Chilahati–Parbatipur–Santahar–Darshana line
Chilahati–Parbatipur–Santahar–Darshana line in Nilphamari
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerBangladesh Railway
LocaleBangladesh
Termini
Stations66
History
Opened1878
Technical
Line length360 kilometres (220 mi)
Number of tracks1 or 2
Track gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
converted to Dual gauge between Iswardi & Saidpur 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) & 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Old gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) in Siliguri - Santahar
Operating speed80km/h

The Chilahati–Parbatipur–Santahar–Darshana line is a railway line connecting Chilahati and Darshana, via Parbatipur Junction, Santahar, Abdulpur, Azim Nagar station (in Gopālpur, Lalpur Upazila), Iswardi and Hardinge Bridge in Bangladesh. This track is under the jurisdiction of Bangladesh Railway.

History

From 1878, the railway route from Kolkata, then called Calcutta, to Siliguri was in two laps. The first lap was a 184.9 kilometres (114.9 mi) journey along the Eastern Bengal State Railway from Calcutta Station (later renamed Sealdah) to Damookdeah Ghat on the southern bank of the Padma River, then across the river in a ferry and the second lap of the journey. A 363.1 kilometres (225.6 mi) metre gauge line of the North Bengal Railway linked Saraghat on the northern bank of the Padma to Siliguri.[1]

The 1.849 kilometres (1.149 mi) long Hardinge Bridge across the Padma came up in 1912.[2] In 1916 the metre-gauge section north of the bridge was converted to broad gauge, and so the entire Calcutta - Siliguri route became broad-gauge.[1]

With the partition of India in 1947, the portions of the track in East Pakistan territory, later Bangladesh territory in 1971, got separated. The southern portion through Gede is still functional and Maitree Express runs to Kolkata on this track. In the north the Chilahati–Haldibari 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi) long section has started operation after 55 years.[3] As of 2010, the 72.9 kilometres (45.3 mi) long Chilahati - Parbatipur line in 2010 was re-laid to connect Siliguri with Dhaka.[4]

Branch lines

Ishwardi–Rooppur

In 2018, it was planned to construct a railway station at Rooppur to transport its components and cargo to Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The planned branch line from Ishwardi Bypass railway station to Rooppur railway station was planned to rehabilitate existing 17.52 km and construct 9 km dual-gauge track. The deadline for this ৳335.97 crore railway line construction project was fixed in 2020.[5] The construction of the line started in April of the same year[6] but could not be completed on time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, the deadline was pushed back to 2022.[7] Sheikh Hasina inaugurated this branch line on 9 February 2023.[8][9]

Sara–Sirajganj

Sara–Sirajganj Railway Company constructed the 81 kilometres (50 mi) Sara–Sirajganj line in 1915–16.[10]

Santahar–Fulchhari

The Brahmaputra–Sultanpur Railway Company constructed the 99 kilometres (62 mi) long metre-gauge railway track from Santahar to Fulchhari (Tistamukh) in 1899–1900. Presently the line is up to Balashi Ghat in Phulchhari Upazila. The 44 kilometres (27 mi) long Bonarpara-Kaunia line was constructed in 1905.[10][11]

Kaunia–Dharla

North Bengal state railway opened a metre gauge line to Kaunia in 1879. Two narrow gauge lines were laid by Eastern Bengal Railway from Kaunia to Dharla River, thereby creating the Kaunia–Dharlla State Railway. The Kaunia Dharla railway lines were converted to metre gauge in 1901 a 581 kilometres (361 mi) long Katihar - Amingaon line was made connecting Assam with Bengal .[12]

References

  1. 1 2 "India: the complex history of the junctions at Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri". IRFCA. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  2. ↑ Chowdhury, Sifatul Quader (2012). "Hardinge Bridge". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  3. ↑ "New rail transit route thru India gets govt nod". Priyo Internet Life. Archived from the original on 2013-06-08. Retrieved 2012-01-28.
  4. ↑ "Work on Saidpur-Chilahati railway project progresses". The Independent, 4 September 2010. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-28.
  5. ↑ Zaman, Hamiduz (3 April 2018). "নতুন রেলপথ হচ্ছে রূপপুর পারমাণবিক বিদ্যুৎ কেন্দ্রে". Jugantor (in Bengali). Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "বৃহস্পতিবার ঈশ্বরদী-রূপপুর রেললাইনের উদ্বোধন করবেন প্রধানমন্ত্রী". Somoy TV (in Bengali). 9 February 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  7. ↑ Hasanat, KMA (26 September 2020). "ঈশ্বরদী-রূপপুর রেল সংযোগ প্রকল্প: ৩ কারণে দেরির শঙ্কা". RisingBD.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  8. ↑ "প্রধানমন্ত্রীর উদ্বোধন ঘিরে সাজ সাজ বর রূপপুর রেলওয়ে স্টেশন". Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 9 February 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "রূপপুর স্টেশন পশ্চিম রেলের রাজস্ব আয় বৃদ্ধিতে সহায়ক হবে". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 1 March 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Brief History". Bangladesh Railway. Archived from the original on 2011-12-20. Retrieved 2012-02-07.
  11. ↑ Fida, Quazi Abul (2012). "Railway". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  12. ↑ R.P. Saxena. "Indian Railway History timeline". Archived from the original on 2012-07-14. Retrieved 2012-02-01.
External videos
video icon Hardinge Railway Bridge
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