HOWRAH DIVISION
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE - THE FIRST JOURNEY
On 15thAugust 1854, East Indian Railway’s first train commenced its inaugural commercial run from Howrah to Hooghly (24 miles). Regular Services were introduced from the same day, morning and evening with stoppage at Bally, Serampore and Chandannagore.
It is a matter of pride and privilege for all Indians that by an unpremeditated but a pleasant and patriotic coincidence, Eastern Railway Passenger Services began on the same day India was to gain independence ninety three years later.
Railways arrived in India within 30 years of their inauguration in England.
Rowland McDonald Stephenson, the first Agent and Managing Director of the East Indian Railway Company submitted the first traffic and Engineering feasibility Report for a line from Calcutta to Mirzapore, to the East India Company.
In May 1845, Stephenson established the East Indian Railway Company.
On 17thAugust 1849 a contract was signed between East Indian Railway Company and East India Company with the involvement of the then British Prime Minister. This entitled the former to construct and operate an ‘experimental line’, 161 Kms long between Calcutta and Rajmahal which would latter be extended to Delhi via Mirzapore.
The works began on EIR in 1851.
One line, one platform, one red brick room, one ticket window and just one train adds up to the neo-natal stage of train operations in Eastern India.
After the Government of India took over the management of EIR on 1st January, 1925, and of GIP Railway on 30th June, 1925, EIR was first to be organised into divisions. Initially there were six divisions in EIR- Howrah, Asansol and Danapore known as the lower divisions and Allahabad, Lucknow and Moradabad known as the upper divisions.
The Railway Finance was separated from the General Budget in 1924. This afforded Railways considerable financial and administrative autonomy to conduct their own affairs and to initiate and carry out future policies on “Sound business principles”.
The following are the phased development of opening of Railway:
Section | | Opened for traffic |
Howrah – Burdwan Chord Line Howrah – Hooghly Main Line Hooghly – Pandooah Main Line Bandel – Barddhaman Main Line Sheoraphuli – Tarakeswar Branch Line Sheoraphuli – Tarakeswar Line Doubling SBG Loop (Khana Jn. – Kiul Jn.) SBG Loop (Doubling completed) BB Loop (Bandel – Barharwa Loop) Azimganj – Nalhati Branch Line Ahmedpur – Katwa (NG) Line Burdwan – Katwa (NG) Line | - - - - - - - - - - - - | 1917 15.08.1854 31.08.1854 01.01.1885 February, 1855 2011(upto Bahirkhand) 1866 2010 1913 1863 1917 1915 |
3.BRIEF DETAILS
The territorial jurisdiction of Howrah Division consists of Howrah – Khana (Main line and chord line), Khana-Gumani, Bandel-Azimganj, Dankuni-Bhattanagar, Dankuni-Rajchandrapur, Bandel-Hoogly Ghat, Sheoraphuli-Tarakeswar-Talpur and Azimganj-Nalhati section. Division has NG Sections (2’-6” gauge) from Ahmedpur to Katwa and Barddhaman to Katwa. It caters to the passenger & Goods traffic of West Bengal & the state of Jharkhand covering Howrah, Hooghly, Barddhaman, Murshidabad & Birbhum districts of West Bengal and Pakur district of Jharkhand.
The Division encompasses a total of 666 Route kms. on BGand 104.40 on NGwith Running track km of 1387.00 on BG and 106.60 on NG. It has multiple aspect colour light signaling in the Electrified Section and two aspects Lower Quadrant Semaphore Signaling in the non-Electrified Section.
Traffic over the Division is predominantly Passenger, including suburban traffic and long distance passenger. Originating Freight traffic on the Division is mainly Stone Chips and Stone Ballast from Pakur and Rajgram and Coal traffic from Pakur.
Division caters to important places of Tourist interest such as, Shantiniketan (Bolpur), Belur Math(Belur), Tarapith(Rampurhat), Tarkeshwar, Hooghly Imambara & Portuguese Church(Bandel), Nabadwip Dham (ISKCON temple) and Burdwan etc.
4.HOWRAH-BARDHAMAN CHORD LINE
The Howrah-Bardhaman Chord is a broad-gauge railway line connecting Howrah and Bardhaman. The 95 kilometres railway line operates in Howrah, Hooghly and Bardhamandistricts in the stateof West Bengal. It is part of the Howrah-Delhi line and the Kolkata Suburban Railway system.
The Howrah-Bardhaman Chord, a shorter link to Bardhaman from Howrah than the Howrah-Bardhaman Main Line, was constructed in 1917.
In 1932, the Calcutta Chord Line was built over the Willingdon Bridge (Vivekananda Setu) joining Dum Dum with Dankuni.
Dhaniakhali station on the Howrah-Bardhaman chord line was added in December 2003.
Earlier, nine rake EMU coaches were used in local trains but twelve coach EMU trains have been introduced in the chord line in 2011, for which the platforms have been extended.
The 117 kilometres long Bankura Damodar Railway will connect to the Howrah-Bardhaman Chord near Masagram, once the bridge on the Damodar River is ready. The 231 kilometres distance for Bankura-Howrah travelling via Kharagpur will be reduced to about 185 kilometres once this is done. Presently (2011), trains are running between Bankura and Rainagar. Masagram railway station is 23 kilometres from Burdwan and 72 kilometres from Howrah Station on the Howrah Burdwan chord line. On completion it will be a terminus station of Bankura Damodar Railway (under construction).
Howrah-Bardhaman Chord was electrified in 1964-66.
India’s first air-conditioned double-decker train, running between Howrah and Dhanbad was introduced in 2011. The train will run at a permissible speed of 110 kms per hour on the Howrah- Bardhaman chord line.
Dankuni is a fast-growing industrial township near Kolkata. The town is part of the Hooghly District, in the state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority.
1. GENERAL FEATURES OF THE DIVISION
a. TRACK
Divisional | Broad Guage | Narrow Gauge |
Single Line | Double Line | Quadruple Line | Total |
Route Km. | 237.90 | 292.40 | 135.70 | 666.00 | 104.40 |
Track Km. | On ML | 248.17 | 630.50 | 508.52 | 1387.00 | 106.60 |
On loops & sidings | 61.42 | 292.82 | 610.24 | 964.50 | 9.60 |
1.2 BRIDGES
Bridge (Type) | Broad Guage | Narrow Gauge | Total |
Important | 12 | - | 12 |
Major | 138 | 15 | 153 |
Minor | 1078 | 291 | 1369 |
Total = | 1228 | 306 | 1534 |
1.3 LEVEL CROSSING GATE
| Class | Broad Guage | Narrow Gauge | Total |
MANNED | SPL | 23 | | 23 |
| A | 18 | | 18 |
| B1 | 2 | | 2 |
| B | 48 | | 48 |
| C | 160 | 16 | 176 |
UN-MANNED | C | 92 | | 92 |
| D | 23 | 96 | 119 |
| Total = | 366 | 112 | 478 |
2. CLASS OF STATION (AS ON 31.12.2011)
CLASS | No. of Stations |
A-1 | 1 |
A | 2 |
B | 2 |
C | 88 |
D | 9 |
E | 40 |
F | 33 |
Total | 175 |
1. KILOMETERAGE OF THE DIVISION:-
| | B.G | N.G |
a) | Route KM | 666.00 | 104.40 |
b) | Running Track KM | 1387.00 | 106.60 |
c) | E T K M | 6228.57 | 171.56 |
d) | Loop and Siding | 964.50 | 9.60 |
2. NO OF TRACK ON DIFFERENT ROUTES:-
a) | Howrah-Belur | - | 5 | Lines |
b) | Belur-Dankuni | - | 2 | “ |
c) | Dankuni-Saktigarh | - | 3 | “ |
d) | Belur-Shrirampur | - | 3 | “ |
e) | Shrirampur-Seoraphuli | - | 4 | “ |
f) | Seoraphuli-Bandel | - | 3 | “ |
g) | Bandel-Saktigarh | - | 2 | “ |
h) | Saktigarh-Khana | - | 4 | “ |
i) | Seoraphuli-Tarakeswar | - | 2 | “ |
j) | Khana-Gumani | - | 2 | Lines |
k) | Bandel-Jirat | - | 2 | “ |
l) | Jirat -Azimganj | - | 1 | “ |
m) | Bandel-Hooghly Ghat | - | 2 | Lines |
n) | Dankuni-Rajchandrapur | - | 2 | “ |
o) | Azimganj-Nalhati | - | 1 | Line |
p) | Dankuni-Bhattanagar | - | 1 | “ |
q) | Belur-Belur Math | - | 1 | “ |
r) | Khana Link- Jhapater Dhal | - | 1 | “ |
s) | Magra-Tribeni Avoiding Line | - | 1 | “ |
t) | Tarakeswar-Talpur | - | 1 | “ |
u) | Gokulnagar-Bishnupur | - | 1 | “ |
2.1 N. G. SECTION:-
a) | Ahmedpur-Katwa | - | 1 | Line |
b) | Burdwan-Katwa | - | 1 | Line (BWN-BGNA GC in progress) |
2.2 JURISDICTION (IN KM)
Howrah-Dankuni-Khana | - | 107.65 |
Howrah-Bandel-Khana | - | 119.88 |
Khana-Sainthia-Gumani | - | 172.03 |
Bandel-Katwa-Azimganj | - | 179.91 |
Bandel-Naihati | - | 8.79 |
Bally Ghat- Dankuni | - | 4.6 |
C.C. Link West-Baltikuri | - | 4.6 |
Tarakeswar Branch | - | 34.94 |
Azimganj-Nalhati | - | 45.16 |
Katwa-Barddhaman (NG) | - | 52.22 |
Katwa-Ahmedpur (NG) | - | 53.02 |
Howrah-Belurmath | - | 7.19 |
Tarakeswar-Talpur | - | 4.50 |
Gakulnagar-Bishnupur | - | 16.90 |
Magra-Tribeni Avoiding Line | - | 4.50 |
3. STATION
Station | B.G. | N.G | Total |
Block Stations (Incl. One IBP) | 116 | 7 | 123 |
Flag Station | 31 | 0 | 31 |
Halt Station | 17 | 12 | 29 |
Total | 164 | 19 | 183 |
Station
| B.G. | N.G | Total |
Suburban Stations | 110 | - | 110 |
Non-Suburban Stations | 54 | 19 | 73 |
Total: | 164 | 19 | 183 |
3.1 SUBURBAN SECTION
Howrah-Burdwan (Via Main Line & H.B. Chord Line)
Seoraphuli-Tarakeswar-Talpur
Bandel-Katwa
Bandel-Naihati
Howrah-Belurmath
4. ELECTRIFIED KILOMETERGE
a) Route KM-348.47
b) Track KM (including yard)-1108.0
5. SYSTEM OF WORKING
a) Absolute Block System of Working
i) HWH-SYAE (for UP HBC), ii) DKAE-SKG, iii) BDC-SKG, iv) BDC-KWAE, v) SKG-KAN ( vi) KAN-GMAN, (vii) NHT-AZ, (viii) CCL-BTNG,(ix) BDC-NH, (x) MUG-TBAE, (xi) HG-SYAE, (xii) NG Sections.
b) Automatic System of Working
i) HWH-SYAE (Excl Up HBC), ii) SYAE-BDC, iii) SYAE-DKAE, iv) CCL-DKAE
c) One Train Only System of Working
i) LLH-BRMH, ii) TAK-Talpur
5.1 SIGNALLING:-
a) Multiple Aspect Color Light Signaling System in.
HWH-BWN (Chord)
HWH-BWN (Main)
BDC-KWAE
SHE-TAK-Talpur, VSU-Gokulnagar Jaypur
KAN-RPH-GMAN (except Pakur)
BDC-NH
DKAE-BTNG
b) Two Aspect Lower Quadrant in
KWAE-AZ
NHT-AZ with RI
NG Section (AK & BK)
Pakur
5.2 REVERSIBLE WORKING
1)Dankuni to Shaktigarh in HB Chord with TLBI under Absolute Block System of working.
2) Howrah to Bandel in Main Line with DP under Automatic System of working.
6. E.M.U SERVICE
6.1. E.M.U. CARSHED
1 at Howrah and 1 at Bandel.
6.2. E.M.U HOLDING (As on 19.12.2011)
| | E.M.U |
a) | i)Motor Coaches | 195 |
| ii) Trailer Coaches | 437 |
b) | i)No. of 12 Coaches EMU rakes | 28 |
| ii) No. of 10 Coaches EMU rakes | 14 |
| ii) No. of 9 Coaches EMU rakes | 13 |
| Total No. of Rakes | 55 |
c) | No. of 1 Coach Rake(Inspection Car) | 1 | |
d) | No. of 2 Coach Rake (For Ticket Checking Spl-DURGA) | 1 | |
e) | i)No. of rakes normally in use | 47 + 2 (Traffic spare) | |
| ii) No. of Spare rakes for POH | 4 (One 12 Coach & Three 9 Coach Rakes)
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f) | Rake Stabling at Midnight at Road Side Station: |
| TAK- 4 EMU Rakes ( One 9/10 Coach & Three 12 Coach Rakes) |
| BWN- EMU –13 ( Six 9/10 Coach & Seven 12 Coach Rakes) & MEMU-1 =Total 14 Rakes |
| BDC- EMU –15 Rakes ( Ten 9/10 Coach & five 12 Coach Rakes) |
| KWAE- EMU –5 Rakes ( Three 9/10 Coach & Two 12 Coach Rakes) |
| CS/HWH – EMU – 14 Rakes ( Four 9/10 Coach & Ten 12 Coach Rakes) |
| KPA – EMU – 4 Rakes |
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7. PASSENGER OPERATION IN HOWRAH DIVISION
| | E. Railway (Pairs) | S.E.Railway(Pairs) |
| | (Daily/weekly/bi-weekly etc.) |
i) | No. of Mail & Express Trains Run /day | 71 | 32 |
ii) | No. of Passenger Trains run /day (Incl. NG) | 53 | 4 |
iii) | No. of EMU Locals Run/day | 223 | 72 |
iv) | No. of MEMU trains Run/day | 12 | 4 |
Total | 359 | 112 |
