Sahibganj loop

Sahibganj loop
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railway
Locale	West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar
Termini	Khana Junction Kiul Junction
Service
Operator(s)	Eastern Railway
History
Opened	1866
Technical
Line length	410 km (255 mi)
Number of tracks	1/ 2
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge

Sahibganj loop
Howrah–Delhi main line 427 301 Kiul Junction Howrah–Delhi main line 424 Rampur Halt 421 Dhanauri 418 Pawai Brohmasthan Halt 415 Uren 411 Kajra 406 Ghogi Bariarpur 404 Abhaipur 400 Masudan 394 Dharhara 388 Dasharathpur 387 Sarobag Halt 382 Jamalpur Junction to Barauni Barauni–Katihar section to Katihar 394 Sabdalpur Munger Rail cum Road Bridge over Ganga river 387 Munger 386 Purab Sarai 385 Sandalpur 384 Hatkarota Halt 383 Safiasarai 378 Patam Halt 376 Ratanpur 373 Rishikund Halt to Mananpur (planned) 371 Bariarpur 367 Kalyanpur Road 364 Ghorghat Halt 362 Khariapipra Halt 360 Ganganiyan 357 Kamarganj to Katoria (planned) 352 Sultanganj to Deoghar (planned) 350 Abjuganj 347 Maheshi 342 Akbarnagar 339 Chhit Makhanpur 337 Murarpur 332 Nathnagar 328 Bhagalpur Junction to Dumka & Rampurhat 321 Sabaur 314 Lailakh Mamalkha 308 Ghogha 302 Ekchari freight loop to NTPC Farakka Kahalgaon Super Thermal Power Station 298 Kahalgaon 290 Bikramshila 287 Shivanarayanpur 284 Lakshmipur Bhorang to Godda (under construction) 278 Pirpainti 273 Ammapali Bihar Jharkhand border 269 Mirza Cheuki 263 Karamtola 254 Sahibganj Junction 246 Sakrigali 247 Sakrigali Ghat 240 Maharajpur 233 Karanpurato 226 Taljhari 221 Kalian Chak 228 Rajmahal 220 Murli Halt 216 Tinpahar Junction 211 Dhamdhamia 207 Bakudi 179 Barharwa Junction Barharwa–Azimganj–Katwa loop 172 Gumani freight loop to NTPC Farakka 165 Kotalpokhar 157 Tilbhita to Godda (planned) 153 Pakur PANEM Coal Depot 147 Nagarnabi Jharkhand Bengal border 136 Rajgram 130 Banshlai Bridge Bansloi River 125 Murarai 117 Chatra to Azimganj 108 Nalhati Junction Brahmani River 101 Swadinpur Jasidih–Dumka–Rampurhat line 94 Rampurhat Junction 87 Tarapith Road 81 Mallarpur Panagarh–Morgram Highway Dwarka River 78 Gadadharpur Mayurakshi River to Chowrigacha (planned) 71 Sainthia Junction Andal–Sainthia branch line 63 Bataspur 58 Ahmadpur Junction Ahmadpur–Katwa line Bakreshwar River 49 Kopai Kopai River Andal–Sainthia branch line Siuri Andal–Sainthia branch line Purandarpur Abinashpur Mongoldihi Salan Kasba Bolpur-Prantik-Siuri line (planned) 43 Prantik 39 Bolpur Shantiniketan Ajay River NH 114 31 Bhedia 26 Pichkurir Dhal 20 Guskara Kunur River 15 Noadar Dhal 10 Banpas 4 Jhapater Dhal Howrah–Delhi main line Grand Chord 102 Sitarampur Bardhaman–Asansol section 0 Khana Junction Bardhaman–Asansol section

The Sahibganj loop is a railway line connecting Khana Junction and Kiul Junction. Originally a part of the Howrah-Delhi main line, it was opened to traffic in 1866. With the construction of a shorter railway line for a part of the route, the 410 kilometres (250 mi) stretch was assigned a separate identity.

History

Railway transportation was introduced in India within 30 years of its maiden run in England.

The East Indian Railway Company which was formed on 1 June 1845, completed its survey for a railway line from Kolkata, then called Calcutta, to Delhi via Mirzapur in 1846. The company initially became defunct on refusal of government guarantee, which was given in 1849. Thereafter, an agreement was signed between East Indian Railway Company and the East India Company, for the construction and operation of an "experimental" line between Kolkata and Rajmahal, which would later be extended to Delhi via Mirzapur. Construction began in 1851.

On 15 August 1854, the first passenger train in the eastern section was operated up to Hooghly, 39 kilometres (24 mi) away. On 1 February 1855 the first train ran from Hooghly to Raniganj, 195 kilometres (121 mi) from Howrah. The priority accorded to the Raniganj section was because of the assurance of coal transportation.

The Khana Junction-Rajmahal section was complete in October 1859, crossing Ajay River on the way. The first train ran from Howrah to Rajmahal via Khana on 4 July 1860. The Loop from Khana Junction to Kiul via Jamalpur, including the Monghyr branch, was ready in February 1862.

From Rajmahal, construction progressed rapidly, moving westward along the banks of the Ganges, reaching Bhagalpur in 1861, Munger in February 1862, and opposite Varanasi (across the Ganges) in December 1862 and then on to Naini on the bank of the Yamuna. The work included EIR's first tunnel at Jamalpur and first major bridge across the Son River at Arrah.

During 1863-64, work progressed rapidly on the Allahabad-Kanpur-Tundla and Aligarh-Ghaziabad sections. The Yamuna bridge near Delhi was completed in 1864 and EIR established the Delhi terminus. The Yamuna bridge at Allahabad opened on 15 August 1865 and in 1866 Kolkata and Delhi were directly linked. The 1 Dn/ 2 Up Mail started running.

With the completion of the 406-kilometre (252 mi) long line connecting Raniganj with Kiul in 1871, a "shorter main line" was in position. Initially, it was called the chord line. However, as it attracted more traffic it was designated the main line and the original line became the Sahibganj loop.

Branch lines

In 1863, the Indian Branch Railway Company, a private company opened the Nalhati–Azimganj branch line. The 27 kilometres (17 mi) track was initially a 4' gauge line. The track was subsequently converted to 5' 6" broad gauge. The Indian Branch Railway Company was purchased by the Government of India in 1872 and the line was renamed Nalhati State Railway. It became a part of the East Indian Railway Company in 1892.

In 1913, the Hooghly–Katwa Railway constructed a line from Bandel to Katwa, and the Barharwa–Azimganj–Katwa railway constructed the Barharwa–Azimganj–Katwa loop line.

The Andal-Sainthia Branch Line was built in 1913.

The 53 kilometres (33 mi) long Ahmedpur Katwa Light Railway connecting Ahmedpur and Katwa, built on 760 millimetres (30 in), was opened to traffic on 29 September 1917.

Developments

Only Kahalgaon to Bhagalpur and Ratanpur to Jamalpur of the Sahibganj Loop is still having single track. Twenty-one pairs of trains ply on the single track between Bhagalpur and Sahibganj. Work for doubling the 111-kilometre long (69 mi) stretch started in 2010.

Work on the new 130-kilometre (81 mi) long Rampurhat-Dumka-Mander Hill broad gauge line is progressing.

Jamalpur Workshop

Jamalpur Workshop, the first full-fledged railway workshop facility in India, was opened on 8 February 1862, at a time when the Howrah-Delhi main line, passing through Jamalpur was under construction. It was felt that communities of gun smiths and other craftsmen in the area handling mechanical engineering jobs could pick up the skills required in a railway workshop. It undertook repairs of wagons, coaches, cranes and tower cars, and locomotives, as well as manufacture of some tower cars, break-down cranes and various kinds of heavy-duty lifting jacks. They also produced their own locomotives, starting with the CA 764 Lady Curzon in 1899. It has also produced ticket printers and other ticket machines (slitting, counting, and chopping). With fairly extensive workshop facilities, it was a fairly self-contained.

Electrification

Electrification of the Khana-Sainthia-Pakur section was announced in the rail budget for 2010-11. The electrification of Ahmedpur-Sainthia-Murarai section is expected to be completed during the last months of 2013.The first electric train service is started from 29 September 2016 through HWH-RPH express. Also the electrification of Bonidanga Link Cabin-Barharwa-Sahibganj-Kiul section Including the Tinpahar-Rajmahal section (Announced by Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya in Bihar Package) has been started from September 2017 and is yet expected to be completed by the end of February 2019. Sources confirmed that the works of electrification is in faster progress between Kiul - Jamalpur Section and Jamalpur - Bhagalpur Section by Green Power International Company.