Channel: Best of Indian Railways

Category: Travel & Events

Tags: tejas expressamarkantak expressmandovi rivertrivandrum rajdhanigoa monsoonwaterfall trainsirfcatvc rajdhanirajdhanijan shatabdimao dr jsmadgaon dadar jan shatabdi.amarkantaktejaskonkan railways monsoonkerala sampark krantiltt rajendranagar expressmangala lakshwadeep expressjanata expresszuari rivercoimbatore hisar expressjan shatabdi expressindian railwayskonkan monsoonmandovi expressgoa rajdhanikonkan waterfalls

Description: If it is monsoons, it must be Konkan! Enjoy a journey from Bhopal to Mumbai via Goa. We start off with the Habibganj Jabalpur Intercity, cross the Vindhyas through the Budhni-Barkhera ghats and go south of the Narmada to Itarsi, where we reverse and head northwards along the Itarsi-Allahabad line. This stretch had just opened for electric traction when the video was made and electric-hauled trains were slowly making their presence felt. Our journey continues only till Narsinghpur (80 km south of Jabalpur), where after a break of an hour and a half, we start the south-west bound journey towards Goa aboard the Jabalpur Coimbatore Special, hauled by a turquoise Katni WDM3A. We join the Mumbai bound tracks at Itarsi and cut through south-west Madhya Pradesh past Khandwa, where the first rains greet us, and cross the Tapti river to head into Maharashtra at Bhusawal. Next morning, we wake up to the lush green Konkan, intermittent drizzles and the occasional heavy downpour as the train hugs the Konkan coast and heads southwards. The monsoon timetable is in place so we cut down our speed to 75 kmph post Veer and negotiate through the tunnels and the numerous crossings. We head into Goa in the afternoon and cross the magnificent Mandovi and Zuari rivers to reach Madgaon. For our return to Mumbai, we take the Mangalore Mumbai Superfast and head back northwards. The next morning sees some heavy rainfall as we exit Konkan Railways at Roha and enter the Navi Mumbai area. We are made to wait almost for an eternity at Diva as fast locals and intercity expresses fly past, ferrying daily commuters from the suburbs to India's financial capital. We finally get some relief after 40 odd minutes, join the fast lines and huff and puff our way to the Victoria Terminus after a rapid show of speed by the Kalyan WDG3A through the Bombay suburban section.