Wikipedia

Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line

The Howrah–Gaya–Delhi is a railway line connecting Howrah and Delhi cutting across Indo-Gangetic Plain and a comparatively small stretch of the line crossing over the Chota Nagpur Plateau. It covers a distance of 1,452 kilometres (902 mi) across, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The Grand Chord is a part of this line and as such is referred to by many as Howrah–Delhi line (via Grand Chord).

Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line
Route map of Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleWest Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi
Termini
Service
Operator(s)Eastern Railway, East Central Railway, North Central Railway, Northern Railway
History
Opened1906
Technical
Line length1,452 km (902 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLE during 1960–1966
Operating speedup to 160 km/h
Highest elevationKoderma 398 metres (1,306 ft)
Route map

Legend
km
0
 New Delhi
Yamuna
Delhi
Uttar Pradesh
border
Kanpur–Delhi section
131
 Aligarh
210
 Tundla
301
 Etawah
441
 Kanpur Central
Mughalsarai–Kanpur section
635
 Allahabad
Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line
786
 Mughalsarai
635
 Allahabad
Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line
786
 Mughalsarai
Howrah–Delhi main line
Grand Chord &
Gaya–Mughalsarai section
Uttar Pradesh
Bihar
border
841
 Bhabua Road
890
 Sasaram
906
 Dehri-on-Sone
Son River
953
 Rafiganj
991
 Gaya
Falgu River
Asansol–Gaya section
Bihar
Jharkhand
border
1,067
 Koderma
1,143
 Parasnath
1,190
 Dhanbad
Jharkhand
West Bengal
border
Howrah–Delhi main line
1,249
 Asansol
Bardhaman–Asansol section
1,291
 Durgapur
1,355
 Barddhaman
Howrah–Bardhaman chord
1,449
 Howrah
km
Sources:
 
Google maps
Poorva Express (via Gaya) 12382

Sections

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The 1,451 km (902 mi) long trunk line, amongst the long and busy trunk lines connecting the metros, has been treated in more detail in smaller sections:

  1. Howrah–Bardhaman chord
  2. Bardhaman–Asansol section
  3. Asansol–Gaya section
  4. Gaya–Mughalsarai section
  5. Mughalsarai–Kanpur section
  6. Kanpur–Delhi section

History

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Construction of a line from Howrah to Sahibganj, for the proposed Howrah–Delhi link, started in 1851. The first Howrah–Delhi line via what later became the Sahibganj loop was opened in 1866.[1] With the completion of the Raniganj-Kiul section, the shorter Howrah–Delhi main line via Patna was in place in 1871.[2] The Sitarampur–Gaya–Mughalsarai Grand Chord, which shortened the Howrah–Delhi distance even further, was completed in 1901 but was formally inaugurated by Lord Minto, then Viceroy and Governor General of India with a function on 6 December 1906.[3]

Electrification

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Howrah–Bardhaman chord was electrified in 1964–66. The Bardhaman–Mankar–Waria sector in 1964–66, the Waria–Asansol sector in 1960−61, the Asansol to Gaya sector in 1960–62, the Gaya–Mughalsarai sector in 1962, the Mughalsarai–Kanpur sector in 1964–69 and the Kanpur–New Delhi sector in 1966–1977.[4]

The Howrah–Gaya–Delhi route was the first trunk route in India to be completely electrified (AC traction).[5]

In 1965, Asansol–Bareilly Passenger was the first long-distance train on Eastern Railway to be hauled by an AC loco.[6]

Speed limits

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Most of the Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line is classified as ‘A’ class line where trains can run up to 160 km per hour but in certain sections speeds may be limited to 120–130 km per hour. The Howrah Rajdhani (between Howrah and New Delhi) travels at an average speed of 85.8 km per hour and the Sealdah Rajdhani (between Sealdah and New Delhi) travels at an average speed of 82.70 km per hour.[7][8]

The Rajdhani Express ran for the first time in 1969 from New Delhi to Howrah. It took 17 hours 20 minutes to cover the distance of 1,445 km.[9]

The first Duronto non-stop express was launched on 18 September 2009, between Sealdah and New Delhi. It was followed by several such trains between other stations.[10]

The first double-decker superfast train commenced running between Howrah and Dhanbad on 1 October 1970.[10]

Passenger movement

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New Delhi, Kanpur Central, Allahabad, Mughalsarai, Gaya, Dhanbad, Asansol and Howrah, on this line, are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.[11]

Railway reorganisation

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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.[12] East Central Railway was created in 1996–97.[13] North Central Railway was formed in 2003.[14]

Golden quadrilateral

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The Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line is a part of the golden quadrilateral. The routes connecting the four major metropolises (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata), along with their diagonals, known as the golden quadrilateral, carry about half the freight and nearly half the passenger traffic, although they form only 16 per cent of the length.[15]

See also

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  • NH 19 linking Delhi and Kolkata

References

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  1. ^ "IR History: Early days I (1832–1869)". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  2. ^ "IR History: Early days II (1870–1899)". Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  3. ^ "IR History: Part III (1900–1947)". Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  4. ^ "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  5. ^ "IR History:Part V (1970-95)". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  6. ^ "IR History Part IV (1947–1970)". IRFCA (Indian Railways Fan Club). Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Permanent Way". Track Classifications. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Trivia". Highest speed sections of track. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  9. ^ "Rajdhani Express and Duronto Express Trains". Make My Trip. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  10. ^ a b "IR History: Part VII (2000-present". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  11. ^ "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 21 March 2014.
  12. ^ "Geography – Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  13. ^ "East Central Railway". ECR. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  14. ^ "North Central Railway". NCR. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  15. ^ "Geography – Railway Zones". Major routes. IRFCA. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
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