TRANSPORTATION

Old-time Trade Routes and Roads : The region covered by the present district of Mainpuri formed part of the ancient kingdoms of the Mauriyas and the Guptas and of Harsh Vardhans. The old imperial highway which ran from the north-western region of the country of Bengal has existed since the times of the Mauriyas. It traversed the district connecting the Punjab, Delhi and Agra to Allahabad and places further east up to Calcutta. It enters the disteict from Agra and after passing through Shikohabad and Sirsaganj passes into the Etawah district. It was the practice of the Hindu Kings in ancient India to provide wells and avenues as well as roofed shelters on the main roads.

Before the introduction of railways in the district it was the main line of communication. The old imperial highway came to be known from Sher Shah Suri's times as theBadshahi road and it was the precursor of the Grand Trunk Road. This road was well maintained having milestones, wells and serais and long avenues of fairly well-preserved trees. Another important provincial road was the section of the Grund Trunk road which ran through the district, dividing a Bhongaon into two branches, one of which went north-west towardst Delhi and the other south-west towards Agra. The forner branch passed through Kuraoli and the latter through Mainpuri town and Shikohabad. The total length of the road in the district was 142.4 km. The only other provincial road in the district was the Farrukhabad-Etawah road which crossed the Grund Trunk road at Bewar and ran south to Kishni, forming the principal line of traffic in the eastern protion of the district.

During the reign of Akbar the main roads in the district were the same as they are at present except that they were unmetalled and there were ferries on the rivers instead of bridges as now. During the rainy season the feries were generally difficult to negotiate some improvements were effectes under the Bangash and Rohilla administrations when some more places were connected with roads.

After the cession of the district to the East India Company in 1801, an effort was made to hold the landowners responsible ofr the upkeep of the roads passing through their estates, but it did not prove of much help. Then the roads were sought to be improved by the imposition of a road cess and the formation of a road and ferry fund committee to administer the proceeds. Till 1857, all the land routes were treated as local and no road had been metalled, but rhereafter, a network of roads wprung up, leading towards every direction. In 1876 the metalled roads consisted of the Mainpuri-Etawah, Shikohabad-Etah, Shikohabad- Sirsaganj, Bhongaon-Agra, Mainpuri-Karahal and Fatehgarh -Gwalior roads, besides certain third class and village roads.

Many more roads were added in the following three decades but even in 1908, the majority of the roads were poor, many of them being impossible to travel upon during several months of the year. Many rivers flowing through the district presented obstacles in the construction of roads. The roads approaching the ferries passed over expanses of dirfting sand skirting the river.

Mainpuri is well provided with the means of communication. The  construction of the Farrukhabad-Shikohabad branch line has brought the district headquarters on to the railway, and the main line of the Northern Railway traverses the southern corner of the district. Metalled roads are unusually numerous and connect the district with its neighbours.

Railways : The main line of the Northern  Railway runs for 23 miles through the south-west of the district with stations at Makhanpur, Shikohabad, Kaurara ( for Sirsaganj ) and Bhadan. The station of Makhanpur lies in mauza Jijauli, Shikohabd-Farrukhabad broadguage branch line was opened for passenger traffic between Shikohabad and Mainpuri on the the 20th May 1905, and for goods traffic a little earlier. The whole line was opened by the Ist of January 1906. It runs through the centre of the district, with station at Shikohabad, where it joins the main line, Araon, Kosma, Mainpuri, Bhongaon and Mota, after which it crosses the Kali Nadi into Farrukhbad district, connecting at Farrukhabad with the Cawnpore-Auncha metre guage line. Araon station lies in mauza Hajipur Baijua, Kosma station in mauza Fazilpur, Mainpuri station in mauza Auren Panaria and Kharpari, Mota station in Tikuri and Husainpur Mailhamai, Bhongaon station in mauza Mahabatpur. All the railway stations in the district, except Mota are open to goods traffic.

Length  of  Pitch Roads  

          Total   : -                   1390            

Block wise Length of Pitch Roads  ( in K.M. )

                                                             Total ( Rural Areas )   : -                     1088         

                                                                Urban Areas    : -                       302

                                   District Total ( Urban + Rural )    : -                     1390

Block wise No. of Post Offices / Railway Stations / Bus Stands

Total ( Rural Areas )   : -                               155                       79                         5

Urban Areas    : -                                             21                         8                         2

District Total ( Urban + Rural )    : -             176                       87                        7