Eklakhi–Balurghat branch line

Eklakhi–Balurghat branch line is a branch line of the Howrah–New Jalpaiguri line of Indian Railways connecting Balurghat, the district headquarters of Dakshin Dinajpur district with Eklakhi in Malda district of West Bengal.[1]

Eklakhi-Balurghat branch line
Balurghat railway station
Overview
StatusOperation
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleWest Bengal
Termini
Stations11
Service
Operator(s)Northeast Frontier Railway zone
History
Opened2004; 21 years ago (2004)
Technical
Line length87 km (54 mi)
Electrification2023 with 25 kV AC
Route map

Legend
km
116
 Hilli
109
 Trimohani
99
 Kamarpara
↑ planned
87
 Balurghat
Barsoi–Radhikapur line
Up arrow
75
 Mallickpurhat
Kaliyaganj
67
 Rampur Bazar
64
 Malancha
Barsoi–Radhikapur line
Down arrow
55
 Gangarampur
Fatepur Hat
Punarbhaba River
Kushmundi
Tangon River
Aminpur
42
 Buniadpur
Kaliyaganj-Buniadpur line
(planned)
Barsoi–Radhikapur line
Up arrow
Raiganj
33
 Daulatpur
25
 Deotala
Barsoi–Radhikapur line
Down arrow
20
 Mahanagar
Rupahari Halt
Harirampur
Durgapur
Itahar–Buniadpur line
(planned)
Raiganj–Itahar line
(planned)
Itahar
Bangar
Itahar–Gazole line
(planned)
14
 Gazole
0
 Eklakhi Junction
Left arrow Barsoi–New Farakka section Right arrow
 
km

History

The main line of Eastern Bengal Railway from Sealdah to Siliguri via Ranaghat, Darshana, Santahar, Parbatipur and Haldibari was built in 1878. It passed through Hili in the then unified Dinajpur District.[2]

With the partition of India in 1947, the Chilahati–Parbatipur–Darshana section went to the then East Pakistan. Almost three-fourths of the town of Hili along with the railway station fell inside East Pakistan.[3] The partitioned West Dinajpur district in India had only one connection from Barsoi to Radhikapur near the border. With the partition of this district in 1992, the newly formed Dakshin Dinajpur district lacked any rail connections. To rectify this situation a new line was proposed from Eklakhi in Malda district to the Dakshin Dinajpur district headquarters in Balurghat. This line was completed and opened on 30 December 2004.[4]

Proposed Extensions

The line from Balurghat has been proposed to be extended right up to Hili town on the Indian side of the Indo-Bangladesh border. A major junction has also been planned to be set up in Itahar and to connect it with Buniadpur & Gazole stations on the Eklakhi–Balurghat line and with Raiganj on the Barsoi–Radhikapur branch line. A new line connecting Buniadpur to Kaliyaganj on the Barsoi–Radhikapur line via Kushmandi is also planned.[5][6]

Stations

Station code Station name Distance (km)
EKl Eklakhi 0
GZO Gazole 14
MANG Mahanagar 20
DOTL Deotala 25
DLPH Daulatpur Halt 33
BNDP Buniadpur 42
GRMP Gangarampur 55
MLNH Malancha 64
RMPB Rampur Bazar 67
MKRH Mallickpurhat 75
BLGT Balurghat 87

Electrification

The electrification of this route was started in 2018 and now functioning with 25 kV AC from May 2023.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ "Opening of Eklakhi – Balurghat new line". pib.nic.in. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  2. ^ "India: the complex history of the junctions at Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri". Archived from the original on 13 December 2004. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Border cloud on revelry- BDR bar on puja pandals". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Opening of Eklakhi – Balurghat new line". Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  5. ^ "NEFR Pink Book 2021-22 Pg 2 #1" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  6. ^ "NEW BG RLY LINE FROM EKLAKHI-BALURGHAT INCLUDING GAZOLE-ITAHAR(NL), NEFR". Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  7. ^ "NFR Electrification underway". Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Railway Budget 2018: 881 km rail network set to be electrified in West Bengal". Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2021.