Old Malda–Abdulpur line

Old Malda–Abdulpur line
Overview
StatusFunctioning
Owner
Locale
Termini
Stations26
Service
TypeRailway line in Bangladesh and India
History
Opened1930
Technical
Track gaugeBroad-gauge, 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed100 km/h
Route map

Old Malda–Abdulpur line was built in 1930 during the British Indian rule. At present, the Bangladesh part of the railway line is operated and maintained under Bangladesh Railway and the Indian part of the railway line is managed and maintained by Indian Railways.[1]

History

In 1878, the Howrah–New Jalpaiguri line was divided into two sections. The first leg was a 185 km journey on the East Bengal State Railway from Calcutta railway station (now Sealdah) to Damukdia Ghat on the south bank of the Padma River, followed by a second journey across the river by ferry. The North Bengal Railway's 336 km meter gauge line connected Saraghat on the north bank of the Padma with Siliguri.[2] The Howrah–New Jalpaiguri main line was gradually converted to broad gauge. The Hardinge Bridge was opened in 1915, while the Saraghat–Sirajganj line was built by the Sara–Sirajganj Railway Company between 1915-16. Then in 1930, the Abdulpur–Amnura broad gauge line was opened as a branch of the Saraghat–Sirajganj line.[3][4]

Rohanpur–Singhabad transit

It is currently functioning as an active transit and is connected to Singhabad railway station in Malda district, India. The railway entered India for the transport of goods from Bangladesh to Nepal through an agreement signed on 15 August 1978.[5] A new route between Bangladesh and India was provided for through a renegotiation on 6 September 2011.[6]

Bangladesh started using this transit in 2011 by exporting fertilizers to Nepal. The Singabad–Rohanpur transit point is used from Raxaul Junction railway station near the border of Nepal to Khulna railway station in Bangladesh without any transshipment charges.[7][8]

Branch line

A branch of the Old Malda–Abdulpur line runs from Amnura to Chapainawabganj. The line has two stations. Namely: Amnura Bypass railway station and Chapainawabganj railway station.[9]

References

  1. ^ Quazi Abul Fida (2012). "Railway". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  2. ^ "India: the complex history of the junctions at Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri". Indian Railway Finance Corporation. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Brief History". Bangladesh Railway. Archived from the original on 20 December 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Railways in colonial Bengal". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Executive Summary" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  6. ^ "Addendum to MOU between India and Bangladesh to facilitate overland transit traffic between Bangladesh and India, 6 September 2011". Ministry of External Affairs (India). Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  7. ^ "Joint Statement on the occasion of the visit of the PM of India to Bangladesh, 7 September 2011". Item No. 40. Ministry of External Affairs (India). Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  8. ^ "Bangladesh export to Nepal thru India resumes tomorrow". Priyo. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  9. ^ "রেলমন্ত্রী আজ আমনুরা বাইপাস রেলপথ উদ্বোধন করবেন". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). Retrieved 7 February 2020.