Ajanta Express

Ajanta Express

Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Telangana & Maharashtra
First service	1 April 1967; 54 years ago (1967-04-01)
Current operator(s)	South Central Railways
Route
Start	Secunderabad (SC)
Stops	21
End	Manmad (MMR)
Distance travelled	619 km (385 mi)
Average journey time	12 hrs 00 mins
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	17063 / 17064
On-board services
Class(es)	AC First, AC II Tier, AC III Tier, Sleeper class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	Pantry Car, On-Board Catering
Observation facilities	Rake sharing with 12703/12704 Falaknuma Express
Baggage facilities	Below the seats
Technical
Rolling stock	ICF coaches
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) (broad gauge)
Operating speed	51 km/h (32 mph) average including halts
Ajanta Express Route map

The 17063 / 17064 Ajanta Express is an Express train belonging to South Central Railway Zone that runs between Secunderabad and Manmad in India. It is operated with 17063/17064 train numbers on daily basis.

History[]

Ajanta Express runs through eastern Maharashtra (Marathwada region) and north-western region of Telangana. It was known as Kacheguda Express very often by the people travelling on Kacheguda–Nizamabad–Nanded–Aurangabad route on former Hyderabad–Godavari Valley Railways.

The train was introduced on 1 April 1967 as a metre-gauge train between Kacheguda railway station and Manmad, via Nizamabad, Nanded and Aurangabad. The train became popular in a short time as Manmad Junction on 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge was the point to take broad-gauge trains to other destinations.

After the track from Manmad to Parbhani was converted to broad gauge in 1992–95 and the track from Parbhani to Mudkhed and Nizamabad was still not converted, the train was re-routed between Kacheguda and Manmad via Bidar and Parbhani in 1995–1996 because the metre gauge had been converted between Vikarabad and Parbhani by then. In 2007, the train again diverted to its old route which had been converted into broad gauge in 2002–2003.

Ajanta Express (Kacheguda–Manmad) was the fastest metre-gauge train in India with an average speed of 42.5 kilometres per hour (26.4 mph) in 1967.^[1]

Overview[]

The train is named after the Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad. It runs daily and connects important stations such as Nizamabad, Nanded, Aurangabad and Nagarsol.

The 17063/Manmad–Secunderabad Ajanta Express has an average speed of 50 km/h and covers 619 km in 12h 0m. The 17064/ Secunderabad–Manmad Ajanta Express has an average speed of 49 km/h and covers same distance in 12h 35m.

Timings[]

The train departs from Secunderabad at 18:10 and arrives on Manmad at 6:45 the next day. It departs from Manmad at 20:50 and arrives on Secunderabad at 8:50 the next day.

Classes[]

The train usually consists of 24 standard ICF coaches:

• 1 AC first cum II tier
• 1 AC II tier
• 3 AC III tiers
• 13 sleeper class
• 3 general (unreserved)
• 1 pantry car
• 2 seating (ladies/disabled) cum luggage rakes

As is customary with most other train services in India, coach composition may be amended at the discretion of Indian Railways, depending on demand.

Coach composition[]

Loco	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
	SLR	GEN	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	S7	S8	S9	S10	S11	S12	PC	S13	B1	B2	B3	A1	HA1	GEN	GEN	SLR

Rake sharing[]

From 1 January 2018, it started to share its rakes with 12703 / 12704 Falaknuma Express

Route & Halts[]

The train runs from Manmad via Nagarsol, Aurangabad, Jalna, Purna Junction, Hazur Sahib Nanded, Nizamabad Junction, Bolarum, Malkajgiri to Secunderabad.

Loco link[]

As the route is not electrified, a Guntakal-based WDM-3A / WDM-3D twins hauls the train to complete its full destination.

See also[]

• Nizamabad–Kacheguda DEMU
• Devagiri Express
• Bhopal Shatabdi
• Rajkot Secunderabad Express

References[]

External links[]

• Ajanta Express Time Table