Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line

2025-06-27T04:00:08Z

103.135.228.65:

{{Short description|Railway line in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width = 28em
| name = Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line
| color = 800000
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = (New Delhi - Howrah) Rajdhani Express (via Gaya) Route map.png
| image_width =
| caption = Route map of Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line
| type =
| system =
| status = Operational
| locale = [[West Bengal]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Bihar]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Delhi]]
| start = {{stnlnk|Howrah}},{{stnlnk|Sealdah}},{{stnlnk|Kolkata}}
| end = {{stnlnk|New Delhi}},{{stnlnk|Old Delhi}},{{stnlnk|Anand Vihar Terminal}}
| stations =
| routes =
| daily_ridership =
| open = 1906
| close =
| owner = [[Indian Railways]]
| operator = [[Eastern Railway zone|Eastern Railway]], [[East Central Railway zone|East Central Railway]], [[North Central Railway zone|North Central Railway]], [[Northern Railway zone|Northern Railway]]
| character =
| depot =
| stock =
| linelength = {{convert|1,451|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
| tracklength =
| tracks = 2
| gauge = {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} [[broad gauge]]
| old_gauge =
| minradius =
| racksystem =
| electrification = [[25 kV AC railway electrification|25 kV 50 Hz AC]] [[Overhead line|OHLE]] during 1960–1966
| speed = up to 160 km/h
| elevation = {{stnlnk|Koderma}} {{Convert|398|m|ft}}
| website =
| map = {{Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line}}
| map_state = collapsed
}}

The '''Howrah–Gaya–Delhi''' is a railway line connecting {{stnlnk|Howrah}} and [[Delhi Junction railway station|Delhi]] cutting across [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]] and a comparatively small stretch of the line crossing over the [[Chota Nagpur Plateau]]. It covers a distance of {{convert|1,451|km|mi}} across, [[West Bengal]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Bihar]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Delhi]]. The [[Grand Chord]] is a part of this line and as such is referred to by many as Howrah–Delhi line (via Grand Chord).

==Sections==
The {{convert|1,451|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} long trunk line, amongst the long and busy trunk lines connecting the metros, has been treated in more detail in smaller sections:
# [[Howrah–Bardhaman chord]]
#[[Bardhaman–Asansol section]]
#[[Asansol–Gaya section]]
#[[Gaya–Mughalsarai section]]
#[[Mughalsarai–Kanpur section]]
#[[Kanpur–Delhi section]]

==History==
Construction of a line from Howrah to Sahibganj, for the proposed Howrah–Delhi link, started in 1851. The first Howrah–Delhi line via what later became the [[Sahibganj loop]] was opened in 1866.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-hist.html|title =IR History: Early days I (1832–1869) | publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref> With the completion of the Raniganj-Kiul section, the shorter Howrah–Delhi main line via Patna was in place in 1871.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history2.html|title = IR History: Early days II (1870–1899)| access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref> The Sitarampur–Gaya–Mughalsarai [[Grand Chord]], which shortened the Howrah–Delhi distance even further, was completed in 1901 but was formally inaugurated by [[Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto|Lord Minto]], then [[Viceroy]] and [[Governor General]] of India with a function on 6 December 1906.<ref name=irfcaiii>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history3.html|title = IR History: Part III (1900–1947) | access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref>

==Electrification==
Howrah–Bardhaman chord was electrified in 1964–66. The Bardhaman–Mankar–Waria sector in 1964–66, the Waria–Asansol sector in 1960−61, the Asansol to Gaya sector in 1960–62, the Gaya–Mughalsarai sector in 1962, the Mughalsarai–Kanpur sector in 1964–69 and the Kanpur–New Delhi sector in 1966–1977.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/docs/electrification-history.html |title =History of Electrification | publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 21 March 2014 }}</ref>

The Howrah–Gaya–Delhi route was the first trunk route in India to be completely electrified (AC traction).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history5.html|title = IR History:Part V (1970-95)| publisher=IRFCA | access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref>

In 1965, Asansol–Bareilly Passenger was the first long-distance train on Eastern Railway to be hauled by an AC loco.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history4.html |title = IR History Part IV (1947–1970)| publisher= IRFCA (Indian Railways Fan Club)|access-date = 23 March 2014}}</ref>

==Speed limits==
Most of the Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line is classified as ‘A’ class line where trains can run up to 160 km per hour but in certain sections speeds may be limited to 120–130 km per hour. The Howrah Rajdhani (between Howrah and New Delhi) travels at an average speed of 85.8 km per hour and the Sealdah Rajdhani (between Sealdah and New Delhi) travels at an average speed of 82.70 km per hour.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-pway.html |title=Permanent Way| work= Track Classifications|access-date=2012-01-15 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-trivia.html#fasttrack |title=Trivia| work= Highest speed sections of track|access-date=21 March 2014 }}</ref>

The [[Rajdhani Express]] ran for the first time in 1969 from New Delhi to Howrah. It took 17 hours 20 minutes to cover the distance of 1,445 km.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.makemytrip.com/railways/list-of-rajdhani_and_duronto-trains.html|title = Rajdhani Express and Duronto Express Trains| publisher=Make My Trip | access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref>

The first [[Duronto Express|Duronto]] non-stop express was launched on 18 September 2009, between Sealdah and New Delhi. It was followed by several such trains between other stations.<ref name=irfcavii>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history7.html|title = IR History: Part VII (2000-present| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref>

The first double-decker superfast train commenced running between Howrah and Dhanbad on 1 October 1970.<ref name=irfcavii/>

==Passenger movement==
{{stnlnk|New Delhi}},
{{stnlnk|Aligarh}},
{{stnlnk|Kanpur Central}}, [[Allahabad Junction railway station|Allahabad]], [[Mughalsarai Junction railway station|Mughalsarai]], [[Gaya Junction railway station|Gaya]], [[Dhanbad Junction railway station|Dhanbad]], {{stnlnk|Asansol}} and {{stnlnk|Howrah}}, on this line, are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianrail.gov.in/7days_Avl.html |title=Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry |work=Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways |publisher=IRFCA |access-date=21 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140510115649/http://www.indianrail.gov.in/7days_Avl.html |archive-date=10 May 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Railway reorganisation==
In 1952, [[Eastern Railway zone|Eastern Railway]], [[Northern Railway zone|Northern Railway]] and [[North Eastern Railway zone|North Eastern Railway]] were formed. Eastern Railway was formed with a portion of [[East Indian Railway Company]], east of Mughalsarai and [[Bengal Nagpur Railway]]. Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company west of Mughalsarai, Jodhpur Railway, Bikaner Railway and Eastern Punjab Railway. North Eastern Railway was formed with [[Oudh and Tirhut Railway]], Assam Railway and a portion of [[Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-geog.html#newzone |title = Geography – Railway Zones| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref> East Central Railway was created in 1996–97.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecr.indianrailways.gov.in/ |title=East Central Railway |publisher=ECR |access-date=25 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218195734/http://www.ecr.indianrailways.gov.in/ |archive-date=18 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> North Central Railway was formed in 2003.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.ncr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1,261|title = North Central Railway| publisher= NCR| access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref>

==Golden quadrilateral==
The Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line is a part of the golden quadrilateral. The routes connecting the four major metropolises (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata), along with their diagonals, known as the golden quadrilateral, carry about half the freight and nearly half the passenger traffic, although they form only 16 per cent of the length.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-geog.html#newzone |title = Geography – Railway Zones |work= Major routes| publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 21 March 2014}}</ref>

==Major trains on this route==
# [[Howrah Rajdhani Express]] (via [[Gaya, India|Gaya]])
# [[Sealdah Rajdhani Express]]
# [[Poorva Express (via Gaya)]]
# [[Kalka Mail]] – The oldest running passenger train of India
# [[Kolkata Mail]] via [[Allahabad]]

and many more

==See also==
* [[National Highway 19 (India)|NH 19]] linking Delhi and Kolkata

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://indiarailinfo.com/arrivals/new-delhi-ndls/664 Trains at New Delhi]
*[http://indiarailinfo.com/arrivals/kanpur-central-cnb/452 Trains at Kanpur Central]
*[http://indiarailinfo.com/arrivals/allahabad-junction-ald/455 Trains at Allahabad]
*[http://indiarailinfo.com/arrivals/mughal-sarai-junction-mgs/333 Trains at Mughal Sarai]
*[http://indiarailinfo.com/arrivals/gaya-junction-gaya/1388 Trains at Gaya]
*[http://indiarailinfo.com/arrivals/dhanbad-junction-dhn/378 Trains at Dhanbad]
*[http://indiarailinfo.com/arrivals/kolkata-howrah-junction-hwh/1 Trains at Howrah]

{{Indian Railways}}
{{Railways in Northern India}}
|{{Railways in Eastern India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Howrah-Gaya-Delhi line}}
[[Category:5 ft 6 in gauge railways in India]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1906]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Delhi]]
[[Category:Transport in Gaya, India]]
[[Category:Transport in Delhi]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Bihar]]
[[Category:Delhi railway division|*]]
[[Category:Prayagraj railway division|*]]
[[Category:Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya railway division|*]]
[[Category:Dhanbad railway division|*]]
[[Category:Asansol railway division|*]]
[[Category:Howrah railway division|*]]
[[Category:1906 establishments in India]]

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Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line