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Indian Railways is counted among the largest rail networks in the world, with trains like the ‘Vivek Express’ running from Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari taking 75 to 80 hours to cover the distance of over 4,000 kilometres. On the other hand, there is such a train journey in our country which ends in the blink of an eye as soon as it starts. The distance is only 3 kilometers and the journey takes only 7 to 9 minutes, but when the price of the ticket for this journey is revealed, it is sure to baffle anyone’s mind. This shortest and unique rail route of India is very interesting and surprising in itself.
Nagpur to Ajni: Country’s shortest general rail route
The shortest distance traveled in the regular network of Indian Railways is between Nagpur Junction in Maharashtra and Ajni Railway Station. The distance of tracks between these two stations is only 2.8 to 3 kilometers. After leaving Nagpur, the train does not even get a chance to gain its full speed and it stops at Ajni platform within 7 to 8 minutes. This route holds the official record for the shortest distance between two stations in the history of railways.
Rent worth thousands of rupees: Why do people lose their senses?
Often the question arises that why do we have to shell out so much for a distance of just 3 kilometers? Actually, the base fare and minimum distance slab of Railways is applicable for many superfast, premium and luxury heritage trains running on this route. If a passenger books a ticket of a premium train (like First AC of Rajdhani or Duronto) or a special section of a luxury tourist train on this 3 km route, then as per the railway rules, a minimum of 300 to 500 km of base fare, reservation charge and superfast surcharge is charged from him. In package booking of luxury tourist coach, this fare reaches several thousand rupees, making it the most expensive rail journey in the country on per kilometer basis.
A boon and unique experience for local travelers
Generally, people cover this distance by local auto, cab or city bus, but many employees and passengers traveling daily between Nagpur and Ajni also complete this journey with ordinary tickets of Rs 10 to 30 in passenger and MEMU trains. To avoid the huge crowd at Nagpur station, many times people find it more convenient to catch a train from Ajni.
A unique page of railway history
While Japan and Switzerland are known across the world for their state-of-the-art and long bullet trains, the diversity of Indian Railways makes it different from all others. The halting of huge trains covering a long distance of thousands of kilometers at a station for just 3 kilometers and 7 minutes presents a unique example of the technical system and historical structure of railway operations.