Howrah–Bardhaman main line

Howrah–Bardhaman main line
Overview
System	Commuter rail
Status	Operational
Locale	West Bengal
Termini	Howrah Bardhaman
Stations	31
Operation
Opened	1854
Owner	Indian Railway
Operator(s)	Eastern Railway
Technical
Line length	108 km (67 mi)
Number of tracks	4
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad gauge
Electrification	1958 with 25 kV AC
Operating speed	up to 130 km/ h

Howrah–Bardhaman main line

Legend km to Bardhaman–Asansol section 107 Bardhaman 100 Gangpur 96 Saktigarh to Howrah–Bardhaman chord 92 Palsit 88 Rasulpur 85 Nimo (Halt) 82 Memari 79 Bagila 75 Debipur 70 Boinchi 66 Simlagarh 61 Pandua 56 Khanyan 51 Talandu 47 Mogra 43 Adisaptagram to Barharwa–Azimganj–Katwa loop to Burdwan Katwa Railway 144 Katwa 137 Dainhat 134 Sahebtala 131 Agradwip 227 Patuli 222 Belerhat 119 Lakshmipur 116 Mertala Phaleya 113 Purbasthali 110 Bhandartikuri 107 Bishnupriya 105 Nabadwip Dham 101 Kalinagar 97 Samudragarh 91 Dhatrigram 86 Baghnapara 82 Ambika Kalna 75 Guptipara 73 Behula 68 Somrabazar 65 Balagarh 62 Jirat 57 Khamargachi 54 Dumurdaha 51 Kuntighat 48 Tribeni 44 Bansberia 40 Bandel 44 Hooghly Ghat Jubilee Bridge across Hooghly River 45 Garifa 53 Naihati to Sealdah-Ranaghat line 38 Hooghly 36 Chunchura 33 Chandannagar 31 Mankundu 29 Bhadreswar 25 Baidyabati Extension to Bishnupur under construction 58 Tarakeswar 56 Loknath 51 Bahirkhand 48 Kaikala 45 Haripal 43 Maliya 40 Nalikul 36 Kamarkundu (chord line crossing) 34 Singur 30 Nasibpur 28 Diyara 23 Sheoraphuli 20 Serampore 17 Rishra 14 Konnagar 12 Hindmotor 10 Uttarpara 9 Bally to Howrah–Bardhaman chord Chord link to Sealdah–Ranaghat line 7 Belur Belur Math 5 Liluah to Howrah-Kharagpur line 0 Howrah Source: Indian Railway Time Table

The Howrah–Bardhaman main line is a broad-gauge railway line connecting Howrah and Bardhaman via Bandel. The 108 kilometres (67 mi) railway line operates in Howrah, Hooghly and Bardhaman districts in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is part of the Howrah–Delhi main line and the Kolkata Suburban Railway system.

History

The East Indian Railway Company which was formed on 1 June 1845, planned to construct a line from Howrah to Delhi. After surveys, construction began in 1851.

Howrah station was a tin shed and to reach it from Kolkata one had to cross the Hooghly in a ferry. On 15 August 1854, the first passenger train in the eastern section was operated up to Hooghly, 39 kilometres (24 mi) away. On 1 February 1855 the first train ran from Howrah to Raniganj, 195 kilometres (121 mi) from Howrah.

Access to Howrah Station

A pontoon bridge was built across the Hooghly River in 1874 to provide easy access to Howrah Station, and in 1943 the cantilever Howrah Bridge, later renamed Rabindra Setu, was built.^[1]

First train of the East Indian Railway, 1854

A Howrah bound EMU train leaving Bandel Jn.

Other routes

The Sheoraphuli-Tarakeswar Branch Line was constructed in 1885, and the Howrah–Bardhaman chord, a shorter link to Bardhaman, was constructed in 1917.^[2] (See route diagram for Sheoraphuli-Tarakeswar Line with this page also).

With the construction of the Jubilee Bridge in 1887 across the Hooghly, railway lines on the eastern side of the Hooghly were linked to the Main line at Bandel. In 1932, the Calcutta chord line was built over the Willingdon Bridge joining Dum Dum with Dankuni.

In 1913, the Hooghly–Katwa Railway constructed a line from Bandel to Katwa, and the Barharwa–Azimganj–Katwa Railway constructed the Barharwa-Azimganj-Katwa Loop Line.(See route diagram for the Bandel-Katwa Line with this page).

The railway track was extended to Belur Math in 2003.^[3]

Electrification

Electrification of the Howrah–Bardhaman main line was initiated up to Bandel in 1957, with the 3000 v DC system, and the entire Howrah–Bardhaman route completed with AC system, along with conversion of earlier DC portions to 25 kV AC, in 1958.

Tracks

There are 5 tracks between Howrah and Belur. There are 3 tracks between Belur and Bandel, 2 tracks between Bandel and Saktigarh, and 4 tracks between Shaktigarh and Khana.^[4]

Loco and car sheds

Howrah has a diesel and an electric loco shed. The diesel loco shed houses WDM-2, WDM-3A, WDS-6 locos. The electric loco shed houses WAP-4 loco. Commissioned in 2001, it is one of the largest WAP-4 sheds in Indian Railways. It has facilities for stabling 70+ loos. There is a diesel loco shed at Bamangachi with WDM-2, WDS-4 and WDS-6. Bardhaman has a diesel loco shed with WDG-3A, WDM-6, WDM-2 and WDM-3A locos. There is a diesel loco shed at Liliuah and a EMU car shed at Howrah and Bandel. Liluah Carriage & Wagon Workshop maintains coaches and freight wagons.^[5]

Tikiapara Coaching Depot maintains 22 primary base trains and 6 round trip trains. Total coach holding capacity is 744 coaches. It handles prestigious trains like Rajdhani Express and Duronto Exptress. The Coaching Depot is under Howrah Division, Eastern Railway. Bardhaman Coaching & Wagon Depot can maintain four passenger trains, including one DEMU rake. It has a capacity of holding 71 coaches.^[6]

Speed limits

The Howrah–Bardhaman main line is classified as ‘B’ class line where trains can run up to 130 km per hour .^[7]

References

1. "Bridge Highlights". Retrieved 2011-11-12.
2. "The Chronology of Railway development in Eastern Indian". railindia. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
3. "New rail link to Belur Math from August 16". The Times of India, 13 August 2003. 2003-08-13. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
4. "Howrah Division Operating Department". Eastern Railway. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
5. "Sheds and Workshops". IRFCA. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
6. "Carriage and Wagon / Howrah Division" (PDF). Indian Railways. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
7. "Permanent Way". Track Classifications. Retrieved 2012-01-15.