Asansol–Tatanagar–Kharagpur line

The Asansol–Adra–Tatanagar–Kharagpur line is part of Howrah and eastern India's links with Mumbai and Chennai. It is also a major freight line for transporting iron ore, coal and steel products. This page includes the Adra–Bokaro Steel City branch line, the Adra-Gomoh branch line, the Adra-Dhanbad branch line and Tatanagar–Badampahar branch lines.

Asansol–Tatanagar–Kharagpur line
(including Adra–Bokaro Steel City, Adra-Gomoh branch line, Adra-Dhanbad branch line, Purulia–Kotshila & Tatanagar–Badampahar branch lines)
A MEMU train travelling on the bridge across Damodar River
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleWest Bengal, Jharkhand
Termini
Service
TypeRail line
Operator(s)South Eastern Railway
History
Opened1891 onwards
Technical
Track gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification1961–63 with 25 kV AC overhead line
Route map

km
km
Bokaro Airport Bokaro Steel City
78
Ispat Nagar
62
Chas
54
0
Asansol Junction
Bandidih
49
5
Burnpur Burnpur Airport
Mahuda Junction
53
Adra–Asansol line
9
Damodar
Talgaria
42
Shewbabudih
36
Sudamdih
32
14
Madhukunda
21
Muradi
Bhojudih
30
Chaurashi Goods Siding
Bhojudih Coal Washery
26
Ramkanali
31
Bero
Santaldih
23
Rukni
15
37
Joychandi Pahar
Sanka
7
Gardhrubeswar
48
0│41
Adra Junction
Kotshila Junction
36
55
Anara
Barbenda
32
61
Bagalia
Garh Jaipur
29
69
Kustaur
Chas Road
22
73
Charrah Charra Airfield
Gourinathdham
15
0│81
Purulia
88
Tamna
96
Kantadih
104
Urma
112
Barabhum
117
Biramdih
126
Nimdih
135
Chandil
141
Manikui
Bihar Sponge Iron Sidings
146
Kunki
Amalgam Power
& Steel Sidings
149
Kandra
Birbans
170
154
Birrajpur
Tata Sponge Iron Siding
160
Gamharia Junction
166
Adityapur
Sonari Airport
Tatanagar Junction
0│171
Haludpukur
22
Sidhirsai
34
3
Salgajhari
Bahalda Road
42
7
Govindpur
Aonlajori Junction
55
14
Asanboni
Gorumahisani
64
19
Rakha Mines
Rairangpur
65
Kuldiha
73
26
Galudih
Chhanua
80
36
Ghatsila
Badampahar
89
42
Chirugoda
48
Dalbhumgarh
57
Kokpara
66
Chakulia Chakulia Airport
Chakulia-Buramara new
line (planned)
Purnapani
72
Kanimahuli
Borol
Baharagora
80
Gidhni
Jharkhand
Odisha
border
88
Khatkura
95
Jhargram
Jamsola
Jharpokaria
104
Banstala
111
Sardiha
Buramara
119
Khemasuli
125
Kalaikunda Kalaikunda Air Force Station
Nimpura
127
Nimpura Through Yard
Nimpura Goods Yard
131
Girimaidan
Hijli
133
134
Kharagpur Junction

History

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The Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line, a joint effort of Great Indian Peninsula Railway and East Indian Railway Company came up in 1870.[1] The Bengal Nagpur Railway was formed in 1887 for the purpose of upgrading the Nagpur Chhattisgarh Railway and then extending it via Bilaspur to Asansol, in order to develop a shorter Howrah–Mumbai route than the one via Allahabad.[2] The Bengal Nagpur Railway main line from Nagpur to Asansol, on the Howrah–Delhi main line, was opened for goods traffic on 1 February 1891.[3] However, it was only after Kharagpur was linked from the west and the south that it was connected to Howrah in 1900.[4]

The closing years of the 19th century and the opening years of the 20th century were momentous for the area. 800 miles of East Coast Railway was built and opened for traffic between 1893 and 1896. The most vital sections of Bengal Nagpur Railway, Sini–Kharagpur–Kolaghat and Kharagpur–Cuttack, were opened to traffic in 1898–99. The Purulia–Ranchi branch was opened for traffic on 15 November 1907. BNR lines were extended to Gomoh, on EIR's main line, in 1907. The Mohuda–Chandrapura branch line was opened in 1913.[3]

A 40-mile branch line from Tatanagar to Gorumahisani was opened to traffic in 1911 mainly for transportation of iron ore.[3]

The Purulia–Ranchi line was opened as a narrow-gauge railway of BNR in 1907.[5]

Railway reorganization

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The Bengal Nagpur Railway was nationalized in 1944.[3]Eastern Railway was formed on 14 April 1952 with the portion of East Indian Railway Company east of Mughalsarai and the Bengal Nagpur Railway.[6] In 1955, South Eastern Railway was carved out of Eastern Railway. It comprised lines mostly operated by BNR earlier.[6][7]

Steel plants and freight traffic

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India's first integrated steel plant, Tata Steel's plant at Jamshedpur, became operational in 1908.[8]IISCO Steel Plant was established at Burnpur in 1918.[9]Steel Authority of India's Durgapur Steel Plant was established in the late fifties,[10] and Bokaro Steel Plant became operational in the seventies.[11]

Although the Asansol–Gaya section of Grand Chord and Bardhaman–Asansol section of Howrah–Delhi main line serves as the principal links for Jharia Coalfield and Raniganj Coalfield, this line also links to both the coalfields. This railway line is also serving the upcoming Raghunathpur industrial area, situated near Adra in Purulia district. The new Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station (DVC) and ACC Cement Factory (Madhukunda) are a part of this.

With four steel plants served by these lines South Eastern Railway transports bulk of the raw materials like coal and iron ore used by the steel industry. It loaded 61.24 million tonnes during the period April to September 2012.[12][13] Indian Railway handled 456 million tonnes of coal in 2011–12. It was the single largest item of freight traffic. It handled 104.71 million tonnes of iron ore in 2011–12.[14]

Electrification

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The Asansol–Purulia, Purulia–Chakradharpur, Kandra–Gamharria and Sini–Adityapur sectors were electrified in 1961–62. The Tatanagar–Kharagpur sector was electrified in 1962–63.[15] The Tatanagar-Gorumahisani-Aunlajori sector of the Tatanagar-Gorumahisani-Aunlajori-Badampahar line was electrified in 2020-21.[16]

Passenger movement

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Asansol, Adra, Dhanbad, Tatanagar and Kharagpur, on this line, are the amongst the top 100 booking stations of Indian Railway.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "IR History: Early Days – II". Chronology of railways in India, Part 2 (1870–1899). Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Number 1 Down Mail". Railways of the Raj. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d "Major Events in the Formation of S.E. Railway". South Eastern Railway. Archived from the original on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  4. ^ R. P. Saxena. "Indian Railway History Time line". Irse.bravehost.com. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  5. ^ "IR History: Part - III (1900 - 1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  7. ^ "IR History: Part - IV (1947 - 1970)". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  8. ^ "A Century of Trust". Tata Steel. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  9. ^ "IISCO Steel Plant". Steel Authority of India Limited. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Durgapur Steel Plant". Steel Authority of India Limited. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  11. ^ "Bokaro Steel Plant". Steel Authority of India Limited. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  12. ^ "South Eastern Railway reports 2.34% growth in freight loading in April-September 2012". The Economic Times. 4 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  13. ^ "Iron ore helps South Eastern Rly cross freight target". The Hindu Business Line, 19 August 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  14. ^ Sanyal, Santanu. "Coal continues to top Railway's freight list". The Hindu Business Line, 9 May 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  15. ^ "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  16. ^ "Electrification work in full swing in Tatanagar-Badampahar Section".
  17. ^ "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 30 December 2012.