Howrah-Bardhaman Chord

 Howrah-Bardhaman Chord 
Track gauge: Broad gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Legend
Bardhaman
Gangpur
Shaktigarh
to Howrah-Bardhaman Main Line
Palla Road
Chanchai
to Bankura Damodar Railway (under constr)
Masagram
Nabagram
Jaugram
Jhapandanga
Gurap
Hajigarh
Shibai Chandi
Dhaniakhali
Belmuri
Porabazar
Chandanpur
Mahusudanpur
Kamarkundu Junction 1
Balarambati
Mirzapur-Bankipur
Baruipara
Begampur
Janai Road
Gobra
Dankuni
Belanagar
Bally
to Howrah-Bardhaman Main Line
Chord link to Sealdah over the line
to Belur Math
Liluah
Howrah
  1. Sheoraphuli-Tarakeswar Branch Line
    crosses over the Chord line

The Howrah-Bardhaman Chord is a broad-gauge railway line connecting Howrah and Bardhaman. The 95 kilometres (59 mi) railway line operates in Howrah, Hooghly and Bardhaman districts in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is part of the Howrah-Delhi line and the Kolkata Suburban Railway system.

Contents

History

The Howrah-Bardhaman Chord, a shorter link to Bardhaman from Howrah than the Howrah-Bardhaman Main Line, was constructed in 1917.[1]

In 1932, the Calcutta Chord Line was built over the Willingdon Bridge joining Dum Dum with Dankuni.[2]

Dhaniakhali station on the Howrah-Bardhaman chord line was added in December 2003.[3]

Electrification

Howrah-Bardhaman Chord was electrified in 1964-66.[4]

Overview

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.[5]

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.[6][7]

The 117 kilometres (73 mi) 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 (144 mi) distance for Bankura-Howrah travelling via Kharagpur will be reduced to about 185 kilometres (115 mi) once this is done. Presently (2011), trains are running between Bankura and Rainagar.[8]

The railway track was extended to Belur Math in 2003.[9]

References

  1. ^ "The Chronology of Railway development in Eastern Indian". railindia. http://www.irfca.org/~mrinal/chronology.html. Retrieved 2011-11-17. 
  2. ^ R.P.Saxena. "Indian Railway History timeline". http://irse.bravehost.com/IRHTML.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-12. 
  3. ^ "After fog, frenzy stalls trains - Mob blocks rail tracks with halt demand, schedules thrown awry". The Telegraph, 9 January 2004. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040109/asp/calcutta/story_2765623.asp. Retrieved 2011-11-18. 
  4. ^ "History of Electrification". IRFCA. http://www.irfca.org/docs/electrification-history.html. Retrieved 2011-11-18. 
  5. ^ "India’s first double-decker train is fully AC". Jagran Post. http://post.jagran.com/indias-first-doubledecker-train-22-new-trains-flagged-off-1317493185. Retrieved 2011-11-18. 
  6. ^ "Local trains to stop twice at Kamarkundu". Times of India, 17 February 2011. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-17/kolkata/28554143_1_local-trains-platforms-rakes. Retrieved 2011-11-18. 
  7. ^ "Electric Multiple Units". IRFCA. http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-mu.html. Retrieved 2011-11-18. 
  8. ^ "Train to Bankura". The Telegraph, 12 September 2005. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050912/asp/bengal/story_5227660.asp. Retrieved 2011-11-18. 
  9. ^ "New rail link to Belur Math from August 16". The Times of India, 13 August 2003. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-08-13/kolkata/27209535_1_rail-link-belur-math-rail-service. Retrieved 2011-11-18.