Kolkata Suburban Railway

Kolkata Suburban Railway
Background
Locale	Kolkata, India
Number of lines	Circular, Eastern and South Eastern
Number of stations	Howrah Sealdah Shalimar and Kolkata
Operation
Began operation	1854
Operator(s)	Eastern Railway (India) and South Eastern Railway (India)
Technical
Track gauge	1676 mm (5 ft 6 in) (broad gauge)

The Kolkata Suburban Railway is the rail system for the suburbs surrounding the city of Kolkata (Calcutta). Railways such as this are important and heavily-used infrastructure in India. The Indian Railways (IR) has several divisions of which the Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway are h The suburban railway services in Kolkata are operated by Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway (SER). The Kolkata Metro Railway operates the underground Metro services in the city as well. There is a separate Circular Railway corridor in the city also operated by ER.

From Howrah Station

South Eastern Railways

Operated by the South Eastern Railway, this section of the line serves the south western suburbs of Greater Kolkata. The destination stations lie :

• In the south western part of Howrah district like Santragachi, Andul, Amta
• In the East Midnapore district like Digha, Tamluk, Haldia.
• In the eastern and southern part of West Midnapore district like Panskura, Kharagpur and Midnapore.

Eastern Railways

Naihati railway station

passengers in a local train

Operated by the Howrah division of Eastern Railways, this line runs on the western bank of river Hooghly and serves the following areas:

• The northern part of Howrah district - Liluah, Belur, Bally.
• The eastern part of Hooghly district such as Uttarpara, Hindmotor, Konnagar, Rishra Serampore, Seoraphuli, Baidyabati, Bhadreswar, Mankundu, Chandannagar, Chuchura, Hooghly, Bandel.
• The central part of Hooghly district such as Tarakeswar.
• The central part of Bardhaman district connecting the town of Bardhaman. From Bardhaman, another suburban service connects the cities of Durgapur and Asansol further to the west.
• The eastern part of Bardhaman district such as Katwa.

Howrah to Bardhaman is reached by two corridors popularly known as the Main Line and the Chord Line. The main Line runs through the towns of Serampore, Chandernagore, Chinsurah and Bandel. The Chord Line runs through the towns of Dankuni, Baruipara, Kamarkundu and Massagram.

Howrah South Eastern Section

Howrah, Tikiapara, Dasnagar, Ramrajatala, Santragachi

At Santragachi, the line splits up into three sections :

1. Shalimar Section
2. Amta Section
3. Panskura Section

Amta Section

Santragachi, Bankranayabaz, Baltikuri, Kona, Dansi, Jhalurberi, Makardaha, Domjur Road, Domjur, Dakshinbari, Bargachia, Pantihal, Munsirhat, Mahendralalnagar, Maju, Jalalsi, Harishdadpur, Amta

Panskura Section

Santragachi, Mourigram, Andul, Sankrail, Abada, Nalpur, Bauria Rail Station, Chengail, Phuleswar, Uluberia, Birshibpur, Kulgachia, Bagnan, Ghoraghata, Deulti, Kolaghat, Mecheda, Nandai Gajan, Bhogpur, Narain Pakuria Murail, Panskura

At Panskura, the line further divides into:

1. Midnapore Section
2. Haldia Section

Midnapur Section

Kharagpur railway station

Panskura, Khirai, Haur, Radhamohanpur, Duan, Balichak, Shyamchak, Madpur, Jakpur, Kharagpur, Giri Maidan, Gokulpur, Cossye, Midnapur, Krishnanagar

Haldia Section

Panskura, Raghunathbari, Rajgoda, Shahid Matangini, Tamluk, Keshabpur, Satish Samanta, Mahishadal, Barda, Basulya Sutahata, Durgachak, Durgachak Town, Shilpaprabesh, Bandar, Haldia

Digha Section

Tamluk, Nandakumar, Lavan Satyagraha, Deshapran, Heria, Nachinda, Kanthi, Sitalpur, Sujalpur, Badalpur, Ramnagar, Tikra, Digha

Howrah Eastern Section

Route map and details
Howrah-Bardhaman Main Line
Howrah-Bardhaman Chord
Sheoraphuli-Tarakeswar Branch Line

Howrah, Liluah, Belur, Bally

However, at Liluah, the Belur Math branch line cuts off to serve the Belur Math station.

At Bally, the line splits into two sections:

1. Barddhaman Chord Line Section (via Dankuni)
2. Seoraphuli Section

Barddhaman Chord Line Section

Bally, Belanagar, Dankuni, Gobra, Janai Road, Begampur, Baruipara, Mirzapur Bankipur, Balarambati, Kamarkundu, Madhusudanpur, Chandanpur, Porabazar, Belmuri, Dhaniakhali, Sibaichandi, Hazigarh, Gurap, Jhapandanga, Jaugram, Nabagram, Masagram, Chanchai, Palla Road, Saktigarh, Gangpur, Bardhaman

Seoraphuli Section

Vendor inside a train

Bally, Uttarpara, Hind Motor, Konnagar, Rishra, Serampore, Seoraphuli

At Seoraphuli, the line branches into:

1. Tarakeshwar Section
2. Bandel Section

Tarakeshwar Section

Seoraphuli, Diara, Nasibpur, Singur, Kamarkundu, Nalikul, Maliya, Haripal, Kaikala, Bahirkhanda, Loknath, Tarakeshwar, Talpukur

Bandel Section

Seoraphuli, Baidyabati, Bhadreswar, Mankundu, Chandannagar, Chunchura, Hooghly, Bandel

At Bandel, the line splits into:

1. Barddhaman Main Line Section
2. Katwa Section

Bandel-Bardhaman Main Line Section

Bandel, Adi Saptagram, Magra, Talandu, Khanyan, Pundooah, Simlagarh, Bainchigram, Bainchi, Debipur, Bagila, Memari, Nimo, Rasulpur, Palsit, Saktigarh, Gangpur, Bardhaman

Bandel-Katwa Section

Bandel, Bansberia, Tribeni, Kuntighat, Dumurdaha, Khamargachi, Jirat, Balagarh, Somra Bazar, Behula, Guptipara, Ambika Kalna, Baghnapara, Dhatrigram, Samundragarh, Nabadwip Dham, Bishnupriya, Bhandartikuri, Purbasthali, Mertala Phaleya, Lakshmipur, Belerhat , Patuli, Agradwip, Sahebtala, Dainhat, Katwa

From Sealdah Station

Main Section

This line serves the northern suburbs on the eastern bank of Hooghly River and further east towards the very end of the international border between India and Bangladesh. The destinations facilitated by this line are:

• In North 24 Parganas district along the banks of the Hooghly like Dum Dum, Barrackpore, Naihati.
• In North 24 Parganas district towards the north east and towards the Bangladesh border like Bongaon, Basirhat, Hasnabad.
• In Nadia district like Kalyani, Ranaghat, Shantipur Krishnagar and Gede

South Section

This line operates on the southern parts of the city and serves the southern suburbs of Calcutta and the entire South 24 Parganas district. The areas served are:

• The southern suburbs like Ballygunge, Jadavpur, Garia, Budge Budge, Sonarpur.
• In the South 24 Parganas district like Port Canning, Diamond Harbour, Lakshmikantapur, Namkhana.

Sealdah Main Section

Route map and details
Sealdah-Ranaghat Line
Lalgola and Gede Branch Lines
Sealdah-Hasnabad-Bangaon-Ranaghat Line
Sealdah South Lines

Within Greater Kolkata: Sealdah, Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum Jn..

At Dum Dum, the line branches into: 1. Barasat section 2. Dankuni section 3. Naihati section

Barasat section

Dum Dum, Dum Dum Cantonment, Durganagar, Birati, Bisharpara Kodalia, New Barrackpur, Madhyamgram, Hridaypur, Barasat Junction

However, at Dum Dum Cantonment, the Airport line cuts off to serve the following stations: Dum Dum Cantonment, Jessore road, Biman Bandar.

At Barasat, the line splits into: 1. Bongaon line 2. Hasnabad line

Bongaon line

Barasat, Bamangachhi, Duttapukur, Bira, Guma, Ashoknagar Road, Habra, Sanhati, Maslandapur, Gobardanga, Thakurnagar, Chandpara, Bibhuti Bhushan, Bongaon.

Hasnabad line

Barasat, Kazipara, Karea Kadambagachhi, Bahira Kalibari, Sondalia, Beliaghata Road, Labutala, Bhasila, Harua Road, Kankra Mirzanagar, Malatipur, Ghoraras Ghona, Champapukur, Bhyabla, Basirhat, Matania Anantapur, Madhyampur, Nimdanri, Taki Road, Hasnabad.

Dankuni section

Starts from Dum Dum. Baranagar Road, Dakshineswar, Bally Ghat, Bally Halt, Rajchandrapur, Dankuni. Dakshineswar has the famous Kali Temple where Ramakrishna Paramhansa was a priest. Vivekananda Setu locally known as Bally Bridge over the Hooghly River connects Bally Ghat and Dakshineswar. Bally halt is used as a junction with Howrah Main Section.

Naihati section

Dum Dum, Belgharia, Agarpara, Sodepur, Khardaha, Titagarh, Barrackpore, Palta, Ichhapur, Shyamnagar, Jagaddal, Kakinara, Naihati

At Naihati, the line splits into: 1. Bandel section 2. main section

Naihati-Bandel section

Naihati, Garifa, Hooghly Ghat, Bandel

Main section

Naihati, Halisahar, Kanchrapara, Kalyani

At Kalyani, the Kalyani Simanta line branches off forming two line:

Kalyani, Kalyani Shilpanchal, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kalyani Simanta

Kalyani, Madanpur, Simurali, Palpara, Chakdaha, Payradanga, Ranaghat

At Ranaghat, the following three lines branch off: main line Gede line Bongon

At Kalinarayanpur, a station next to ranaghat on the main line, the Shantipur line emerges.

Shantipur line

Ranaghat, Kalinarayanpur JN, Habibpur, Phulia, Bathna Krittibas, Shantipur.

Krishnanagar line

Ranaghat, Kalinarayanpur Jn., Birnagar, Taherpur, Badkulla, Jalalkhali Halt, Krishnanagar City

Gede line

Ranaghat, Bankimnagar, Panchberia, Aranghata, Bahirgachi, Bhayna, Bagula, Mayurhaat, Taraknagar, Majhdia, Banpur, Harisnagar, Gede.

Sealdah South Section

Within Greater Kolkata: Sealdah, Park Circus, Ballygunge

At Ballygunge, the line splits up into the 1) Other South Section, and 2)Budge Budge Section

Budge Budge section

Park Circus, Ballygunge, Lake Gardens, Tollygunge, New Alipore, Majherhat, Brace Bridge, Santoshpur, Akra, Nungi, Budge Budge

Sonarpur Section

Ballygunge, Dhakuria, Jadavpur, Bagha Jatin, Garia, Narendrapur, Sonarpur-Last Stopage of this Section

The Canning branch splits from Sonarpur to Canning line and Baruipur section.

Canning line

Sonarpur, Bidyadharpur, Kalikapur, Champahati, Piali, Gourdaha, Ghutiari Shariff, Beathberia Ghola, Taldi, Canning

Baruipur section

Sonarpur, Subhasgram, Mallikpur, Baruipur

At Baruipur, the line branches into the Diamond Harbour section and the Kakdwip section.

Diamond Harbour line

Within South 24 Parganas: Baruipur, Kalyanpur, Dakshin Durgapur, Hotar, Dhamuah, Uttar Radhanagar, Magra Hat, Bahirpuya, Sangrampur, Deula, Netra, Basuldanga, Gurudas Nagar, Diamond Harbour.

Namkhana line

Within South 24 : Baruipur, Sashan Road, Krishna Mohan, Dhapdhapi, Suryapur, Gocharan, Hogla, Dakshin Barasat, Baharu, Jaynagar Majilpur, Mathurapur Road, Madhabpur, Lakshmikantapur, Udairampur, Kulpi, Karanjali, Nischindapur Market, Nischindapur, Kashinagar, Kakdwip. Ukilerhat, Namkhana.

New Alipore (Kalighat) Falta Railway

This line used to connect the stations of Majherhat and New Alipore (Kalighat) with the southern port town of Falta. The line was closed down in 1957. If operational, it could have proved to be a boon for the people of the ex-South Suburban Municipal areas. See Kalighat Falta Railway for more details.

Ladies Special Suburban Trains

In 2009, the union minister for railways, Ms Mamata Baneerjee announced the introduction of Ladies Special local trains namely "matribhumi" (i.e motherland)in the Kolkata suburban section. The ladies special trains run on the following routes.

• Howrah - Bandel
• Howrah - Kharagpur
• Sealdah - ranaghat
• Sealdah - Canning
• Sealdah - Bongaon
• sealdah - baruipur

The other ladies special trains proposed are:

• sealdah - krishnanagar
• sealdah - barasat

Circular Railway

Main article: Kolkata Circular Railway

This line encircles the entire city of Kolkata. It starts from Dum Dum Junction in the north and passes through Chitpur, Burrabazar, B.B.D.Bag, Prinsep Ghat, Hastings, Kidderpore, Remount Road, Majherhat, Ballygunge, Park Circus, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt and finally back to Dum Dum Junction. There is also a plan to build two more stations between Park Circus and Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt named Tangra and Beliaghata Main Road respectively.

Circular Railway stations

Dum Dum, Patipukur, Kolkata, Tala, Bagbazar, Shobhabazar–Ahiritola, Burrabazar, B B D Bagh, Eden Gardens, Princep Ghat, Kidderpore, Remount Road, Majherhat, New Alipore (Cal), Tollygunge, Lake Gardens, Ballygunge, Park Circus, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt, Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum

External links

• Kolkata Suburban Railway Timetable