View source for Calcutta Chord link line

{{short description|Suburban railway system in Kolkata}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width                       = 28em
| name                            = [[File:Indian Railways Suburban Railway Logo.svg|50px]] Calcutta Chord link line <br> {{small|(incl. A.C.C. link branch line)}}
| color                           = {{rcr|Kolkata Suburban Railway|Chord link}}
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| image                           = File:Dankuni railway station in Howrah 01.jpg
| image_width                     = 
| caption                         = Dankuni railway station, terminal station in Chord Link line
| type                            = Commuter rail
| system                          = [[Kolkata Suburban Railway]]
| status                          = Operational
| locale                          = [[West Bengal]]
| start                           = {{rws|Sealdah}}
| end                             = {{rws|Dankuni Junction}}
| stations                        = {{Unbulleted list|Total stations:15|Interchange stations: 8}}
| routes                          = 
| daily_ridership                 = 0.291 Million
| open                            = {{Start date and age|1932}}
| close                           = 
| owner                           = [[Indian Railways|Indian Railway]]
| operator                        = [[Eastern Railway Zone (India)|Eastern Railway]]
| character                       = At grade, elevated
| depot                           = [[Sealdah railway station|Sealdah]]
| stock                           = 
| linelength                      = {{convert|22|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = 2
| gauge                           = {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} [[broad gauge]]
| old_gauge                       = 
| minradius                       = 
| racksystem                      = 
| electrification                 = 25 kV overhead line
| speed                           = up to 100 km per hour
| elevation                       = 
| website                         = {{url|http://www.er.indianrailways.gov.in|Eastern Railway}}
| map                             = {{Calcutta Chord link line|collapse=no|inline=1}}
| map_state                       = collapsed
}}

The '''Calcutta Chord link''' '''line''', also known as the '''C.C. link line''', is a {{Convert|22|km|mi|abbr=on}} long branch line of the [[Kolkata Suburban Railway]] which comes under the jurisdiction of [[Eastern Railway zone|Eastern Railway]]'s [[Sealdah railway division|Sealdah Division]] & [[Howrah railway division|Howrah Division]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Howrah Division System Map|url=https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1597666548026-Howrah_System%20map%202020.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710083710/https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1597666548026-Howrah_System%20map%202020.pdf |archive-date=2021-07-10 }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Sealdah Division System Map|url=https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1597667046291-Sys%20Map%20SDAH%202020.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527131003/https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1597667046291-Sys%20Map%20SDAH%202020.pdf |archive-date=2021-05-27 }}</ref>

The line directly connects the [[Sealdah railway station]] (erstwhile Calcutta railway station) on the east bank of the [[Hooghly River]] with the [[Howrah–Bardhaman chord]] line at the [[Dankuni Junction railway station|Dankuni Junction]] on the west bank of the [[Hooghly River]] via the [[Vivekananda Setu]]. The '''Andul Calcutta Chord link branch line''' (known as the '''A.C.C.L. branch line''') is a {{Convert|9|km|mi|abbr=on}} long branch line from [[Dankuni Junction railway station|Dankuni Junction]] which connects C.C. link line with the [[Santragachi–Amta branch line]] and [[Andul railway station|Andul]] on the [[Howrah–Kharagpur line]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Kharagpur Division System Map|url=https://ser.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1626946580682-KGP.jpg|url-status=live|access-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111040504/https://ser.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1626946580682-KGP.jpg |archive-date=2021-11-11 }}</ref>

== Services ==
The C.C link line serves as a vital link for the city of [[Kolkata]] to the rest of the country providing a shorter route through the [[Howrah–Bardhaman chord|Howrah–Bardhaman chord line]] rather than the longer route through the [[Howrah–Bardhaman main line|Howrah-Bardhaman main line]] via the [[Sealdah–Ranaghat–Gede line|Naihati–Bandel branch line]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The line is used by major long distance express services such as the [[Sealdah Rajdhani Express]], [[Darjeeling Mail]], [[Padatik Express]], and [[Ananya Express]] amongst many others, originating from the [[Sealdah railway station|Sealdah]] and [[Kolkata railway station|Kolkata]] railway stations, to the rest of [[India]]. The line is also a part of the [[Kolkata Suburban Railway]] and is served by 46 Daily and 40 Sunday [[Electric multiple unit|EMU]] services running between [[Sealdah railway station|Sealdah]] and [[Dankuni Junction railway station|Dankuni]] and 2 [[Electric multiple unit|EMU]] services between [[Sealdah railway station|Sealdah]] and [[Baruipara railway station|Baruipara]].<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |title=Details of Operating Department: Sealdah Division, Eastern Railway |url=https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,6,442,462,471 |url-status=live |access-date=30 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530164450/http://www.er.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,6,442,462,471 |archive-date=2011-05-30 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Operating Department - Howrah Railway division, Eastern Railway |url=https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,6,441,721,733,1793 |url-status=live |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=[[Eastern Railway zone|Eastern Railway]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417121352/https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,6,441,721,733,1793 |archive-date=2021-04-17 }}</ref> These suburban services are provided by 9-car [[Electric multiple unit|EMU]] rakes from the Narkeldanga EMU Carshed.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Highlights of TRS Organisation, Sealdah division, Eastern Railway |url=https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?fontColor=black&backgroundColor=LIGHTSTEELBLUE&lang=0&id=0,6,442,462,468 |url-status=live |access-date=30 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419104135/https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?fontColor=black&backgroundColor=LIGHTSTEELBLUE&lang=0&id=0,6,442,462,468 |archive-date=2020-04-19 }}</ref>

The line also acts as an important link for freight commodities coming in and out of the [[Port of Kolkata|Kolkata Port]] connecting it with the rest of the country. The A.C.C.L branch line was primarily built and used for diverting freight trains of the [[South Eastern Railway zone|South Eastern Railway]] from the [[Howrah–Kharagpur line]] towards [[Chitpur railway station|Chitpur]] and [[Port of Kolkata|Kolkata docks]].<ref name=":2" /> With increasing public demand, some long-distance passenger trains were started in this section directly from [[Sealdah railway station|Sealdah]] to connect to the [[Howrah–Kharagpur line]], like the [[Sealdah–Puri Duronto Express]].<ref name=":4" /> More recently the line has been used by many long distance passenger trains such as the [[Kaziranga Express]], [[Thiruvananthapuram–Silchar Superfast Express|Aronai Express]] and others from the [[Howrah–Kharagpur line]] to completely bypass the congested sections near [[Howrah railway station|Howrah]] while using [[Dankuni Junction railway station|Dankuni]] or Bhattanagar stations as commercial stoppages instead.<ref>{{Cite news |title=SCR to run two summer special trains between Secunderabad-Guwahati |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/scr-to-run-two-summer-special-trains-between-secunderabad-guwahati/articleshow/46916755.cms |access-date=2022-03-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NF Railway announces seven more special trains; Silchar - Kanpur on Nov 14 one of them |url=https://www.barakbulletin.com/en_US/nf-railway-announces-seven-more-special-trains-silchar-kanpur-on-nov-14-one-of-them/ |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Barak Bulletin |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-12 |title=ECoR to run Holi special trains between Kolkata, Puri |url=https://www.orissapost.com/ecor-to-run-holi-special-trains-between-kolkata-puri/ |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST |language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
The [[Howrah-Bardhaman chord|Howrah-Bardhaman Chord]], a shorter link to [[Barddhaman Junction railway station|Bardhaman]] from [[Howrah railway station|Howrah]] than the [[Howrah–Bardhaman main line|Howrah-Bardhaman Main Line]], was constructed in 1917. In 1932, the Calcutta Chord Link Line was built over the Willingdon Bridge (now known as [[Vivekananda Setu]]) joining [[Dum Dum Junction railway station|Dum Dum]] with [[Dankuni Junction railway station|Dankuni]] and opened for freight traffic, thus forming a direct link from Calcutta (now known as [[Sealdah railway station]]) to [[Dankuni Junction railway station|Dankuni]] on the [[Howrah-Bardhaman chord|Howrah-Bardhaman Chord]], thus earning the line its name.<ref>{{cite web|title=HOWRAH DIVISION : HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE - THE FIRST JOURNEY|url=https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?fontColor=black&backgroundColor=LIGHTSTEELBLUE&lang=0&id=0,6,441,737|url-status=live|access-date=21 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419094810/https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?fontColor=black&backgroundColor=LIGHTSTEELBLUE&lang=0&id=0,6,441,737 |archive-date=2020-04-19 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=US Archive .org pdf download of 'History Of Indian Railways, constructed and in progress', 31 March 1937 by 'The Government of India - Railway Department' page 70 pdf 95|url=https://ia801605.us.archive.org/30/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.36650/2015.36650.India-Railway-Board-History-Of-Indian-Railways-Constructed-And-In-Progress.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=28 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031013137/https://ia801605.us.archive.org/30/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.36650/2015.36650.India-Railway-Board-History-Of-Indian-Railways-Constructed-And-In-Progress.pdf |archive-date=2020-10-31 }}</ref>

By 1950–51, [[Santragachi Junction railway station|Santragachi]] was heavily congested causing delays in arrival for trains bound to [[Howrah railway station|Howrah]].<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Estimates Committee - Ninety First Report (Third Lok Sabha) - Ministry of Railways - South Eastern Railway|url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/4970/1/ec_3_91_1966.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111183121/https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/4970/1/ec_3_91_1966.pdf |archive-date=2021-11-11 }}</ref> Two major reasons identified for the congestion were its railway yard outstripping its capacity and passing of freight trains of the [[South Eastern Railway zone|South Eastern Railway]] from [[Kharagpur Junction railway station|Kharagpur]] towards [[Chitpur railway station|Chitpur]] and [[Port of Kolkata|Kolkata docks]] taking the circuitous route via [[Tikiapara railway station|Tikiapara]], [[Liluah railway station|Liluah]], [[Belanagar railway station|Belanagar]] and then finally taking the Calcutta Chord link line to Calcutta.<ref name=":2" />

To resolve the congestion problem, [[Indian Railways]] sanctioned the remodeling of the Santragachi railway yard in November 1962 and sanctioned the building of a direct link from [[Andul railway station|Andul]] on the [[Howrah–Kharagpur line]] to the Calcutta Chord link line in the railway budget of 1959–60. This was to reduce the distance between Andul and the Calcutta Chord from {{Convert|27.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} to {{Convert|13|km|mi|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":2" />

The work of building the line however progressed slowly due to land acquisition problems and was finally completed in December 1968.<ref name=":2" /> The electrification of the line was started subsequently and was completed by 1971–72.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speech of Dr. Ram Subhag Singh Introducing Railway Budget for 1969-70, on 19th February, 1969|url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/1969-70.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415063519/http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/1969-70.pdf |archive-date=2015-04-15 }}</ref><ref name=":3" />

The ACCL branch line was primarily used by freight trains to bypass the congested sections near Howrah and directly connected the [[Eastern Railway zone|Eastern railway]] and South Eastern railway zones. However, with increasing public demand, some long-distance passenger trains were started in this section directly from [[Sealdah railway station|Sealdah]] like the [[Sealdah–Puri Duronto Express]] in 2012.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|title=SEALDAH-PURI DURONTO TO BE INTRDUCED|url=https://eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&dcd=497&id=0,4,268|url-status=live|access-date=21 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522161745/http://www.eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&dcd=497&id=0,4,268 |archive-date=2014-05-22 }}</ref>

== Tracks and electrification ==
The Dum Dum-Dankuni section was electrified in 1964–65. The Andul-Dankuni section was electrified in 1971–72.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|title=History of Electrification|url=https://irfca.org/docs/electrification-history.html|url-status=live|access-date=21 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060506180114/http://irfca.org:80/docs/electrification-history.html |archive-date=2006-05-06 }}</ref>

The doubling of the Dankuni-Bhattanagar section of the ACCL line was sanctioned on 2013.<ref>[http://www.er.indianrailways.gov.in/cris//uploads/files/1425364489081-Brief%20Status%20of%20Projects-Feb-15.pdf New Projects of Eastern Railway], ''Eastern Railway'', 10 December 2018</ref> The track doubling of the Andul–Baltikuri section was completed & commissioned on 25 January 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=South Eastern Railway PROGRESS OF WORKS UNDER DEMAND 16 (As of May'21)|url=https://st2.indiarailinfo.com/kjfdsuiemjvcya4/0/9/4/5/4990945/0/1624011374707mcdo586502.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111183120/https://st2.indiarailinfo.com/kjfdsuiemjvcya4/0/9/4/5/4990945/0/1624011374707mcdo586502.pdf |archive-date=2021-11-11 }}</ref> With the completion of the track doubling of Baltikuri–Bhattanagar section in October 2021, the entire ACCL branch line was doubled. This removed a critical bottleneck affecting interchange of trains between [[Eastern Railway zone|Eastern Railway]] and [[South Eastern Railway zone|South Eastern Railway]].<ref>{{cite web|title=ER commissions doubling of Bhattanagar -Baltikuri section|url=https://www.railpost.in/er-commissions-doubling-of-bhattanagar-baltikuri-section/|url-status=live|access-date=7 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028163915/https://www.railpost.in/er-commissions-doubling-of-bhattanagar-baltikuri-section/ |archive-date=2021-10-28 }}</ref>

==Routes and stations==

=== Calcutta Chord link line ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:55%;"
|-
! colspan="6" | '''Calcutta Chord link line'''
|-
! style="width:1%;" |#
! style="width:1%;" |Distance from Sealdah Main and North (km)
! style="width:5%;" |Station name
! style="width:1%;" |Station code
! style="width:5%;" |Connections
! style="width:1%;" |Station Category<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |title=Category of stations - Eastern Railway |url=https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/cris//uploads/files/1624521405374-.4%20Category_wise%20Stations%20ZZZ.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=24 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224060418/https://er.indianrailways.gov.in/cris//uploads/files/1624521405374-.4%20Category_wise%20Stations%20ZZZ.pdf |archive-date=2021-12-24 }}</ref>
|-
| 1 || 0 || '''{{rws|Sealdah}}''' || SDAH || [[Eastern line (Kolkata Suburban Railway)|Sealdah South section]]
|NSG-1
|-
|2
|2
|Kankurgachi Road Junction
|KGK
|[[Kolkata Circular Railway|Circular line]]
|HG-3
|-
| 2 || 5 ||{{rws|Bidhannagar Road}}||BNXR || –
|SG-2
|-
| 3 || 7 || '''{{rws|Dum Dum Junction}}''' || DDJ || [[Sealdah–Bangaon line]] / [[Sealdah–Ranaghat–Gede line|Sealdah–Ranaghat line]] / [[Kolkata Metro Line 1]] ([[Dum Dum metro station]])
|SG-2
|-
| 4 || 12 ||{{rws|Baranagar Road}}|| BARN ||[[Kolkata Metro Line 1]] ([[Baranagar metro station]])
|SG-3
|-
| 5 || 13 ||{{rws|Dakshineswar}}|| DAKE ||[[Kolkata Metro Line 1]] ([[Dakshineswar metro station]])
|SG-3
|-
| 6 || 15 ||{{rws|Bally Ghat}}|| BLYG || –
|SG-3
|-
| 7 || 16 || {{rws|Bally Halt}} || BLYH || –
|HG-3
|-
| 8 || 17 || {{rws|Rajchandrapur}} || RCD || –
|HG-3
|-
| 9 || 22 || '''{{rws|Dankuni Junction}}''' || DKAE || [[Howrah–Bardhaman chord|Howrah–Barddhaman chord line]]
|SG-3
|}

=== Andul Calcutta Chord Link branch line (ACCL branch line) ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:55%;"
|- 
! colspan="6" | '''Andul Calcutta Chord Link branch line (ACCL branch line)'''
|-
! style="width:1%;" |#
! style="width:1%;" |Distance from Dankuni (km)
! style="width:5%;" |Station name
! style="width:1%;" |Station code
! style="width:5%;" |Connections
! style="width:1%;" |Station Category<ref name=":15" />
|-
| 1 
|0|| '''{{rws|Dankuni Junction}}''' || DKAE || [[Howrah–Bardhaman chord|Howrah–Barddhaman chord line]]
|SG-3
|-
| 2 
|6|| {{rws|Bhattanagar}} || BTNG || –
|HG-3
|-
| 3 
|9|| {{rws|Baltikuri}} || BALT || [[Santragachi–Amta branch line]]
|HG-3
|-
| 4 
|11|| {{rws|Bankranayabaz}} ||BKNM || [[Santragachi–Amta branch line]] / [[Howrah–Kharagpur line]]
|SG-3
|-
| 5 
|14|| '''{{rws|Andul}}''' || ADL || [[Howrah–Kharagpur line]]
|SG-3
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Kolkata Suburban Railway, Chord link}}
{{Railways in Eastern India}}

[[Category:Rail transport in West Bengal]]
[[Category:1853 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Kolkata Suburban Railway lines]]