Nashipur Rail Bridge

Nashipur Rail Bridge or Nashipur – Azimganj Rail Bridge will connect Murshidabad railway station and Azimganj Junction railway station across the river Bhagirathi of district Murshidabad in West Bengal. The bridge used to exist during British regime and was later disbanded during World War II. Azimganj - Nalhati Railway line started in the year 1872. The bridge used to act as a NG branch line from Azimganj to Behrampore connecting Lalgola Krishnnagar NG line with Azimganj Nalhati BG line. ^[1]

Nashipur Rail Bridge
Coordinates	24°12′52″N 88°15′50″E / 24.2144°N 88.2640°E / 24.2144; 88.2640
Crosses	Bhagirathi River
Locale	Murshidabad, West Bengal, India
Characteristics
Total length	313 metres (1,027 ft)
History
Construction start	2006
Construction end	2010
Location

This rail bridge on the Bhagirathi river will reduce travel time between South Bengal and North Bengal. As per railway officials the bridge would reduce the distance between Sealdah and New Jalpaiguri by about 21 km. The new bridge is 313 metres (1,027 ft) long. Due to difficulties of land acquisition, this project was halted for 13 years since 2010. After 13 years, the dispute of the land of 476 metre has been escalated. The construction began again on November 30, 2022. Railway board promised to complete the leftover work by August, 2023. On July 29, the GM of Eastern Railway affirmed that this line would be commissioned by the end of 2023.

Land acquisition problem

More the 90% of the work has been completed but due to land acquisition problem the work is stopped.^[2]

Due to the ongoing land acquisition problem for this track the Rs. 70 crore for this project of Indian Railways stands abandoned. The plots that need to be acquired are located between Azimganj railway junction and the right bank of the Bhagirathi in Mahinagar area of Murshidabad - Jiaganj block.

Rail Roko agitations has been organised since 1994 by Murshidabad District Railway Passengers Association over this long standing demand.^[3]

As per "Anandabazar patrika" dated 9 October 2015, land Acquisition problem has been resolved & land has been submitted to the railway division to start work for approach line ^[4]

As per 24 Ghanta ^[5] news dated 16 March 2017 the work is going on with schedule speed & lying of track & electrification will be completed by year end.

Eastern railway is planning to introduce some trains in this route and proposal has been sent to railway board for "Darjeeling mail" also to divert through this route. As per railway board they are analysing the proposal but not yet decided.^{[when?][citation needed]}

According to "Ei Samay" and "Anandabazar Patrika", work has begun on the west approach to the bridge on 30 November 2022.^[6][7]

See also

Jiaganj Azimganj

References

1. "Need to expedite Nashipur – Azimganj Rail Bridge". Indiankanoon. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
2. . The Telegraph India. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
3. "Right to Information". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
4. "Rail bridge construction restarts". Anandabazar Patrika. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
5. "Darjeeling Mail likely to change route by year end". Times of India. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
6. ভট্টাচার্য, প্রদীপ. "Jiaganj | নশিপুর রেল সেতুর নির্মাণ কাজ শুরু, স্বস্তি জেলায়". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 3 December 2022.
7. "নশিপুর রেল ব্রিজের কাজ শুরু, স্বস্তিতে জেলাবাসী". EI Samay (in Bengali). Retrieved 3 December 2022.