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Indian Railways is not only the largest rail network in Asia and the fourth largest in the world, but it also has many such historical and engineering records in its name which astonish the whole world. There was a time when Gorakhpur railway station in Uttar Pradesh had the distinction of having the world’s longest railway platform, but now this coveted crown has gone to Karnataka’s Sri Siddharudha Swamiji Hubballi Junction (SSS Hubballi Junction) Name has been registered. The vastness of this platform, which is more than 1.5 kilometers long, can be gauged from the fact that two full-length long distance express trains can easily stand on it simultaneously.
The total length of platform number 8 of Hubli Railway Station located in Dharwad district of Karnataka is 1,507 meters (about 1.507 km) Is.
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Official recognition of world records: With the formal inauguration of the expansion work of this platform in March 2023, the Guinness Book of World Records officially certified it as the longest railway platform in the world.
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Total cost of the project: The entire station complex and platforms were expanded at a cost of over ₹90 crore as part of the Hubli Yard Modernization and Re-modeling Project by South Western Railways (SWR).
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Operation of two trains simultaneously: Due to the huge length of this platform, the Railways can run two 24-coach full-rack trains from both directions (electric and diesel engines) at the same time without any hindrance and load and disembark passengers.
Before this expansion of Hubli station, the list of longest platforms in the world was dominated by other Indian stations, which Hubli left behind:
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1. Sri Siddharudha Swamiji Hubli (Karnataka): 1,507 meters (currently ranked 1st in the world)
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2. Gorakhpur Junction (Uttar Pradesh): 1,366.33 meters (long-time world record holder)
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3. Kollam Junction (Kerala): 1,180.50 meters (third longest platform in India)
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4. Kharagpur Junction (West Bengal): 1,072.50 meters (formerly the longest platform)
Hubli station is important not only for its length, but it is also a major lifeline hub of rail traffic in South India:
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Headquarters of South Western Railway: This station is also the zonal headquarters of the South Western Railway (SWR) zone.
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Major business and industrial corridors: Hubli-Dharwad is considered the second capital and major commercial center of Karnataka. The station is a junction of major railway lines connecting Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Goa and Pune.
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Congestion relief and operational efficiency: Before the construction of this 1.5 km long platform, trains had to wait for clearance at the outer signal for a long time. With the commissioning of new platforms and additional loop lines, the time taken by trains for crossing and terminal operations has reduced significantly.
Along with increasing the length of the platform, the railway administration has given it the look of a modern ‘smart station’:
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Escalators and lifts for passenger convenience: To ease the movement of senior citizens, disabled people and passengers with heavy luggage on such a long platform, many modern lifts, escalators and battery operated buggies have been arranged.
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Green Energy and Security: Solar panels have been installed on a large scale on the huge shed of the platform, due to which a large part of the power needs of the station is met by solar energy. Apart from this, a network of high-definition CCTV cameras has been laid in the entire 1.5 km radius for security.
This engineering feat by Indian Railways shows how the country’s public transport infrastructure is setting new standards globally.