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Barsoi–New Farakka section

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Barsoi–New Farakka section (including Old Malda-Singhabad branch line)
New Farakka Junction is an important railway station on Barsoi–New Farakka section
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleWest Bengal, Jharkhand
Termini
Stations29
Service
SystemElectrified
Operator(s)Eastern Railway, Northeast Frontier Railway
History
Opened1963
Technical
Line length126 km (78 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Old gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) metre gauge
Operating speedup to 110 km/h (68 mph)
Route map

km
Up arrow
Right arrow
127
Barsoi
122
Mukuria
Left arrow
117
Bhawanipur Bihar Halt
113
Azamnagar Road
108
Kamalpur Halt
105
Khurial
102
Babhangaon Halt
Left arrow
98
Kumedpur Junction
91
Harischandrapur
86
Milangarh
81
Bhaluka Road
77
Malahar
71
Samsi
67
Sripur Halt
62
Kumarganj
58
Mahananda Bridge
Right arrow
55
Eklakhi
48
Adina
41
0
Old Malda Junction
5
Malda Court
13
Mochia
15
Bulbulchandi
25
Singhabad
Rohanpur
Down arrow
Mahananda River
35
Malda Town
NH81-IN.svg NH 81
27
Gour Malda
21
Jamirghata
14
Khaltipur
6
Chamagram
Farakka Barrage
across Ganges
0
New Farakka
Left arrow
km
Source: India Rail Info[1]

The Barsoi–New Farakka section is an Indian railway line connecting Barsoi with New Farakka junction on the Howrah–New Jalpaiguri line. This 126-kilometre (78 mi) track is under the jurisdiction of Eastern Railway and Northeast Frontier Railway.

History

[edit]

With the partition of India in 1947, a major portion of the Calcutta–Siliguri line ran through East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. With several rail links in Bihar, the attention was on those links, and new links were developed. However, one hurdle stood out. There was no bridge across the Ganga river even in Bihar. A generally acceptable route to Siliguri was via Sahibganj loop to Sakrigali ghat. Across the Ganges by ferry to Manihari Ghat. Then metre gauge via Katihar and Barsoi to Kishanganj and finally narrow gauge to Sliguri.[2] In 1949 Kishanganj-Siliguri section was converted to metre gauge.

In the early 1960s, when Farakka Barrage was being constructed, a far reaching change was made. Indian Railways constructed a new broad-gauge rail link from south Bengal. New Jalpaiguri, a new broad-gauge station was built south of Siliguri Town. While a 10 km (6 mi) new line was built from Tildanga station in the B.B loop line to Farakka Ghat on the south bank of Ganges by 1958, a 37 km (23 mi) long 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) wide 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge new line was constructed from Khejuria Ghat (near present-day Chamagram station), on the north bank of the Ganga to Malda Town by 1961. This Kumedpur-Barsoi section was built in 1959. The entire section from Barsoi to Khejuriaghat was completed and connected by 1962. Steamer services connected the north and south banks of the river thereby linking North & South Bengal[3]

The 2,240 m (7,350 ft) long Farakka Barrage, which carries a Rail-cum-Road bridge across the Ganges was opened in 1971 thereby directly linking the Barharwa–Azimganj–Katwa loop to Malda Town, New Jalpaiguri and other railway stations in North Bengal.[4] Consequently, Tildanga-Farakka Ghat & Chamagram-Khejuria Ghat lines were dismantled. The current Rail-cum-Road bridge will be made solely a Railway bridge for New Farakka-Malda Town 3rd Line construction. A new Road bridge on NH 12 is being made at Farakka, which will span 2,401 m (7,877 ft) across the river.

Branch lines

[edit]

The Old Malda–Abdulpur section is used up to Singhabad on the Indian side. Bangladesh started export of fertilizer to Nepal utilizing the Rohanpur–Singhabad transit point in November 2011.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Old Malda Singhabad Passenger 55710". India Rail Info.
  2. ^ "my school i wish". Madhyamgram Re-visited after 15 years. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  3. ^ Moonis Raza & Yash Aggarwal (1986). Transport Geography of India: Commodity Flow and the Regional Structure of Indian Economy. Concept Publishing Company, A-15/16 Commercial Block, Mohan Garden, New Delhi – 110059. ISBN 81-7022-089-0. Retrieved 2 May 2013. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ Salman, Salman M. A.; Uprety, Kishor (2002). Conflict and cooperation on South Asia's international rivers: a legal perspective. World Bank Publications. pp. 135–136. ISBN 978-0-8213-5352-3. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  5. ^ "Bangladesh export to Nepal thru India resumes tomorrow". Priyo Internet Life. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.