Crossroads on the Deccan plateau
Manmad is a small town in Nashik district, but Manmad Junction (code MMR) is a big name in Indian railways. Five routes meet here, connecting Mumbai with north India, the Deccan and Hyderabad. It belongs to Central Railway's Bhusaval division and stands about 558 metres above sea level, on the plateau beyond the Western Ghats.
Born on the GIPR main line
After the Great Indian Peninsula Railway opened India's first line to Thane in 1853 and reached Kalyan in 1854, it pushed north-east over the Thal Ghat. The opening of the line towards Bhusaval in the mid-1860s led to the construction of Manmad Junction in 1866. A year later, in 1867, the track reached Nagpur.
The Nizam's railway arrives
In 1890, the Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway began services over 391 miles (629 km) from the city of Hyderabad to Manmad, linking the princely state with the Bombay main line. That route, now the Secunderabad–Manmad line, still runs through Aurangabad, today Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the gateway to the Ajanta and Ellora caves. Electrification reached Manmad in 1968–69.
Five routes
- Bhusawal–Kalyan section, the main line between Mumbai and the north and east
- Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line
- Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line
- Secunderabad–Manmad line, towards Aurangabad and Hyderabad
- Daund–Manmad line, towards Ahmednagar and Pune
The Shirdi connection
For millions of devotees of Sai Baba, Manmad is the stop for Shirdi, 57.5 km away by road. Around 51 trains a week run between Mumbai and Manmad. The nearest airports are at Gandhinagar (Nashik), about 88 km away, and Mumbai, 263 km away.
Asia's largest grain store
Manmad is also home to what is described as the largest grain storage warehouse in Asia, run by the Food Corporation of India. Its rail sidings are a reminder that Manmad's junction carries food as well as pilgrims.
Changing at Manmad
MMR has 6 platforms. Because routes from four directions meet, many travellers change trains here; see connecting services on the train timings page.