Asansol-Gaya section
Encyclopedia
The Asansol-Gaya section is a railway line connecting Asansol Junction and Gaya
. This 267 kilometres (165.9 mi) track is part of the Grand Chord
and in under the jurisdiction of Eastern Railway and East Central Railway. The section links to South Eastern Railway through Adra.
was first extended to Barakar in 1858 and then in 1894 East Indian Railway Company
extended the line to Jharia
and Katras
, opening up the Jharia Coalfield. Dhanbad emerged as a premier coal loading area. One railway-related source says that the line from Sitarampur to Dhanbad was built in 1880.
. After several surveys, one in 1888-89 and two more subsequently, a route was determined from Dhanbad to Mughal Sarai via Koderma and Gaya. The major works in this section were a bridge across the Son River
at Dehri
, and tunnelling and ghat line construction between Gurpa and Gujhandi.
The 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) Gujhandi (altitude 370m)-Gurpa (altitude 193 m) section, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of Koderma, is a ghat (mountain/hill slope), with the Koderma Plateau sloping down to the Gaya plain.
The Grand Chord was opened on 6 December 1906 by Lord Minto
, then Viceroy
and Governor General of India with a function at Gujahandi. The Viceroy and Lady Minto travelled to Gaya, from where they travelled in a special observation car to Gujhandi. Two special trains, running from Howrah, carried the invitees. The Viceroy screwed on a silver bolt with a silver spanner to formally complete the line.
A repeat of the historic event was organized by East Central Railway on 6 December 2006, with a special heritage train “Grand Chord ki Rani”, pulled by a 1965 steam engine, carrying the guests from Gaya to Gujhandi.
See also - Gurpa Gajhandi Ghat Section (Part I), Gurpa Gajhandi Ghat Section (Part II)
to Gaya in1879.Track doubling of the 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) long Kiul-Gaya section was announced in the railway budget for 2010-2011.
Completion of electrification of the 97 kilometres (60.3 mi) Patna-Gaya rail route before the end of 2003 was announced by the railway minister Nitish Kumar.
at Gomoh
.
In 1902, a branch line of EIR was opened from Sone East Bank (later renamed Son Nagar
) to Daltonganj. With the development of South Karanpura Coalfield
, the Cenral India Coalfields Railway opened a line from Gomoh to Barkakana
in 1927 and from Barkakana to Daltonganj in 1929. These lines were subsequently taken over by EIR.
In 1965, Asansol-Bareilly Passenger was the first long-distance train on Eastern Railway to be hauled by an AC loco.
Gaya, India
Gaya is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also the headquarters of Gaya District.Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of Falgu River , it is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions...
. This 267 kilometres (165.9 mi) track is part of the Grand Chord
Grand Chord
Grand Chord- also known as The Life line of India is a section of the Indian Railways and is one of the two parts of the main Delhi-Howrah route. It acts as a link between Sitarampur, and Mughal Sarai, Uttar Pradesh, and covers a stretch of 450 km...
and in under the jurisdiction of Eastern Railway and East Central Railway. The section links to South Eastern Railway through Adra.
Dhanbad-Jharia
The Bardhaman-Asansol lineBardhaman-Asansol section
The Bardhaman-Asansol section is a railway line connecting Bardhaman and Asansol Junction. This track is part of the Howrah-Delhi main line and in under the jurisdiction of Eastern Railway, but is connected to the South Eastern Railway through Adra ....
was first extended to Barakar in 1858 and then in 1894 East Indian Railway Company
East Indian Railway Company
The East Indian Railway Company, later known as the East Indian Railway , introduced railways to eastern and northern India, while the Companies such as the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, South Indian Railway, Central India Railway and the North-Western Railway operated in other parts of India...
extended the line to Jharia
Jharia
Jharia is a notified area and one of eight development blocks in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, India. More than one town in India shares this name.- City :...
and Katras
Katras
Katras is a town equivalent to a city in terms of facilities and a notified area in Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Geography:Katras is located at . It has an average elevation of 201 metres .-Demographics:...
, opening up the Jharia Coalfield. Dhanbad emerged as a premier coal loading area. One railway-related source says that the line from Sitarampur to Dhanbad was built in 1880.
Gurpa-Gujhandi
Once the rail link from Howrah to Delhi was completed in 1866, the East Indian Railway was making constant endeavour to reduce the distance of the Howrah-Delhi main lineHowrah-Delhi main line
The Howrah-Delhi main line is a railway line connecting Delhi and Kolkata cutting across northern India. The railway line was opened to traffic in 1866 with the introduction of the 1 Dn/ 2 Up Mail.The first Rajdhani Express, the most prestigious train of the country, had its maiden run on this...
. After several surveys, one in 1888-89 and two more subsequently, a route was determined from Dhanbad to Mughal Sarai via Koderma and Gaya. The major works in this section were a bridge across the Son River
Son River
Son River of central India is the largest of the Ganges' southern tributaries. A British 1850s diary shows that the river was written in English as Soane.-Course:...
at Dehri
Dehri
Dehri On Sone is a city and a municipality in Rohtas district in the state of Bihar, India. It is a Sub Division under Patna Division and Headquarter of The Bihar Military Police as well as The Police headquarters of the Sahabad Range...
, and tunnelling and ghat line construction between Gurpa and Gujhandi.
The 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) Gujhandi (altitude 370m)-Gurpa (altitude 193 m) section, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of Koderma, is a ghat (mountain/hill slope), with the Koderma Plateau sloping down to the Gaya plain.
The Grand Chord was opened on 6 December 1906 by Lord Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto was a British nobleman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the eighth since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the country's 17th.-Early life and career:Minto was born in London, the...
, then Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
and Governor General of India with a function at Gujahandi. The Viceroy and Lady Minto travelled to Gaya, from where they travelled in a special observation car to Gujhandi. Two special trains, running from Howrah, carried the invitees. The Viceroy screwed on a silver bolt with a silver spanner to formally complete the line.
A repeat of the historic event was organized by East Central Railway on 6 December 2006, with a special heritage train “Grand Chord ki Rani”, pulled by a 1965 steam engine, carrying the guests from Gaya to Gujhandi.
See also - Gurpa Gajhandi Ghat Section (Part I), Gurpa Gajhandi Ghat Section (Part II)
Branch lines from Gaya
Several years before the Grand Chord was built, a connection from the Howrah-Delhi main line to Gaya was developed in 1900 (presumably the Patna-Gaya line) and the South Bihar Railway Company (operated by EIR) had laid a line from LakhisaraiLakhisarai
Lakhisarai town is the administrative headquarters of Lakhisarai district in Bihar state in eastern India. The town has a population of 77,840 . It is well connected by road and rail routes. It is situated on Patna-Howrah main line passing through Kiul junction. NH-80 passes through the town...
to Gaya in1879.Track doubling of the 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) long Kiul-Gaya section was announced in the railway budget for 2010-2011.
Completion of electrification of the 97 kilometres (60.3 mi) Patna-Gaya rail route before the end of 2003 was announced by the railway minister Nitish Kumar.
Connections south of Grand Chord
The Bengal Nagpur Railway system was connected to the East Indian Railway Company in 1889, thus connecting Asansol to Adra. In 1907 Adra was connected to the Grand ChordGrand Chord
Grand Chord- also known as The Life line of India is a section of the Indian Railways and is one of the two parts of the main Delhi-Howrah route. It acts as a link between Sitarampur, and Mughal Sarai, Uttar Pradesh, and covers a stretch of 450 km...
at Gomoh
Gomoh
Gomoh is a census town in Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It is a major railway junction situated on the Grand Chord Line under Dhanbad division of the East Central Railway...
.
In 1902, a branch line of EIR was opened from Sone East Bank (later renamed Son Nagar
Son Nagar
Son Nagar Junction is a railway station in Aurangabad district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is located on the east bank of the Son River and was earlier known as Son East Bank-History:...
) to Daltonganj. With the development of South Karanpura Coalfield
South Karanpura Coalfield
South Karanpura Coalfield is located in Ramgarh district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Overview:In 1917, L.S.S.O’Malley described the coalfields in the upper reaches of the Damodar as follows: "Near the western boundary of Jharia field is that of Bokaro, covering , with an estimated content of...
, the Cenral India Coalfields Railway opened a line from Gomoh to Barkakana
Barkakana
Barkakana is a census town in ramgarh district in the state of Jharkhand, India.-Geography:Barkakana is located at . It has an average elevation of .-Demographics:...
in 1927 and from Barkakana to Daltonganj in 1929. These lines were subsequently taken over by EIR.
Electrification
The Howrah-Gaya stretch was electrified by around 1960.In 1965, Asansol-Bareilly Passenger was the first long-distance train on Eastern Railway to be hauled by an AC loco.