Asansol–Patna section

Asansol–Patna section
Overview
Status	Operational
Locale	West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar
Termini	Asansol Patna
Operation
Opened	1871
Owner	Indian Railway
Operator(s)	Eastern Railway, East Central Railway
Technical
Line length	331 km (206 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	Broad Gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	25kV 50Hz AC OHLE in 1960-61 and during 1994-95 and 2000-01
Operating speed	up to 130 km/h

Asansol–Patna section
Legend
km to Patna–Mughalsarai section of Howrah–Delhi main line to Patna–Gaya line 331 Patna Junction 329 Rajendra Nagar Terminal National Highway 19 325 Gulzarbagh 322 Patna Sahib Patna Ghat 319 Deedarganj 315 Banka Ghat Punpun River State Highway 4 to Fatuha–Tilaiya line 309 Fatuha Junction 307 Buddhdevchak Yadav Nagar 306 Harasbigha 301 Khusropur 297 Manjhauligram(Halt) 295 Salimpur 293 Karauta 291 Teka Bigha(Halt) 286 Bakhtiyarpur to Bakhtiyarpur–Tilaiya line 280 Jai Prakash Mahuli 277 Athmal Gola 274 Achuara 268 Barh 266 Sabari(Halt) Barh Super Thermal Power Station (NTPC Limited) 262 Railey(Halt) 260 Lemuabad 258 Punarakh 255 Mamrakhabad 253 Kanhaipur 249 Mor 247 Barhapur(Halt) 244 Shivnar(Halt) Bharat Wagon and Engineering 242 Mokama 238 Auta(Halt) National Highway 31 237 Tall to Mokama–Barauni section 234 Hathidah 230 Rampur Dumra 224 Barhiya 222 Ganga Sahay 220 Dumri(Halt) 217 Dhurani Jwas(Halt) 215 Mankatha to Gaya–Kiul line 209 Lakhisarai Junction Kiul River 208 Kiul Junction to Sahibganj Loop 206 Mahesh Leta(Halt) 205 Lakhochak(Halt) 204 Bansipur 203 Balaharpur(Halt) 201 Manakpur 198 Bhalui 191 Kunder(Halt) State Highway 72 181 Jamui 178 Chaura 166 Gidhaur 162 Dadpur 155 Jhajha 151 Rajla 147 Narganjo(Halt) 142 Ghorparan 136 Simultala 133 Talwa Bazar Bihar Jharkhand border 126 Lahabon 118 Tulsitanr Dahwa River National Highway 333 to Jasidih–Dumka–Rampurhat line 111 Jasidih 104 Kumrabad Rohini Ajay River 99 Sankarpur 93 Mathurapur 87 Nawapara Pathrol Nadi to Madhupur Giridih Rail Line 82 Madhupur 72 Joramow Jayanti River 66 Madankata 57 Vidyasagar Mihijam-Madhupur Road 48 Kaseetar Mihijam-Madhupur Road 39 Jamtara Mihijam-Madhupur Road Mihijam-Madhupur Road 30 Bodma 25 Chittaranjan Jharkhand West Bengal border Asansol-Chittaranjan Road Chittaranjan Locomotive Works 21 Rupnarayanpur Damgoria Colliery 13 Salanpur Bonjemahari Colliery National Highway 2 to Asansol–Gaya section of Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line 9 Sitarampur 5 Barachak to Asansol–Tatanagar–Kharagpur line 0 Asansol Bardhaman–Asansol section km

The Asansol–Patna section is a railway line connecting Asansol in the Indian state of West Bengal and Patna in Bihar. The 331 km (206 mi) line passes through the fringe areas of West Bengal, a portion of Santhal Parganas in Jharkhand and the Gangetic Plain in Bihar.

History

The first rail track between Howrah and Delhi was via what was later named as Sahibganj Loop and the first through train on the route was run in 1864. The Kiul-Patna sector was ready around 1862. A "shorter main line" connecting Raniganj and Kiul Junction was in position in 1871 and the opening of the Grand Chord in 1907 shortened the distance from Howrah to Delhi even further.^[1][2][3]

Electrification

The Asansol-Sitarampur sector was electrified in 1960-61 and the rest of the Asansol-Patna section was electrified during the period 1994-95 to 2000-2001. Sector-wise progress was as follows: Sitarampur-Chittaranjan 1994-95, Chittaranjan-Jamtara 1995-96, Jamtara-Jasidih 1996-97, Jasidih-Narganjo 1997-98, Narganjo-Jhajha 1998-99, Jhajha-Kiul in 1997-98, Kiul-Mankatha 1999-2000, Mankatha-Barhaiya 2000-01, Barhaiya-Mokama 1999-2000 Mokama-Fatuha 1998-99, Fatuha-Danapur 1999-2000.^[4]

Speed limit

The entire Sitarampur-Patna-Mughalsarai line is classified as "B Class" line, where trains can run at speeds up to 130 km/h. ^[5]

Passenger movement

Patna and Asansol, on this line, are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.^[6]

Sheds and workshops

Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, one of the largest electric locomotive manufacturers in the world, is located on this line. Initially started for manufacturing steam locomotives, it went into production on 26 January 1950, the day when India became a republic. It now produces AC and DC locomotives and accessories.^[7]

Asansol is home to the oldest electric loco shed of Indian Railways. It houses WAG-5 and WAM-4 electric locomotives.^[8]

Railway reorganisation

In 1952, Eastern Railway, Northern Railway and North Eastern Railway were formed. Eastern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company, east of Mughalsarai and Bengal Nagpur Railway. Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company west of Mughalsarai, Jodhpur Railway, Bikaner Railway and Eastern Punjab Railway. North Eastern Railway was formed with Oudh and Tirhut Railway, Assam Railway and a portion of Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.^[9] East Central Railway was created in 1996-97.^[10]

References

1. Indian Railway History Time line by R.P.Saxena
2. "IR History: Early days I (1832-18690". IRFCA. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
3. "IR History:Early days II (1870-1899)". Retrieved 28 March 2014.
4. "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
5. "Permanent Way". Track Classifications. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
6. "Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry". Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways. IRFCA. Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
7. "Chittaranjan Locomotive Works". Indian Railwaya. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
8. "Sheds and Workshops". IRFCA. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
9. "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
10. "East Central Railway". ECR. Retrieved 28 March 2014.

External links

• Trains at Patna
• Trains at Asansol