Bardhaman–Asansol section
The Barddhaman–Asansol section is a railway line connecting and. This track is part of the Howrah–Delhi main line, Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line and Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line. It is under the jurisdiction of Eastern Railway, and is connected to the [South Eastern Railway zone|Eastern Railway zone|South Eastern Railway] through Asansol–Adra line at Asansol Jn and Kalipahari–Damodar connector at Kalipahari.
History
Beginning of railways in Eastern India
The Howrah–Delhi railway line was planned via Rajmahal, using the level plains on the banks of the Ganges. During the middle of the nineteenth century coal mining had started in the Raniganj Coalfield. The coal was being mined by Carr, Tagore and Company owned primarily by Prince Dwarakanath Tagore, and was transported in boats and barges on the Damodar River from Narayankuri ghat. The fluctuating levels of water in the Damodar was an impediment for the smooth transportation of coal.Amongst the Indian merchants, in Mumbai and Kolkata, who took an active interest in the development of the railways, the most prominent name was that of Dwarakanath. M/s Carr, Tagore and Company is reported to have offered in 1844, to raise some capital for the construction of a railway line beyond Bardhaman to the Raniganj Coalfield. However, after Dwarakanath's premature death the conception, promotion and launching of India's railways were all British.
After the first run of a train in Eastern India from to in 1854, East Indian Railway Company extended the tracks to Raniganj, beyond the plans of the route to Delhi, and on 1 February 1855, the first train ran from Hooghly to Raniganj. The railways were extended to Asansol in July 1863.
Bengal Nagpur Railway extended its tracks to the Asansol coal belt in 1887, thus connecting Asansol with Adra, away. What was then the BNR mainline from Nagpur to Asansol was opened for goods traffic in 1891.
The "main line"
The first rail track between Howrah and Delhi was via what was later named as Sahibganj loop and the first train on the route was run in 1864. A "shorter main line" connecting Raniganj and Kiul Junction was in position in 1871 and the opening of the Grand Chord in 1907 shortened the distance from Howrah to Delhi even further.The Andal–Sainthia branch line was built in 1913. The branch line linked the north-eastern part of Raniganj coalfield and the western part of Birbhum district to the main railway tracks.