Indian Railways Structure: Railway Zones, Divisions, RRBs, RRCs

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Indian Railways Structure: Railway Zones, Divisions, RRBs, RRCs

Indian Railways Structure: Railway Zones, Divisions, RRBs, RRCs
- Posted On 2024-09-18
Indian Railway Structure

Indian railways stands as one of the largest railway networks across the globe. Established in the 19th century, crisscrossing the vast and diverse landscapes of India, the railway network has transformed from a simple means of transport into an intricate system that supports the socio-economic fabric of the nation. The railways not only facilitate the movement of people but also enable the transportation of goods across states, contributing significantly to India's economy. Considering India's huge population, the Indian railway network is a marvel of engineering and operational efficiency. It encompasses over 68,000 kilometers of route length and more than 7,300 stations, making it an essential lifeline for millions. Each day, Indian Railways carries over 23 million passengers and transports approximately 3 million tons of freight. Its vast reach and accessibility make it a critical mode of transport, especially for the underprivileged and rural populations.

Indian Railway Zones

The structure of railways in India is organized into zones, each functioning as a semi-autonomous unit responsible for the operations within its geographical jurisdiction. This structure is designed to enhance management efficiency and allow localized decision-making. There are a total of 19 zones (including Metro Railway, Kolkata) and around 70 divisions on the Indian railway system, each with its unique features and challenges. In this organizational structure, each division is managed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), who reports directly to the General Manager of their zone. This hierarchical framework facilitates effective coordination and management of railway operations across the country.

Below is an exploration of all the zones in the Indian railways:

1. Northern railway

The northern railway zone was established in 1952 and is renowned as one of India’s oldest and largest railway zones. The main features of the northern railway zone are:
- Code - NR
- Headquarters - Delhi
- Route Length - 7,363 Km
- No. of stations - 1013
- Number of divisions - 5
2. North eastern railway

This zone was established in 1952. Here are some of the main features of north eastern railway:
- Code - NER
- Headquarters - Gorakhpur
- Route Length - 3,470 Km
- No. of stations - 537
- Number of divisions - 3
3. Northeast frontier railway

Established in 1958, northeast frontier railway zone covers mesmerizing northeastern states of India. The major features of this zone are mentioned below:
- Code - NFR
- Headquarters - Guwahati
- Route Length - 4,350 Km
- No. of stations - 547
- Number of divisions - 5
4. Eastern railway

One of the busiest zones of Indian railways, the eastern zone was established in 1952. The main highlights of this zone are:
- Code - ER
- Headquarters - Kolkata
- Route Length - 2,823 Km
- No. of stations - 587
- Number of divisions - 4
5. South eastern railway

Established in the year 1955, south eastern railway has below features:
- Code - SER
- Headquarters - Kolkata
- Route Length - 2,758 Km
- No. of stations - 363
- Number of divisions - 4
6. South central railway

The south central railway came into existence in 1966. The major highlights of this zone include:
- Code - SCR
- Headquarters - Secunderabad
- Route Length - 6,560 Km
- No. of stations - 156
- Number of divisions - 6
7. Southern railway

With its headquarters in Chennai, southern railway was established in 1951 and is one of the oldest zones in the Indian railways.
- Code - SR
- Headquarters - Chennai
- Route Length - 5,093 Km
- No. of stations - 727
- Number of divisions - 6
8. Central railway

Central railway came into existence in 1951. It has the distinction of operating the first passenger railway line in India i.e. Mumbai to Thane in 1853. Some of the major highlights of this zone are:
- Code - CR
- Headquarters - Mumbai CSMT
- Route Length - 4,203 Km
- No. of stations - 486
- Number of divisions - 5
9. Western railway

Western railway is another busiest railway zones in India and was inducted in the year 1951. Please find major details on this zone:
- Code - WR
- Headquarters - Mumbai Churchgate
- Route Length - 6,156 Km
- No. of stations - 1046
- Number of divisions - 6
10. South western railway

This zone was introduced in 2003 to manage the route carved out from southern railways, south central railways and central railways. Please have a glance at the important details of this zone:
- Code - SWR
- Headquarters - Hubballi
- Route Length - 3,661 Km
- No. of stations - 381
- Number of divisions - 3
11. North western railway

This zone covers the desert areas of Rajasthan and was introduced in 2002. Here are some major information about this zone:
- Code - NWR
- Headquarters - Jaipur
- Route Length - 5,705 Km
- No. of stations - 578
- Number of divisions - 4
12. West central railway

This zone came into existence in 2003. The important details in this zone are:
- Code - WCR
- Headquarters - Jabalpur
- Route Length - 3,060 Km
- No. of stations - 247
- Number of divisions - 3
13. North central railway

North central railway zone was established in 2003. The primary information about this zone is as follows:
- Code - NCR
- Headquarters - Prayagraj
- Route Length - 3,522 Km
- No. of stations - 411
- Number of divisions - 3
14. South east central railway

With its headquarters in Bilaspur, the south east central railway was introduced in 1998.
- Code - SECR
- Headquarters - Bilaspur
- Route Length - 2,396 Km
- No. of stations - 358
- Number of divisions - 3
15. East coast railway

One of the 19 zones of Indian railways, east coast railway zone came into existence in 2003.
- Code - ECoR
- Headquarters - Bhubaneshwar
- Route Length - 3,017 Km
- No. of stations - 133
- Number of divisions - 3
16. East central railway

In 1996, east central railway was introduced and this zone includes below features:
- Code - ECR
- Headquarters - Hajipur
- Route Length - 4,238 Km
- No. of stations - 340
- Number of divisions - 5
17. South coast railway
- Code - SCoR
- Headquarters - Visakhapatnam
- Route Length - 3,496 Km
- No. of stations - 340
- Number of divisions - 4
18. Konkan railway

The zone was opened in the year 1998 and covers the beautiful route of the Konkan region.
- Code - KR
- Headquarters - Navi Mumbai
- Route Length - 741 Km
- No. of stations - 67
- Number of divisions - The Konkan Railway (KR) doesn't have divisions similar to the other Indian Railway zones, but it does have two regions.
19. Kolkata metro
- Code - KM
- Headquarters - Kolkata
- Route Length - 59.8 Km
- No. of stations - 50 stations
- Number of divisions - There are no divisions in Kolkata metro. However, there are 4 corridors including North-South, East-West, Centre-South and South-North Corridor.
Indian Railway Divisions

Each zone is subdivided into divisions, which are crucial for the efficient management of operations. A Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) is responsible for the administration, finance, and operational aspects of the division. Divisions are structured to handle various functions such as station management, maintenance of rolling stock, and infrastructure upkeep. This decentralized approach allows for an efficient and concentrated decision making process. Please find the details of divisions in each of the zones of Indian railways:

1. Northern railway - Delhi, Ambala, Firozpur, Lucknow, Moradabad

2. North eastern railway - Izzatnagar, Lucknow, Varanasi

3. Northeast frontier railway - Alipurduar, Katihar, Lumding, Rangiya, Tinsukia

4. Eastern railway - Asansol, Howrah, Malda, Sealdah

5. South eastern railway - Adra, Chakradharpur, Kharagpur, Ranchi

6. South central railway - Guntur, Guntakal, Hyderabad, Nanded, Secunderabad, Vijayawada

7. Southern railway - Chennai, Madurai, Palakkad, Salem, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli

8. Central railway - Bhusawal, Mumbai CR, Nagpur, Pune, Solapur

9. Western railway - Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Mumbai WR, Rajkot, Ratlam, Vadodara

10. South western railway - Bengaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru

11. North western railway - Ajmer, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur

12. West central railway - Bhopal, Jabalpur, Kota

13. North central railway - Agra, Jhansi, Prayagraj

14. South east central railway - Bilaspur, Nagpur, Raipur

15. East coast railway - Khurda Road, Sambalpur, Waltair

16. East central railway - Danapur, Dhanbad, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Samastipur, Sonpur

17. South coast railway - Waltair, Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal

18. Konkan railway - This zone has two regions: Karwar and Ratnagiri

Recruitment and Employment Structures in Indian Railways

Indian Railways employs over 1.2 million people, making it one of the largest employers in the country. The recruitment structure is designed to ensure that the workforce is competent, diverse, and well-trained to meet the challenges of modern railway operations. The employment is done through RRBs and RRCs. Please find the elaborate information on the role of RRBs and RRCs in the recruitment process.

Railway recruitment boards (RRBs)

Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) are responsible for hiring non-gazetted staff across various zones and divisions of Indian railways. They operate under the instructions from the government of India and are administered by the Railway Recruitment Control Board (RRCB). There are currently 21 RRBs in India, each conducting examinations and interviews to select candidates for various posts. These boards play a critical role in maintaining the efficiency of operations by ensuring a steady inflow of skilled personnel. The recruitment process typically involves a written examination, followed by document verification and medical examinations. This rigorous process ensures that only qualified candidates are selected for employment.

List of RRBs includes: Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Allahabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Bilaspur, Chandigarh, Chennai, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Jammu and Kashmir, Kolkata, Malda, Mumbai, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Ranchi, Secunderabad, Siliguri, and Thiruvananthapuram.
1. Ahmedabad
2. Ajmer
3. Bengaluru
4. Bhopal
5. Bhubaneswar
6. Bilaspur
7. Chandigarh
8. Chennai
9. Gorakhpur
10. Guwahati
11. Jammu-Srinagar
12. Kolkata
13. Malda
14. Mumbai
15. Muzaffarpur
16. Patna
17. Prayagraj
18. Ranchi
19. Secunderabad
20. Siliguri
21. Thiruvananthapuram
The major objectives of RRBs are:
- Developing policy for railway recruitment including procedures.
- Monitor all RRB activities.
- Evaluate the performance of RRBs and instruct them on priorities as per the requirement.
- Preparing MIS to monitor all RRB work.
RRBs conducts exams for railway Group C posts under technical and non technical categories such as loco pilot, junior engineer, traffic assistant, good guard, junior and senior timekeeper, junior and senior clerk cum typist, station master and more. Each of the 21 RRBs conducts separate examinations for their respective regions. Some of the major RRB exams include RRB ALP exam, RRB NTPC exam, RRB JE exam, RRB Health and Malaria Inspector recruitment exam, RRB ASM exam, RRB SSE exam.

Railway Recruitment Cell (RRCs)

Railway Recruitment Cells (RRCs) focus on Group D recruitment, catering to positions such as track maintainers, gateman, porters, and helpers. These positions are essential for the everyday functioning of the railway system. The selection process is designed to be inclusive and accessible. RRC exams are conducted at the regional level and cover specific zones of Indian railways. There are 16 RRCs representing different regions.

List of RRCs includes: RRC central railway, RRC northern railway, RRC western railway, RRC north western railway, RRC southern railway, RRC northeast frontier railway, RRC north eastern railway, RRC east central railway, RRC south western railway, RRC north central railway, RRC south central railway, RRC west central railway, RRC south eastern railway, RRC south east central railway, RRC eastern railway, RRC east coast railway.
RRC exams are conducted under the supervision of RRCB and involve stages such as computer-based tests, physical efficiency tests, document verification, and medical examinations. Each of the RRCs has its dedicated website where you can track the details of the railway exams.

FAQs

1. What is the function of RRBs in Indian railways?

RRBs or railway recruitment board conduct exams for railway Group C posts. These positions are categorized under technical and non-technical based on the work profile.

2. Is RRC different from RRB in Indian railways?

RRC is railway recruitment cell and focuses on Group D or level-1 recruitment. Some of the positions in Group D recruitment include track maintainer, helper/assistant in various technical departments (electrical, mechanical, and Signal and Telecom departments), assistant pointsman, and others.

3. What are the technical and non-technical posts in Group C?

Technical posts - Include positions such as civil, mechanical, electrical, signal, and telecommunication engineering.

Non-technical posts - Include positions such as clerks, ticket collectors, assistant station masters, commercial apprentices, and traffic apprentices.

4. How many RRBs and RRCs are in existence currently?

There are 21 RRBs and 16 RRCs catering to various cities and zones of Indian railways respectively.

5. How do Indian railways conduct recruitment?

Indian railways conduct exams for recruitment under Group A, B, C and D positions.
- Group A - The exam is conducted by UPSC.
- Group B - These are mid-level management positions filled through promotions from Group C.
- Group C - The exam is handled by RRBs.
- Group D - This exam is conducted under the supervision of RRCs.