South Eastern line (Kolkata Suburban Railway) explained

South Eastern line
System:Kolkata Suburban Railway
Status:Operational
Locale:Howrah, West Bengal
Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal
Purba Medinipur, West Bengal
Start: &
End:Midnapore, Kharagpur, Amta, Haldia, Digha
Daily Ridership:0.875 million
Owner:Indian Railway
Operator:South Eastern Railway (SER)
Character:At Grade
Depot:Tikiapara, Panskura & Kharagpur
Gauge: broad gauge
Electrification:25,000 V
Map State:collapsed

The South Eastern Line of Kolkata Suburban Railway is a suburban railway line serving Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It consists of 37 stations from Howrah Junction to Midnapore. The entire line is at grade level. It has section of triple track starting from Howrah Junction and ends at Midnapore, Amta, Haldia and Digha stations in West Bengal.[1]

The South Eastern line in Kolkata consists of 3 major corridors, which bifurcate as they run into the suburban satellite towns. Two corridors (one local and other through) follow the South Eastern Railway run from Howrah Junction (HWH) to Midnapore (128 km). At the mainline there is a bifurcation into two branch lines – one from Panskura to Haldia (69 km) in the south-east and the other from Shalimar to Amta (50 km) in the west. These two corridors constitute the 'main' South Eastern line.[2]

The major car sheds on this line are at Tikiapara, Panskura & Kharagpur. There are fast and slow locals here for suburban service. Trains usually start from and terminate at important stations.[3]

Stations with Routes

Routes

The South Eastern line consists of the following routes:

Stations

Names in bold indicate that the station is a fast train stop as well as important terminal.

Main line

See main article: article and Howrah–Kharagpur line.

South Eastern line (Main)
Distance from Howrah Jn (km)Station NameStation CodeConnections
1 0 HWH Eastern line
2 3 TPKRNone
3 4 DSNRNone
4 6 RMJNone
5 7 SRC Shalimar/Amta (South Eastern line)
6 11 MRGMNone
7 12 ADLChord link line
8 16 SELNone
9 18 ABBNone
10 20 NALRNone
11 24 BVANone
12 27 CGANone
13 30 FLRNone
14 32 ULBNone
15 36 BSBPNone
16 40 KGYNone
17 45 BZN None
18 48 GGTANone
19 51 DTENone
20 55 KIGNone
21 58 MCA None
22 61 NDGJNone
23 64 BOPNone
24 67 NPMRHaldia/Digha (South Eastern line)
25 71 PKU Haldia/Digha (South Eastern line)
26 76 KHAINone
27 80 HAURNone
28 85 RDUNone
29 88 DUANNone
30 91 BCKNone
31 96 SMCKNone
32 102 MPDNone
33 108 JPRNone
34 115 KGP None
35 117 GMDNNone
36 121 GKLNone
37 125 CSYNone
38 128 MDN None

Howrah Junction railway station is a terminus for South Eastern Railway and Eastern Railway.

Main line Branches

At the main line of South Eastern line, there is a bifurcation in two sections and one line crosses onto it.

West branch line

See main article: article and Santragachi–Amta branch line.

West branch line
Distance from Shalimar (km)Station NameStation CodeConnections
1 0 SHM None
2 3 PDPKNone
3 5 SRC South Eastern line (Main)
4 11 BKNMChord link line
5 13 BALTChord link line
6 15 KONANone
7 18 DNINone
8 20 JLBRNone
9 21 MDCNone
10 23 DMJRNone
11 25 DJRNone
12 28 DKBNone
13 32 BACNone
14 35 PTHLNone
15 37 MNHNone
16 38 MHLNNone
17 42 MJHNone
18 45 JLINone
19 47 HDCNone
20 50 AMZ None
South East branch line
South East branch line
Distance from Panskura Jn (km)Station NameStation CodeConnections
1 0 PKU South Eastern line (Main)
2 8 RGXNone
3 16 RGANone
4 21 SMTGNone
5 24 TMZ Digha (South Eastern line)
6 31 KSBPNone
7 36 SSPHNone
8 39 MSDLNone
9 47 BRDBNone
10 53 BYSANone
11 59 DZKNone
12 62 DZKTNone
13 65 SLPRNone
14 67 BAAR None
15 69 HLZ None
† – Branch Line starts at Panskura

Tamluk railway station acts as a Junction station and makes a branch line to Digha.

South branch line
South branch line
Distance from Tamluk (km)Station NameStation CodeConnections
1 0 TMZ Panskura / Haldia (South Eastern line)
2 10 NDKR None
3 21 LSGS None
4 32 DSPN None
5 39 HEN None
6 51 NCN None
7 62 KATI None
8 68 STLB None
9 71 SJPA None
10 76 APRD None
11 78 BDPA None
12 86 RMRB None
13 88 TKRA None
14 94 DGHA None
† – Branch Line starts at Tamluk

Electrification

SER electrified the South Eastern line to 25,000 V AC in the period of 1967 to 1969 with the different phases: Howrah – Maurigram, Maurigram – Bauria, Bauria – Uluberia, Uluberia – Shyamchak, Shyamchak – Kharagpur. During this period the first EMU train on this line was started on Howrah – Mecheda route after completion of this route it was extended to Kharagpur on 1 February 1969.

In the period 1974 to 1976, Panskura – Haldia line was also electrified with the two phases: Panskura – Durgachak & Durgachak – Haldia, After that EMU services was started on this line at 1 May 1976.

In 1985, The Kharagpur – Midnapore line was also electrified.[4]

Services

Currently, the South Eastern Railway Running 12 Car Services on South Eastern line, Before May 2018 The 9 Car rakes was running due to an increase in passenger transport conversion of 9 Car Rakes into 12 Car rakes was started for ease of transportation.[5]

And also, South Eastern Railway is also Running a GPS based 3-phase Medha ICF EMU train with CCTV cameras in ladies compartment in suburban sections, which was flagged off on 22 March 2018.[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ser.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1427346652869-BNR%20history.pdf History of South Eastern Railway
  2. Web site: Kharagpur Divisional Railway Map. South Eastern Railway.
  3. http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Budget_2018-19/PinkBook_2018-19/SER.pdf SER Pink Book 2018-19
  4. Web site: History of Electrification . IRFCA. 4 May 2013.
  5. http://www.ser.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&id=0,4,423&dcd=2505&did=15252539839326B259F83A55EC34D676442D9B26268D3.web107 Successful Completion of 50 yrs of EMU services.
  6. http://www.ser.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&id=0,4,423&dcd=2399&did=1521722434688590DAA851090534644F802AE49C4DC15.web103 New 3-phase EMU train is launched.