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The Kolkata Suburban Railway is the rail system for the suburbs surrounding the city of Kolkata (Calcutta). Railways such as this form the life line of India, and are very heavily travelled. The Indian Railways (IR) has several divisions of which the Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway are headquartered in Kolkata. There are two major railway stations in Kolkata- Howrah and Sealdah. Another major terminal has been built at Chitpur. Recently another terminal at Shalimar near Howrah started operating. Some intercity express trains start from there too. Kolkata and its neighbouring districts have an extensive (but crowded) suburban railway system. Most of the trains are EMUs (Electric Multiple Units). The extensive rail network stretches into the districts of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Howrah, Hooghly, etc.The Suburban railway system can be categorized as follows:

Contents 1 Zones and corridors 2 From Sealdah Station 2.1 Sealdah Main Section 2.1.1 Barasat section 2.1.1.1 Bongaon line 2.1.1.2 Hasnabad line 2.1.2 Dankuni section 2.1.3 Naihati section 2.1.3.1 Bandel section 2.1.3.2 Gede section 2.1.3.2.1 Shantipur line 2.1.3.2.2 Krishnanagar line 2.1.3.2.3 Gede line 2.2 Sealdah South Section 2.2.1 Budge budge section 2.2.2 South section 2.2.2.1 Canning line 2.2.2.2 Baruipur section 2.2.2.2.1 Diamond Harbour line 2.2.2.2.2 Kakdwip line 2.2.3 Kalighat Falta Railway 3 From Howrah Station 3.1 Howrah South Eastern Section 3.1.1 Shalimar Section 3.1.2 Amta Section 3.1.3 Panskura Section 3.1.4 Midnapur Section 3.1.5 Haldia Section 3.2 Howrah Eastern Section 3.2.1 Dankuni Section 3.2.2 Bardhaman Section 3.2.3 Seoraphuli Section 3.2.4 Tarakeshwar Section 3.2.5 Bandel Section 3.2.6 Bardhaman Section 3.2.7 Katwa Section 4 Circular Railway 4.1 Circular Railway stations

[edit] Zones and corridors

The suburban railway services in Kolkata are operated by Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway (SER). The Kolkata Metro Railway operates the underground Metro services in the city as well. There is a separate Circular Railway corridor in the city also operated by ER.

[edit] From Sealdah Station

Main Section

This line serves the northern suburbs on the eastern bank of Hooghly River and further east towards the very end of the international border between India and Bangladesh. The destinations facilitated by this line are:

• In North 24 Parganas district along the banks of the Hooghly like Dum Dum, Barrackpore, Naihati.
• In North 24 Parganas district towards the north east and towards the Bangladesh border like Bongaon, Basirhat, Hasnabad.
• In Nadia district like Kalyani, Ranaghat, Shantipur and Krishnagar.

South Section

This line operates on the southern parts of the city and serves the southern suburbs of Calcutta and the entire South 24 Parganas district. The areas served are:

• The southern suburbs like like Ballygunge, Jadavpur, Garia, Budge Budge, Sonarpur.
• In the South 24 Parganas district like Port Canning, Diamond Harbour, Lakshmikantapur, Kakdwip.

The Kakdwip line is being extended to Namkhana and is expected to be completed soon.

[edit] Sealdah Main Section

Within Greater Kolkata: Sealdah, Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum.

At Dum Dum, the line branches into: 1. Barasat section 2. Dankuni section 3. Naihati section

[edit] Barasat section

Dum Dum, Dum Dum Cantt., Durganagar, Birati, Bisharpara Kodalia, New Barrackpore, Madhyamgram, Hridaypur, Barasat

However, at Dum Dum Cantt., the Airport line cuts off to serve the follwing stations: Dum Dum Cantt., Madanpur, Airport.

At Barasat, the line splits into: 1. Bongaon line 2. Hasnabad line

[edit] Bongaon line

Barasat, Bamangachi, Duttapukur Within North 24 Parganas: Bira, Guma, Ashoknagar Road, Habra, Sanhati, Machlandapur, Gobardanga, Thakurnagar, Chandpara, Bibhuti Bhushan, Bongaon.

[edit] Hasnabad line

Barasat, Karea Kadambagachhi, Bahira Kalibari, Sondalia, Beliaghata Road, Labutala, Bhasila, Harua Road, Karka Mirzanagar, Malatipur, Ghoraras Ghona, Champapukur, Bhyabla, Basirhat, Madhyampur, Nimdanri, Taki Road, Hasnabad.

[edit] Dankuni section

Starts from Dum Dum. Dum Dum, Baranagar Road, Dakshineswar, Bally Ghat, Bally, Rajchandrapur, Dankuni.

[edit] Naihati section

Dum Dum, Belghoria, Agarpara, Sodepur, Khardaha, Titagarh, Barrackpore, Palta, Ichhapur, Shyamnagar, Jagaddal, Kakinara, Naihati

At Naihati, the line splits into: 1. Bandel section 2. Gede section

[edit] Bandel section

1. Naihati, Garifa, Hooghly Ghat, Bandel

[edit] Gede section

1. Naihati, Halishahar, Kanchrapara, Kalyani

At Kalyani, the Kalyani Simanta line branches off forming two line:

1)Kalyani, Kalyani Shilpanchal, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kalyani Simanta

and

2)Kalyani, Madanpur, Simurali, Palpara, Chakdaha, Payradanga, Ranaghat

At Ranaghat, the following three lines branch off: 1. Shantipur line 2. Krishnanagar line 3. Gede line

[edit] Shantipur line

Ranaghat, Kalinarayanpur, Habibpur, Phulia, Bathna Krittibas, Shantipur.

[edit] Krishnanagar line

Ranaghat, Kalinarayanpur, Birnagar, Taherpur, Badkulla, Jalalkhali, Krishnanagar City

[edit] Gede line

Ranaghat, Bankimnagar, Panchberia, Aranghata, Bahirgachhi, Bhayna, Bagula, Mayurhaat, Taraknagar, Majhdia, Banpur, Harisnagar, Gede.

[edit] Sealdah South Section

Within Greater Kolkata: Sealdah, Park Circus, Ballygunge

At Ballygunge, the line splits up into the 1)South secions, and 2)Budge Budge Section

[edit] Budge budge section

Ballygunge, Lake Gardens, Tollygunge, New Alipore, Majherhat, Brace Bridge, Santoshpur, Akra, Nungi, Budge Budge

[edit] South section

Ballygunge, Dhakuria, Jadavpur, Bagha Jatin, Garia, Narendrapur, Sonarpur

The Canning branch splits from Sonarpur to Canning line and Baruipur section.

[edit] Canning line

Sonarpur, Bidyadharpur, Kalikapur, Champahati, Piali, Gourdaha, Ghutiari Shariff, Beathberia Ghola, Taldi, Canning

[edit] Baruipur section

Within Greater Kolkata: Sonarpur, Subhasgram, Mallikpur, Baruipur

At Baruipur, the line branches into the Diamond Harbour section and the Kakdwip section.

[edit] Diamond Harbour line

Within South 24 Parganas: Baruipur, Kalyanpur, Dakshin Durgapur, Hotar, Dhamuah, Uttar Radhanagar, Magra Hat, Bahirpuya, Sangrampur, Deula, Netra, Basuldanga, Gurudas Nagar, Diamond Harbour.

[edit] Kakdwip line

Within South 24 Parganas: Baruipur, Sashan Road, Krishna Mohan, Dhapdhapi, Suryapur, Gocharan, Hogla, Dakshin Barasat, Baharu, Jaynagar Majilpur, Mathurapur Road, Madhabpur, Lakshmikantapur, Udairampur, Kulpi, Karanjali, Nischindapur Market, Nischindapur, Kashinagar, Kakdwip. This line is being extended to Namkhana.

[edit] Kalighat Falta Railway

This line used to connect the stations of Majherhat and Kalighat (now New Alipore) with the southern port town of Falta. The line was closed down in 1957. If operational, it could have proved to be a boon for the people of the ex-South Suburban Municipal areas. See Kalighat Falta Railway for more details.

[edit] From Howrah Station

South Eastern Railways

Operated by the South Eastern Railway, this section of the line serves the south western suburbs of Greater Kolkata. The destination stations lie :

• In the south western part of Howrah district like Santragachi, Andul, Amta
• In the East Midnapore district like Panskura, Haldia.
• In the eastern and southern part of West Midnapore district like Kharagpur, Midnapore and Digha.

Eastern Railways

Operated by the Howrah section of Eastern Railways, this line runs on the western banks of river Hooghly and serves the following areas:

• The northern part of Howrah district like Belur, Bally.
• The eastern part of Hooghly district like Rishra, Serampore, Chandannagar, Bandel.
• The central part of Hooghly district like Tarakeshwar.
• The central part of Bardhaman district connecting the town of Bardhaman. From Barddhaman, another suburban service connects the cities of Durgapur and Asansol further to the west.
• The eastern part of Bardhaman district like Katwa.

Howrah to Bardhaman is reached by two corridors popularly known as the Main Line and the Chord Line. The main Line runs through the towns of Serampore, Chandernagore and Bandel. Whereas, the Chord Line runs through the towns of Dankuni, Baruipara, Kamarkundu and Masagram.

[edit] Howrah South Eastern Section

Howrah, Tikiapara, Dasnagar, Ramrajatala, Santragachi

At Santragachi, the line splits up into three sections :

1. Shalimar Section
2. Amta Section
3. Panskura Section

[edit] Shalimar Section

Santragachi, Padmapukur, Shalimar

[edit] Amta Section

Santragachi, Bankranayabaz, Baltikuri, Kona, Dansi, Jhalurberi, Makardaha, Domjur Road, Domjur, Dakshinbari, Bargachia, Pantihal, Munsirhat, Mahendralalnagar, Amta

[edit] Panskura Section

Santragachi, Mourigram, Andul, Sankrail, Abada, Nalpur, Bauria, Chengail, Phuleswar, Uluberia, Birshibpur, Kulgachia, Bagnan, Ghoraghata, Deulti, Kolaghat, Mecheda, Nandaigajan, Bhogpur, Narain Pakuria Murail, Panskura

At Panskura, the line further divides into:

1. Midnapur Section
2. Haldia Section

[edit] Midnapur Section

Panskura, Khirai, Haur, Radhamohanpur, Duan, Balichak, Shyamchak, Madpur, Jakpur, Kharagpur, Giri Maidan, Gokulpur, Midnapur

[edit] Haldia Section

Panskura, Raghunathbari, Rajgoda, Shahid Matangini, Tamluk, Keshabpur, Satish Samanta, Mahishadal, Barda, Basulya Sutahata, Durgachak, Durgachak Town, Lakshmikantapur, Haldia

[edit] Howrah Eastern Section

Howrah, Liluah, Belur, Bally

At Bally, the line splits into three sections:

1. Dankuni Section
2. Bardhaman Section
3. Seoraphuli Section

[edit] Dankuni Section

Bally, Rajchandrapur, Dankuni

[edit] Bardhaman Section

Bally, Bally Halt, Belanagar, Dankuni, Gobra, Janai Road, Begampur, Baruipara, Mirzapur Bankipur, Balarambati, Kamarkundu, Madhusudhanpur, Chandanpur, Porabazar, Belmuri, Sibaichandi, Hazigarh, Gurap, Jhapandanga, Jaugram, Nabagram, Masagram, Chanchai, Paila Road, Saktigarh, Gangipur, Bardhaman

[edit] Seoraphuli Section

Bally, Uttarpara, Hind Motor, Konnagar, Rishra, Serampore, Sheoraphuli

At Seoraphuli, the line branches into:

1. Tarakeshwar Section
2. Bandel Section

[edit] Tarakeshwar Section

Seoraphuli, Diara, Nasibpur, Singur, Kamarkundu, Nalikul, Maliya, Haripal, Bahirkhanda, Kaikala, Loknath, Tarakeshwar

[edit] Bandel Section

Seoraphuli, Baidyabati, Bhadreshwar, Mankundu, Chandannagar, Chunchura, Hooghly, Bandel

At Bandel, the line splits into:

1. Bardhaman Section
2. Katwa Section

[edit] Bardhaman Section

Bandel, Adisaptagram, Magra, Talandu, Khanyan, Pundooah, Simlagarh, Bainchigram, Bainchi, Debipur, Bagila, Memari, Nimo, Rasulpur, Palsit, Saktigarh, Gangipur, Bardhaman

[edit] Katwa Section

Bandel, Bansberia, Tribeni, Kuntighat, Dumurdaha, Khamargachi, Jirat, Balagarh, Somra Bazar, Behula, Guptipara, Ambika Kalna, Baghnapara, Dhatrigram, Samundragarh, Nabadwip Dham, Bishnupriya, Bhandartikuri, Purbasthali, Mertala Phaleya, Lakshmipur, Belerhat, Patuli, Agradwip, Sahebtala, Dainhat, Katwa

[edit] Circular Railway

This line encircles the entire city of Kolkata. It starts from Dum Dum Junction in the north and passes through Chitpur, Burrabazar, B.B.D.Bagh, Prinsep Ghat, Hastings, Kidderpore, Remount Road, Majherhat, Ballygunge, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt and finally back to Dum Dum Junction.

[edit] Circular Railway stations

Dum Dum, Patipukur, Belgachia, Tala, Ultadanga Road, Bagbazar, Shovabazar, Chitpur, Burrabazar, B.B.D. Bagh, Prinsep Ghat, Hastings, Kidderpore, Remount Road, Majherhat, New Alipore, Tollygunge, Lake Gardens, Ballygunge, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt, Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum