NARROW GAUGE RAILWAY TRACK FROM BELGACHIA TO TAKI VIA BAGUATI, RAJARHAT

NARROW GAUGE RAILWAY TRACK FROM BELGACHIA TO TAKI VIA BAGUATI, RAJARHAT

There was a Railway connection between Shyambazar of Present Kolkata (Known as Belgachhia at that time) and present Hasnabad (called Chingrighata at first), having 2ft 6in gauge Railway line, which was promoted and managed by the-then Martin & Co. This line was known as Shyambazar - Hasnabad light railway and was opened in stages between 1st Feb 1905 and 2nd October 1914.

The Route was as follows, as per copies of Newmans Indian Bradshaw of 1940s (the numbers indicates the distance in miles from Shyambazar):

Belgachhia

Pattipooker                     (1)

Baguiati                          (3)

Hatiaria                           (4)

Narainpur Colony             (5)

Rajarhat Bishnupur                   (8)

Langalpota                      (9)

Haroakhal                        (11)

Kharibaria                        (13)

Aminpur                          (15)

Beliaghata Bridge      (18)[Not to be confused with Present Beliaghata ]

Deganga                         (21)

Berchampa                      (23)

Sarupnagar                     (26)

Dhankuria G. Garden      (27)

Arbalia                            (28)

Shikra Kulingram             (30)

Kholapota                        (32)

Maitra Bagan                  (34)

Basirhat                          (35)

Basirhat Kutchery            (36)

Dandirhat                        (38)

Sankchura                       (41)

Taki Road                        (42)

Hasnabad                        (44)

This Shyambazar - Hasnabad light railway used to take the exact alignment of present Baguihati - Hatiara road taken by 30C and 30C/1 routes.

This line was laid adjacent to the Jessore Road in between present Dum Dum Park and Bangur, crossing the present Bagjola Canal. This canal was significantly wider at hat time than what it is now and was quite financially viable with boats ferrying numerous items through this canal.

The line was supported by the District Board since it earned significant profits from this Ralway, but subsequently, loss started occurring, whereby, the management and administration of this Railway was taken over in August 1951 by the Board of Directors appointed by the Government of West Bengal under the powers delegated to them by the Central Government under the Railway Companies (Emergency Provisions) Ordinance 1951 and the Railway Companies (Emergency Provisions) Act 1951.

It was closed down from 1st July 1955 allegedly due to increasing losses arising from road competition and increased working expenses.

However, a Pond named “Rail-pukur” (Pond is called “Pukur” in Bengali) still exists, beyond the PWD building at Baguiati crossing, as perhaps the only reminiscence of this railway, wherefrom the Trains used to re-fill the engine with water.