous investment in the mid-1800s.
The abandoned station building of Katraj railway station, operational between 1856 and 1977
Additional stone arch bridges, abandoned railway embankments and submerged alignments documented throughout the report illustrate the remarkable durability of Victorian railway engineering.
While many stations disappeared, others evolved with time. Jeur, Bhalwani, Mohol and Solapur stations continue to serve passengers today after extensive modernisation. The report explains how these stations originally operated with single-line layouts, manual crossings and water reservoirs for steam locomotives before later receiving electrification, additional tracks and modern signalling.
The Sogaon-Pomalwadi railway bridge in the Karmala taluka of Solapur district
Jeur and Bhalwani underwent major upgrades in 2022 with the addition of new main and loop lines, while Solapur itself transformed from a terminus station into one of the region's most important railway hubs following network expansion toward Wadi and Kalaburagi.
The documentation also highlights several unique operational features rarely seen on Indian Railways in this day and age.
At Pophlaj railway station, engineers once installed a scissors crossing instead of a conventional loop because of limited space. According to the report, only five active scissors crossings existed in India as of 2020, all located within Solapur division, making the site particularly significant from a railway engineering perspective.
Elsewhere, preserved semaphore signals, control cabins, signal pulleys, turntables, water reservoirs and engraved GIPR infrastructure continue to offer valuable insight into 19th-century railway operations.
A substantial portion of the study chronicles Solapur's once-thriving meter-gauge network.
From 1887 until 1995, Solapur maintained separate broad-gauge and meter-gauge stations, each equipped with its own turntable for reversing steam locomotives. The meter-gauge station, identified by station code SURM, served trains including the well-known Gol Gumbaz Express operating toward Bengaluru via Bijapur.
Hotgi Junction, meanwhile, stood out as one of the rare stations where meter-gauge and broad-gauge platforms existed side by side, sharing common infrastructure. The report documents surviving steam locomotive sheds, inspection lines, semaphore signals and colonial-era railway buildings that continue to exist decades after meter-gauge operations ended.
The report concludes by revisiting the history of the Barsi Light Railway Company, established in the 1890s. Beginning as a narrow-gauge connection between Barsi Road (now Kurduwadi) and Barshi town, the railway eventually expanded into a major regional network reaching Miraj and Latur.
The line transported agricultural produce and passengers for decades before being absorbed into Indian Railways and later converted to broad gauge. The study includes photographs of surviving station boards, semaphore signals, bridges, water reservoirs, and other infrastructure associated with the historic network.
Beyond documenting abandoned structures, the compilation underscores the importance of preserving railway heritage as part of India's broader industrial history. By combining historical research with contemporary field documentation, the work offers railway historians, engineers, and heritage enthusiasts an invaluable record of the Solapur division's contribution to the growth of India's railway system - ensuring that these forgotten landmarks are remembered even as the modern railway continues to evolve.
