Railways see enhanced connectivity in suburban stations
The Statesman | 10 October 2025The Champapukur – Hasnabad and Lakshmikantapur – Namkhana sections in Sealdah Division have received sanctions from the Railway Board for the final location survey (FLS) of doubling works. The project is expected to significantly boost capacity, streamline operations, and enhance connectivity in the two suburban corridors of the Eastern Railway.
According to the divisional railway office, the crucial suburban route between Champapukur – Hasnabad in the North 24-Parganas district has 23 pairs of EMU services running daily. With a huge demand, the section currently operates as a single line, experiencing nearly 100 per cent capacity utilisation. The proposed doubling of the line of a stretch of 16.54 km is anticipated to directly alleviate congestion and seamless movement of passenger trains from the erstwhile remote areas of different stations in the section. The divisional railway is also anticipated to smoothen the traffic flow of stations, including Bhyabla Halt, Basirhat, Matania Anantapur, Madhyampur, Nimdanri, Taki Road and eliminate significant detentions caused by train crossings.
Given the situation, the project is aimed at facilitating smoother train movements, laying the groundwork for the introduction of additional suburban services essential for catering to the rising commuter demand in North 24-Parganas district.
The other route, which also is being eyed for capacity expansion is the Lakshmikantapur – Namkhana section. The section is a vital link for major tourist and pilgrimage centres, including Gangasagar, Bakkhali, and Henry’s Island. Having huge demand like many other busy sections of Sealdah Division, it has a capacity utilisation which exceeds 103 per cent, making the single line a major bottleneck. The Railway Board on 24 September formalised the doubling works spanning over 46.56 km of the section for handling the consistently increasing passenger volume and enhancing operational flexibility.
According to the divisional railway, the project will be pivotal in strengthening regional connectivity by facilitating improved railway networks at stations including Udairampur, Kalwan Halt, Karanjali Halt, Nischintapur, Kashinagar Halt, Kwakdip, Ukiler Hat and unlocking greater tourism potential in Sundarban areas of South 24-Pargana district.
