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.

CLASSES OF ACCOMMODATION POST 1955

CLASSES OF ACCOMMODATION POST 1955

The accommodation available in the Indian Railways in 1955 were :

(a)        Airconditioned Class (i.e. AC First Class),

(b)        First Class (old corridor-less Second Class reclassified),

(c)        Second Class (old Inter Class reclassified) and

(d)        Third Class. 

The Passenger fares were standardized in 1956 at 30 paise, 16 paise, 09 paise and 05 paise per mile for 1st, 2nd, Inter and 3rd class, respectively. (Platform tickets are 2 annas each.)

In 1956, The first fully air-conditioned train was introduced between Howrah and Delhi with the name ”Bi-weekly Airconditioned Vestibuled Express” (predecessor of the Poorva Exp.). A similar train was introduced later between Delhi and Bombay Central (predecessor of the Paschim Exp.). These trains were having Airconditioned Sleeper Class and Airconditioned Chair Car connected through Vestibule as well as First Class and Third Class, which were neither vestibuled, nor airconditioned. Thus the class “Airconditioned Chair” was introduced in 1956. 

Third class 3-tier Sleeper having all births (without cushion) for sleeping at night and sitting in day time were introduced in 1960. The fare was Third class fare plus Reservation and Sleeper charges in addition.

Second class 2-tier Sleeper (all births with cushion) having only the Upper Birth for sleeping at night and the corresponding window seat for sitting in day time were introduced in 1967 for few selected trains (Howrah-Delhi-Kalka mail, Shealdah Delhi Express, GT Exp., Frontier Mail, Howrah-Madras Mail, Bombay-Madras Exp., Delhi-Lucknow Mail, etc.).

In 1974, Second class was abolished and the Third Classes were renamed as Second Class and consequently the existing 3-tier Sleeper Coaches were renamed as "Second Class Sleeper Classes".

In 1993, Sleeper Class was introduced on IR, which were the existing 3-tier Sleeper Coaches but with cushioned births. Its fare was made higher than Second class, thereby making it a completely different from the Second class.

AC 2-tier coaches were introduced in 1979. Initially the fare for this class was kept same as First Class. Subsequently, the fare was kept same as First Class but additional Sleeper charge was levied in two slabs – one for travelling up to 500 KM and the other for travelling more than 500 KM.

AC 3-tier coaches were introduced in 1993.

FIRST TRAIN OF INDIA WAS DESTINED TO RUN FROM HOWRAH TO HOOGHLY, NOT FROM MUBAI TO THANE

We all know that First Train in India ran on April 16, 1853 from Bombay to Thane under Great Indian Peninsular Railway, but not many know about the fact that the First Train of India was destined to start from Howrah to Hooghly under East Indian Railway since the 24 Miles (38 KMs) long Rly Track from Howrah to Hooghly was ready before April, 1853, but it did not happen due to two incidences. Incidence no. 1: HMS Goodwin - the Ship carrying the first Model of the carriages, got sunk at Sandhead of the Hooghly River and Incidence no. 2 was that, the Ship carrying the first Locomotive went to Australia by mistake and finally reached Calcutta in 1854. Finally, the carriages were made by John Hudson, a Locomotive Engineer with East Indian Railway (EIR) at Two Coach Building factories at Calcutta viz. Steward and Co. and Seton and Co. There was also another factor – Serampore to Hooghly being under French area, there arose some disputes between East India Company and French East Indian Company about passing of the Rly track to French area, and it took time to get this settled.

First Train from Howrah to Hooghly made its Journey on Aug 15, 1854, although the Track from Howrah to Pandua (38 Miles) was ready by the end of 1853.The track to Pandua was thrown open on September 01, 1854 and up to Ranigunge on February 03, 1855.

Applications were invited for riding this first train and 3000 applications were received, out of which only few hundred were taken. The train started from Howrah at 08-30 AM and took 91 minutes to reach Hooghly. It consisted of 03 First Class Coaches, 02 Second Class Coaches and 03 Trucks for the Third class passengers. The 1^st Class and 2^nd Class Fares were Rupees Three and 07 Anas respectively.

GARBAGE RAILWAY OF CALCUTTA

GARBAGE RAILWAY OF CALCUTTA

Other than the normal railways, there was also Industrial Railways in the latter half of 19^th Century meant for being used mainly on temporary building projects.

However, there was a such a railway system inside Calcutta city having Broad Gauge Track operated by Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC, presently KMC), but to be used for carrying the refuse of Calcutta to a dumping ground at Dhapa, (then known as the Square Mile). Commonly known as 'Rubbish' or 'Garbage' train, this Railway system was officially known as “The Municipal Railway, Calcutta”.

The line ran from Bag Bazar on the Hooghly River to Circular Road and down its whole length as far as Theatre Road. There were two junctions opposite Dharamtala Street (Entally crossing), where the line travelled off east towards the Square Mile. These formed a triangular junction with the Square Mile branch. The line then followed the outfall sewer canal, passing the workshops and shed at Entally. It then carried on down passed the drainage pumping station at Tangra and followed the line of the high level sewer, past the Municipal Slaughter House and on to the Square Mile. There were six platforms on the system where refuse was transferred from carts to railway wagons.

The system opened in 1868 when there were eight miles of track. By 1895 there were 23 miles of track, including sidings. As well as carrying the city refuse and offal from the slaughterhouse, the system was also used to deliver road-building materials to various Corporation depots around the system, there were on average 15 wagons used for this purpose.

After the closure of the present 'Swabhumi' area, the dumping place was shifted to the area opposite Science City where present day Energy Park/PC Chandra Garden have come up.

I have personal knowledge about it in that, My father was posted at Central Medical Stores, Govt. of West Bengal Health Department  from 1955 to1957, hence I stayed at the Residential Building attached to the opposite Dental College as a boy of 7 years in 1955. I remember clearly that there was a single Broad gauge Line alongside Lower Circular Road (now AJC Bose Road) on the side of NRS Medical College & Hospital wherein such a train pulled by Steam Engine with 2 to 3 Boggies containing waste used to run once or twice a day up to the place where the then Famous "Rather Mela" of Entally used to be held at Dharamtola Crossing. I used to see running of this train from the first floor window.

The Tram Line was in the centre of the Road at that time. After closure of the Dhapa Train, the Tram line was shifted to its present position (besides NRS).

It is unknown when the system closed; it would appear to be sometime in the mid 1970s.

[ Reference : Discussions in the Forum of IRFCA (Indian Railway Fan Club)]

It is mentioned at this juncture that there was a Tram Depot in front of Sealdah Station, part of which is now under Fly over and the remaining part is the present Car Parking Area..The Tram Routes passing through this area were as follows as far as I could recall, there might be one or two more routes :

1.Ballygunge - Park Circus - Dharamtala - Sealdah - Harrison Road - Howrah Bridge – Howrah Stn.

(Route No. 24 or 25 -the other route being Ballygunge - Park Circus - Elliot Road - Esplanade - High Court - Strand Road - Howrah Stn.)

2. Route No. 12 : Galif Street - Shyambazar - Rajabazar - Sealdah - Dharamtala Street - Esplanade - High Court - Strand Road - Howrah Stn.

3. (Route No. forgotten) : Galif Street - Shyambazar - Rajabazar - Sealdah - Dalhousi Square via Bowbazar

(This route is existing even today, but the sector Sealdah - Dalhousi Square via Bowbazar has been replaced by Amharst Street - Bowbazar - Dalhousi Square.)

4. Sealdah - Dalhousi Square via Bowbazar.