The world's largest railway interlocking system lives in Delhi
In short: New Delhi railway station is a titan of Indian infrastructure, handling up to 700,000 passengers daily. Beyond its massive scale, it houses a record-breaking technological feat: the world's largest route relay interlocking system, a complex network ensuring the safe, automated movement of over 250 trains.
The station's origins are tied to the shifting geography of India's capital. Before 1911, the Delhi Junction served the city, but plans for a new imperial capital required realigning the Agra–Delhi railway line along the Yamuna River. The 1924 inauguration of this route occurred alongside the building of the Minto Rail Bridge. In 1926, the East Indian Railway Company approved a modest single-story building and one platform between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj, rejecting a more ambitious plan to build inside Connaught Place.
The station underwent significant transformations to meet growing demand. While the Old Delhi station was the primary hub for decades, the New Delhi station was officially inaugurated on April 16, 1956, following construction that began in 1955. Over the years, its aesthetic has shifted to reflect major sporting events: the exterior was clad in sandstone for the 1982 Asian Games and later covered with aluminum for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. By 2009, a new 9,000 m2 building opened on the Ajmeri Gate side, and the platform count was eventually expanded to 16.
Today, the station is undergoing a massive ₹2,469 crore redevelopment project aimed at completion by January 2029. This initiative seeks to transform the hub into a multimodal transport center, integrating rail, metro, and bus services. The project includes 7 flyovers, 2 tunnels to ease cargo traffic, and the installation of green solar buildings. Central to its operational success is the route relay interlocking system, which has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest in the world since 1999.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: New Delhi railway station
- Also: Wikidata — New Delhi railway station · CC0
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