Dumka–Bhagalpur line

The Dumka–Bhagalpur line is an Indian railway line connecting Dumka on the Jasidih–Dumka–Rampurhat line with Bhagalpur Junction on the Sahibganj loop. This 115-kilometre (71 mi) track is under the jurisdiction of Malda Division of Eastern Railway.

Dumka–Bhagalpur line
Bhagalpur Junction, one of the two termini of Dumka–Bhagalpur line
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Jharkhand, Bihar
Termini	Dumka Bhagalpur Junction
Service
Type	Rail line
Operator(s)	Eastern Railway
History
Opened	1907 Bhagalpur–Mandar Hill branch 2012 Mandar Hill–Hansdiha section 2014 Hansdiha–Barapalasi section 2016 Barapalasi–Dumka section 2021 Hansdiha–Godda branch line
Technical
Track length	115 km
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Route map Legend km Sahibganj loop 115 Bhagalpur Sahibganj loop 108 Kollikhutaha 105 Gonu Dham Halt 103 Hatpuraini Halt Kataria River 101 Jagdishpur Halt 99 Tikani 94 Sanjha 91 Bela Halt 88 Dhauni 86 Pipradih 82 Punsia 78 Barahat to Banka 73 Panjwara Road 68 Mandar Vidyapith Halt 65 Mandar Hill Burigeria River 57 Pandetola Burigeria River 55 Danre Halt Bihar Jharkhand border 47 Kumradol to Pirpainti (under construction) to Pakur(planned) 73 Godda 66 Kathoun Halt 56 Poreyahat 47 Gangwara Halt 41 Hansdiha to Mohanpur (under construction) 32 Kurmahat 25 Nonihat 13 Barapalasi to Jasidih 4 New Madanpur 0 Dumka to Rampurhat km

History

The Bhagalpur-Mandar Hill branch line was constructed in 1893.[1] The construction of a new Dumka–Bhagalpur railway line was taken up as an associated project of Jasidih–Dumka–Rampurhat line to connect Dumka with Bhagalpur. The new railway line branches off from Dumka towards the north and connects with Bhagalpur railway junction. The 51 km railway line from Bhagalpur to Banka and Mandar Hill already existed. The railway was extended from Mandar Hill to Hansdiha was inaugurated on 22 December 2012. The 14 km line from Dumka to Barapalasi station was commissioned in February 2014.^[1] The remaining section from Barapalasi to Hansdiha was opened for passenger trains on 28 September 2016. This line will serves as second alternative option for railway traffic to Howrah and Bhagalpur and decreases distance between Bhagalpur and Howrah by nearly 70 kilometres.

Trains

Passenger train services exist from Bhagalpur to Banka, Dumka and Godda. One express train named Kaviguru Express runs between Jamalpur and Howrah via Dumka. Banka–Rajendra Nagar Terminal Intercity Express and Deoghar–Agartala Weekly Express run on Deoghar–Banka–Bhagalpur line. Godda–New Delhi Humsafar Express is the only premium train which runs on this route and Ranchi Godda Exp runs as a triweekly service on this route, connecting Santhal Parganas to the national capital and Jharkhand's capital.

Further extension

The 97-kilometre (60 mi)-long Jasidih–Hansdiha–Pirpainti line is under construction. As of April 2021, work is under progress on Mohanpur–Hansdiha and Godda–Pirpainti sections. The 32-kilometre (20 mi) Hansdiha–Godda section was inaugurated on 8 April 2021 and a Humsafar Express runs weekly from Godda to New Delhi. This line is considered important to connect the Godda district in the Santhal Pargana division of Jharkhand with the rest of India. The 80-kilometre (50 mi) Godda–Pakur line is also planned [2]

References

1. Passenger Train; Times of India

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