From Calcutta to Sealdah, India’s busiest station traces 162-yr journey
Times of India | 29 September 2024
Kolkata: A train service from the heart of Kolkata to Ranaghat on Sept 29, 1862 in Nadia flagged off the journey of Calcutta Railway Station, which has evolved into the busiest station in the country—Sealdah station. Eastern Railway will celebrate Sealdah station’s 162-year journey and the inaugural run on Sunday.
The Ranaghat train was one of Bengal’s first links, paving the way for a larger network that has transformed into a transport lifeline for lakhs of commuters from districts as well as other parts of the country every day.
To commemorate the first ride, a special service will be operated on the same 73km stretch between Kolkata and Ranaghat. In the colonial times, this section eventually became a long-distance route to Dhaka via Siliguri. At that time, there were regular services to Khulna, Barisal, Amnura and Chittagong, then a part of undivided India.
“The commemorative 162nd year of the inaugural train service on the ‘Calcutta (Sealdah)-Ranaghat’ section is part of the Swachh Bharat cultural fest,” said DRM, Sealdah, Deepak Nigam. “A suburban section train, colourfully decked up, will be operated from Sealdah to Ranaghat on Sunday. This is absolute nostalgia and we would love to share it with the people of Kolkata, North-24 Parganas and Nadia.” Nigam pointed out that themed ‘Swacchata Hi Sewa’, the fest will be celebrated at all the stations along the route—Sealdah, Barrackpore, Kanchrapara, Naihati and Ranaghat. “A photo exhibition will be held at the terminal stations of the section, Sealdah and Ranaghat, to mark the 162-year service,” he added. The black-and-white photographs of the bygone railway era will include timetables published by Eastern Bengal Railway (EBR).
The train will be flagged off from Sealdah with students and dignitaries on board. The journey will trace the history, starting with the times the South-Eastern Railway Company was established in 1859. “The 29km rail link from Beliagutta (today’s Beleghata) to Port Canning became operational in two phases—Beliagutta-Champahati on Jan 2, 1862 and Champahati-Port Canning on May 15, 1883. Sealdah or the Calcutta station, as it was called back then, came up in 1862 and the first service between Sealdah and Ranaghat was flagged off on Sept 29 that year,” said Ekalabya Chakraborty, divisional personnel officer, Sealdah.
The Sealdah-Ranaghat line, which connects the city with North 24-Parganas and Nadia, soon became a busy suburban section and an integral part of the Calcutta-Siliguri mainline. Today, the entirely electrified section is equipped to run EMU trains at a maximum speed of 100 kmph and mail and express trains at 110 kmph.
In July, the last five of the 21 platforms in Sealdah station were extended to accommodate local trains with 12 coaches, which are replacing nine-coach rakes. The five platforms, which were smaller than the rest, cater to the Sealdah North suburban section, which links Kolkata with North 24-Parganas, Nadia and Murshidabad. Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw may formally inaugurate the upgrade on Oct 2.