"The entire belt between Durgapur (158 km from Howrah), and all the way up to Dhanbad and beyond is industrialized. Apart from factories, there are many coalmines, some closed now, and some with fires burning deep in the mineshafts. Mining area extends for a large area, mostly to the south of the tracks. Quite a portion of the track passes through cuttings, where the surrounding area is higher than the track level, resulting in the profusion of characteristic small masonry bridges crossing the tracks." This description is from "Gomoh loco shed and CLW trip record" by Samit Roychoudhury.[9]
History
During the middle of the nineteenth century, Carr, Tagore and Company transported coal from Narayankuri ghat on the Damodar River to Kolkata, then known as Calcutta. However, as the flow of water in the river was inconsistent, supplies were irregular. In order to capture the lucrative coal transport business, East Indian Railway, extended the railway track that had been laid between Kolkata and Hooghly to Raniganj in 1855 and up to Asansol in July 1863.[10][11][12]
A
The East Indian Railway needed land to develop the infrastructure for the railways. While the Searsol Raj, then the zamindar in the Raniganj area, refused to provide the land, the Panchakot Raj, then functioning from Kashipur, agreed to provide the land in Shergarh, of which Asansol was then a part in 1863–64, East Indian Railway purchased a large area of jungle land from the Panchakot Raj, thereby initiating the development of Asansol as an industrial area.[11][12]
Subsequently, Asansol gained further in importance. What was later known as the Sahibganj loop was the first line from Kolkata to Delhi and the first direct train started in 1866, but the shorter line via Asansol and Jhajha came up in 1871. It was initially called the Chord line but as it attracted more traffic, was rechristened the main line and the earlier main line became Sahibganj loop. With the completion of the Sitarampur–Gaya–MughalsaraiGrand Chord in 1901 (formally inaugurated in 1906 and finally opened in 1907), the Kolkata–Delhi rail distance became even shorter, and Asansol started functioning as the junction station of the main and chord lines, as Sitarampur, the actual junction, near Asansol, is a comparatively smaller station.[12][13]
While momentous developments were taking place in connecting Delhi and Kolkata by rail, Bengal Nagpur Railway extended its tracks to the Asansol coal belt in 1887, thus connecting Adra with Asansol.[10]
The railway establishment at Asansol contributed substantially to its development and growth.[11]
Electrification
Electrification of the railways gained momentum in the early fifties. Although initial installations were with 3 kV DC traction, the railways subsequently adopted the 25 kV AC system. Electrification of the Bardhaman–Mughalsarai section was completed in 1957 and the Howrah–Gaya stretch was electrified by around 1960.[14] The Tatanagar–Adra–Asansol section was electrified in the 1957–1962 period.[15]
Established in 1925, Asansol Division is one of the oldest divisions of Indian Railways. On the Howrah–Delhi main line, its jurisdiction extends from the distant signal of Khana junction to the distant signal of Jhajha . On the Grand Chord line its jurisdiction extends up to the distant signal of Pradhankhunta. Branch lines under its jurisdiction are: Andal–Sainthia, Andal–Tapasi–Barabani–Sitarampur, Madhupur–Giridih, Jasidih–Baidyanathdham and Jasidih–Dumka. With a total of 565 route kilometers, the division has quadruple lines (two up and two down line) from Khana to Sitarampur. It handles 100 mail/express trains daily and 212 passenger train runs per day. The number of originating passengers per day is 144,070.[17]
Passenger movement
Asansol is amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.[18] 152 trains (including weeklies and bi-weeklies) originate or pass through Asansol railway station.[19] All trains including Sealdah Rajdhani, Howrah Rajdhani, Howrah Duronto, Sealdah Humsafar Express, Yuva Express and Shalimar Duronto stops at Asansol Junction except Sealdah Duronto
Amenities
Asansol railway station has three double-bedded AC retiring rooms, two double-bedded non-AC retiring rooms and an eight-bedded dormitory. Escalators are present at platforms no. 2 and 7.[20] WiFi service is available here. A food plaza in the station premises is open 24/7. It also has an air-conditioned premium lounge for upscale passengers.
Gallery
Asansol railway station building
Asansol railway station, Bardhaman
Station platform
Asansol Junction railway station platform
Station platform board
a model railway station in Asansol, Paschim Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal
Asansol railway station nameplate
Asansol railway station, over-bridge view
References
^"Indian railway codes". Indian Railways. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
asansol, junction, railway, station, station, code, division, eastern, railway, zone, asansol, sadar, subdivision, paschim, bardhaman, district, indian, state, west, bengal, station, howrah, delhi, main, line, busiest, railway, station, india, terms, frequency. Asansol Junction railway station station code ASN is a Division of Eastern Railway Zone in Asansol Sadar subdivision of Paschim Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal The station is on the Howrah Delhi main line It is the 8th busiest railway station in India in terms of frequency of trains after Kanpur Central Vijayawada Junction Delhi Junction New Delhi Ambala Cant Howrah and Patna Junction citation needed Around 171 trains pass through the station daily It serves Asansol and the surrounding areas Asansol Junction আস নস ল জ শনIndian Railways stationEntrance view of Asansol Junction railway stationGeneral informationLocationStation Road Asansol Paschim Bardhaman district West Bengal IndiaCoordinates23 41 29 N 86 58 29 E 23 69131 N 86 974792 E 23 69131 86 974792Elevation96 metres 315 ft Owned byIndian RailwaysOperated byEastern RailwaysLine s Bardhaman Asansol section and Asansol Patna section of Howrah Delhi main line Asansol Gaya section of Grand Chord and Howrah Gaya Delhi line Asansol Tatanagar Kharagpur linePlatforms7Tracks11ConnectionsAuto stand bus stand cab zoneConstructionStructure typeStandard on ground station ParkingYesBicycle facilitiesYesDisabled accessAvailableOther informationStatusFunctioningStation codeASN 1 Zone s Eastern Railway zoneDivision s AsansolHistoryOpened1864 159 years ago 1864 Electrified1957 1962Previous namesEast Indian RailwayRoute mapvteRailways in AsansolLegend via Grand Chordto Mughalsaraivia Howrah Delhi main lineRadhanagar SitarampurChinakuri amp Seetalpurcolliery sidings to Andal via Barabani lineplanned wye connectionSodepur colliery sidingBarachakIISCO Damodar YardAsansol Kharagpur line SAIL IISCO Steel PlantHirapur Exchange YardDamodar IISCO Burnpur sidingsBurnpurBurnpur AirportMohsila AsansolFreight bypassto Damodar stationKalipahariAsansol AirfieldBardhaman Asansol sectionSources 2 3 LocationAsansol JunctionLocation within West BengalInteractive mapvteBardhaman Asansol sectionLegendkmAsansol Patna sectionAsansol Gaya section120 SitarampurAndal Sitarampur loop line123 Radhanagar Colliery sidingplanned wye connectionAsansol Adra lineIISCO Damodar Yard115 DamodarSodepur colliery siding116 BarachakIISCO Hirapur Exchange YardIISCO Burnpur sidings111 Burnpur107 Asansol CourtAsansol Electric Loco Shed106 Asansol JunctionAsansol Passenger YardBurnpur AirportGrand Trunk Road106 MohishilaKalipahari Damodarfreight bypass line101 Kalipahari96 Nuniah Block HutNunia River92 Nimcha Block HutNimcha Colliery SidingKalidaspur Colliery88 RaniganjDamodar RiverMejia Thermal Power StationRaniganj Ghat83 Baktarnagar Block HutAndal Sitarampur loop lineAndal Sainthia branch line80 AndalAndal Marshalling YardDSTPS Andal SidingDurgapur Cement Works Birla 74 Pinjrapol Block HutDurgapur Steel Exchange Yard72 WariaDSP SidingAlloy Steels Plant SidingDTPS Waria SidingDurgapur Projects LimitedDurgapur Coke Oven Plant64 DurgapurDurgapur Goods Shed56 RajbandhIOCL Rajbandh depot48 PanagarhPanagarh Army CantonmentNH 19 Grand Trunk Road HPCL LPG Bottling Plant38 Mankar29 Paraj23 Galsi20 Ishan Chandi HaltSahibganj loop13 Khanato Bankura Masagram line under construction 8 TalitBardhaman Katwa line0 Barddhaman Junction7 Gangpur12 SaktigarhHowrah Bardhaman chordHowrah Bardhaman main linekmSources 4 5 6 7 8 vteAdra Asansol lineLegendkm Bardhaman Asansol section0 Asansol5 Burnpurto BarachakIISCO Burnpur sidingsKalipahari freight bypass9 DamodarRadhanagar colliery sidingto Sitarampur planned IISCO Damodar yardDamodar RiverACC cement factory siding14 Madhukunda21 MuradiParbelia colliery sidingChaurashi Goods siding26 Ramkanali31 BeroRTPP sidings37 Joychandi PaharAdra Gomoh lineAsansol Tatanagar line41 AdraAdra Kharagpur linekmSource Indian Railway Time TablevteAsansol Tatanagar Kharagpur line incl Adra Bokaro Steel City Purulia Kotshila amp Tatanagar Badampahar branch linesLegendkm kmto HatiaBokaro Steel City 78Steel Authority of IndiaBokaro Steel Plantto GomohIspat Nagar 62 Bardhaman Asansol sectionChas 54 0 Asansol JunctionBandidih 49 to Asansol Patna section Asansol Gaya sectiontoChandrapura toGomoh 5 BurnpurMahuda Junction 53 IISCO Burnpur sidingsto Sudamdih Adra Asansol lineDamodar River to Kalipahari freight line 9 DamodarTalgaria 42 IISCO Damodar Steel yard amp Radhanagar Colliery sidingsShewbabudih 36 Damodar Riverto Mahuda ACC Cement factory SidingSudamdih 32 14 MadhukundaDamodar River 21 MuradiBhojudih 30 Parbeliya Colliery SidingsJharkhandWest Bengal border overDamodar Chaurashi Goods SidingBhojudih Coal Washery 26 Ramkanali31 BeroSTPS SidingSantaldih 23 RTPP sidingsDamodar RiverRukni 15 37 Joychandi PaharSanka 7Gardhrubeswar 48 0 41 Adra Junctionto Muri Kharagpur Bankura Adra lineKotshila Junction 36to Gomoh 55 AnaraBarbenda 32 61 BagaliaGarh Jaipur 29 69 KustaurChas Road 22 73 CharrahGourinathdham 15to Chhatna planned 0 81 PuruliaKangsabati River88 Tamna96 Kantadih104 Urma112 Barabhum117 BiramdihWest BengalJharkhand border126 NimdihBarkakana Muri Chandilline135 Chandil141 ManikuiBihar Sponge Iron SidingsSubarnarekha River146 Kunkito Namkom planned Amalgam Power amp Steel Sidings149 KandraTatanagar BilaspursectionBirbans 170 154 BirrajpurTata Sponge Iron Siding160 Gamharia Junction166 AdityapurKharkai RiverTatanagar Junction 0 171 TISCO Steel PlantHaludpukur 22Sidhirsai 34 3 SalgajhariJharkhandOdisha border Jojobera Power PlantBahalda Road 42 7 GovindpurAonlajori Junction 55 14 AsanboniGorumahisani 64 19 Rakha MinesRairangpur 65 Subarnarekha RiverKuldiha 73 26 GaludihChhanua 80 36 GhatsilaBadampahar 89 42 Chirugoda48 Dalbhumgarh57 Kokpara66 ChakuliaChakulia Buramara newline planned Purnapani 72 KanimahuliBorol JharkhandWest Bengal borderBaharagora 80 GidhniJharkhandOdisha border 88 KhatkuraSubarnarekha river 95 JhargramJamsola to Bhadutala planned Jharpokaria 104 BanstalaRupsa Bangriposi line 111 SardihaBuramara 119 Khemasuli125 KalaikundaRupsa Bangriposi line Kharagpur Bankura Adra lineNimpura 127 Nimpura Through YardNimpura Goods Yard131 GirimaidanHijli 133Kharagpur Puri line134 Kharagpur JunctionHowrah Kharagpur line View of Asansol railway junction Entrance gate of Asansol Railway Junction Contents 1 Overview 1 1 Mining industry zone 2 History 3 Electrification 4 Locomotive shed 5 Asansol Division 6 Passenger movement 7 Amenities 8 Gallery 9 References 10 External linksOverview EditMining industry zone Edit The entire belt between Durgapur 158 km from Howrah and all the way up to Dhanbad and beyond is industrialized Apart from factories there are many coalmines some closed now and some with fires burning deep in the mineshafts Mining area extends for a large area mostly to the south of the tracks Quite a portion of the track passes through cuttings where the surrounding area is higher than the track level resulting in the profusion of characteristic small masonry bridges crossing the tracks This description is from Gomoh loco shed and CLW trip record by Samit Roychoudhury 9 History EditDuring the middle of the nineteenth century Carr Tagore and Company transported coal from Narayankuri ghat on the Damodar River to Kolkata then known as Calcutta However as the flow of water in the river was inconsistent supplies were irregular In order to capture the lucrative coal transport business East Indian Railway extended the railway track that had been laid between Kolkata and Hooghly to Raniganj in 1855 and up to Asansol in July 1863 10 11 12 A The East Indian Railway needed land to develop the infrastructure for the railways While the Searsol Raj then the zamindar in the Raniganj area refused to provide the land the Panchakot Raj then functioning from Kashipur agreed to provide the land in Shergarh of which Asansol was then a part in 1863 64 East Indian Railway purchased a large area of jungle land from the Panchakot Raj thereby initiating the development of Asansol as an industrial area 11 12 Subsequently Asansol gained further in importance What was later known as the Sahibganj loop was the first line from Kolkata to Delhi and the first direct train started in 1866 but the shorter line via Asansol and Jhajha came up in 1871 It was initially called the Chord line but as it attracted more traffic was rechristened the main line and the earlier main line became Sahibganj loop With the completion of the Sitarampur Gaya Mughalsarai Grand Chord in 1901 formally inaugurated in 1906 and finally opened in 1907 the Kolkata Delhi rail distance became even shorter and Asansol started functioning as the junction station of the main and chord lines as Sitarampur the actual junction near Asansol is a comparatively smaller station 12 13 While momentous developments were taking place in connecting Delhi and Kolkata by rail Bengal Nagpur Railway extended its tracks to the Asansol coal belt in 1887 thus connecting Adra with Asansol 10 The railway establishment at Asansol contributed substantially to its development and growth 11 Electrification EditElectrification of the railways gained momentum in the early fifties Although initial installations were with 3 kV DC traction the railways subsequently adopted the 25 kV AC system Electrification of the Bardhaman Mughalsarai section was completed in 1957 and the Howrah Gaya stretch was electrified by around 1960 14 The Tatanagar Adra Asansol section was electrified in the 1957 1962 period 15 Locomotive shed EditAsansol Electric Loco Shed is home to the oldest electric locomotive shed of Indian Railways It houses WAP 4 WAG 5 WAM 4 and WAG 7 16 Asansol Division EditEstablished in 1925 Asansol Division is one of the oldest divisions of Indian Railways On the Howrah Delhi main line its jurisdiction extends from the distant signal of Khana junction to the distant signal of Jhajha On the Grand Chord line its jurisdiction extends up to the distant signal of Pradhankhunta Branch lines under its jurisdiction are Andal Sainthia Andal Tapasi Barabani Sitarampur Madhupur Giridih Jasidih Baidyanathdham and Jasidih Dumka With a total of 565 route kilometers the division has quadruple lines two up and two down line from Khana to Sitarampur It handles 100 mail express trains daily and 212 passenger train runs per day The number of originating passengers per day is 144 070 17 Passenger movement EditAsansol is amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway 18 152 trains including weeklies and bi weeklies originate or pass through Asansol railway station 19 All trains including Sealdah Rajdhani Howrah Rajdhani Howrah Duronto Sealdah Humsafar Express Yuva Express and Shalimar Duronto stops at Asansol Junction except Sealdah DurontoAmenities EditAsansol railway station has three double bedded AC retiring rooms two double bedded non AC retiring rooms and an eight bedded dormitory Escalators are present at platforms no 2 and 7 20 WiFi service is available here A food plaza in the station premises is open 24 7 It also has an air conditioned premium lounge for upscale passengers Gallery Edit Asansol railway station building Asansol railway station Bardhaman Station platform Asansol Junction railway station platform Station platform board a model railway station in Asansol Paschim Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal Asansol railway station nameplate Asansol railway station over bridge viewReferences Edit Indian railway codes Indian Railways Retrieved 26 August 2018 Asansol Division Railway Map Eastern Railway Adra Division Railway Map South Eastern Railway Bardhaman Asansol MEMU 63505 India Rail Info Asansol Division System Map Eastern Railway Archived from the original on 26 April 2016 South Eastern Railway Pink Book 2017 18 PDF Indian Railways Pink Book Asansol Division Railway Map Eastern Railway Adra Division Railway Map South Eastern Railway Gomoh loco shed and CLW trip record Indian Railway Reports IRFCA a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty url help a b The Chronology of Railway Development in Eastern India railindia Archived from the original on 16 March 2008 Retrieved 12 November 2011 a b c Asansol railindia Archived from the original on 7 May 2017 Retrieved 12 November 2011 a b c Indian Railway History Timeline Archived from the original on 14 July 2012 Retrieved 12 November 2011 Hazaribagh District 1918 IRFCA Retrieved 12 November 2011 Electric Traction I IRFCA Indian Railways Fan Club Retrieved 12 November 2011 Ghose Arabinda Platinum Jubilee of Railway Electrification in India Press Information Bureau Retrieved 12 November 2011 Sheds and Workshops IRFCA Retrieved 12 November 2011 Eastern Railway Asansol Division Eastern Railway Retrieved 12 November 2011 Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways IRFCA Archived from the original on 10 May 2014 Retrieved 5 August 2013 Trains at Asansol Junction IRFCA Archived from the original on 3 November 2011 Retrieved 1 January 2012 Retiring Room Details Eastern Railway Retrieved 19 April 2013 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Asansol Junction railway station Trains at Asansol Asansol travel guide from Wikivoyage Preceding station Indian Railways Following stationKalipaharitowards Howrah Junction Eastern Railway zoneHowrah Delhi main line Barachaktowards New DelhiTerminus South Eastern Railway zoneAsansol Tatanagar Kharagpur line Burnpurtowards Kharagpur Junction Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asansol Junction railway station amp oldid 1121503887, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
