The South Eastern Railway (abbreviated SER) is one of the 19
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
zones in India and Part of Eastern Railways. It is headquartered at
Garden Reach
Garden Reach is a neighbourhood of the city of Kolkata in West Bengal, India. It is situated in the south-western part of Kolkata near the bank of the Hooghly River. ,
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
,
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It comprises
Adra railway division
Adra railway division is one of the four railway divisions under South Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways. This railway division was formed on 14 April 1961 and its headquarter is located at Adra town in Purulia district in the state of Wes ...
,
Chakradharpur railway division
Chakradharpur railway division is one of the four railway divisions under South Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways. This railway division was formed on 14 April 1952 and its headquarter is located at Chakradharpur in West Singhbhum district ...
,
Kharagpur railway division and
Ranchi railway division
Ranchi railway division is one of the four railway divisions under South Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways. This railway division was formed on 1 April 2003 and its headquarter is located at Ranchi in the state of Jharkhand of India.
Kha ...
.
History
Predecessor
The
Bengal Nagpur Railway
The Bengal Nagpur Railway was one of the companies which pioneered development of the railways in eastern and central India. It was succeeded first by Eastern Railway and subsequently by South Eastern Railway.
History
The opening of the ...
(BNR) Company was incorporated in 1887 to take over from the
Nagpur Chhattisgarh Railway
Nagpur Chhattisgarh Railway was a line owned by the provincial government and operated by the state railways. The line ran from Nagpur via Tumsar - Gondia and Dongargarh to Rajnandgaon. The initial section from Nagpur to Tumsar was opened on 6 ...
and to convert the line to broad gauge. The work was completed in 1888. The extension of the main line from
Nagpur
Nagpur (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nag ...
to
Asansol
Asansol is a (Tier-II) metropolitan city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the second largest and most populated city of West Bengal and the 33rd largest urban agglomeration in India. Asansol is the district headquarters of Paschim Bar ...
was completed by 1891. A 161-mile branch line (258 km) that connected
Bilaspur to
Umaria
Umaria is a municipality city in the Umaria district of the Shahdol Division of Madhya Pradesh, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second ...
coal mine was built and linked to the existing line from Umaria to
Katni
Katni officially Murwara is a city on the banks of the Katni River
Katni River is a river that flows through the Katni District in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Located in the northeastern part of India.
The river was named after Kate ...
(1891). By the turn of the twentieth century, work on the Calcutta–Bombay and Calcutta–Madras lines was completed. Through the first half of the twentieth century work on the BNR lines progressed steadily. In 1921 the
Talcher
Talcher is one of the 4 sub-divisions of Angul district in the Indian state of Odisha.
History
During the British Raj Talcher was the capital of Talcher State, one of the princely states of the Eastern States Agency.Malleson, G. B.: ''An histo ...
coalfields were connected by a railway line starting from Nergundi. In 1931, the
Raipur
Raipur ( ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Raipur is also the administrative headquarters of Raipur district and Raipur division, and the largest city of the state. It was a part of Madhya Pradesh before the state of Chh ...
–
Vizianagaram
Vizianagaram is a city and the headquarters of Vizianagaram district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is central Eastern Ghats, about west of the Bay of Bengal and north-northeast of Visakhapatnam. The city has a population of 228,02 ...
line was set up, which connected the east coast with the
Central Province. By the end of the 1930s the BNR owned the largest narrow-gauge network in the country. The BNR management was taken over by the British Indian government on 1 October 1944. and continued to be called by that name until 14 April 1952, when it was amalgamated with the
East Indian Railway
The East Indian Railway Company, operating as the East Indian Railway (reporting mark EIR), introduced railways to East India and North India, while the Companies such as the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, South Indian Railway, Bombay, Barod ...
to form one of six newly carved zones of the
Indian Railways
Indian Railways (IR) is a statutory body under the ownership of Ministry of Railways, Government of India that operates India's national railway system. It manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a tot ...
: the
Eastern Railway.
Re-organisation
On 1 August 1955, the erstwhile Bengal Nagpur Railway portion was separated and a new zone, the South Eastern Railway, came into existence. In July 1967, the South Eastern Railway took over the Bankura Domodar River line.
Till April 2003, the South Eastern Railway comprised eight divisions: Kharagpur, Adra, Sambalpur, Khurda Road, Visakhapatnam, Chakradharpur, Bilaspur and Nagpur. In April 2003 two new zones were carved out from the SER. On 1 April 2003 the
East Coast Railway
The East Coast Railway (abbreviated ECoR) is one of the 19 railway zones of Indian Railways. It came into existence on 1 April 2003. The headquarters of the zone are at Bhubaneswar, Odisha
History
Consequent upon the parliament's approval, Ea ...
(E.Co.R) comprising South Eastern Railway's
Khurda Road
Jatni (or Khurda Road, Name of the Railway Station) is a town and a major sub-urban area of Bhubaneswar, the state capital of Odisha. It is also a municipality in Khordha district in the Indian state of Odisha.
Jatni, also known as Khurda Road ...
,
Sambalpur
Sambalpur () is the fifth largest city in the Indian State of Odisha. It is located on the banks of river Mahanadi, with a population of 335,761 (as per 2011 census). Prehistoric settlements have been recorded there. It is the home of the Samb ...
and
Visakhapatnam
, image_alt =
, image_caption = From top, left to right: Visakhapatnam aerial view, Vizag seaport, Simhachalam Temple, Aerial view of Rushikonda Beach, Beach road, Novotel, Novotel Visakhapatnam, INS Kursura (S20), INS ...
divisions was dedicated to the nation; on 5 April 2003 the
South East Central Railway (S.E.C.R) comprising South Eastern Railway's
Nagpur
Nagpur (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nag ...
and
Bilaspur divisions and a new
Raipur
Raipur ( ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Raipur is also the administrative headquarters of Raipur district and Raipur division, and the largest city of the state. It was a part of Madhya Pradesh before the state of Chh ...
division was dedicated to the nation. On 13 April 2003 the SER reorganized
Adra
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA or ADRA International) is a humanitarian agency operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the purpose of providing individual and community development and disaster relief. I ...
and
Chakradharpur
Chakradharpur is a city in West Singhbhum district in the state of Jharkhand, India. It is the railway divisional headquarters of Chakradharpur (CKP) division of the South Eastern Railway. The city stands at an elevation of 227 metres (745 fee ...
divisions to form the new
Ranchi
Ranchi (, ) is the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand. Ranchi was the centre of the Jharkhand movement, which called for a separate state for the tribal regions of South Bihar, northern Odisha, western West Bengal and the eastern area ...
division. The South Eastern Railway has electric multiple unit sheds in Tikiapara, Kharagpur and Panskura. Electric locomotive sheds are in Santragachi, Tatanagar,
Bokaro Steel City, Rourkela, Kharagpur and Bondamunda. Diesel locomotive sheds are located in Kharagpur,
Bokaro Steel City, and Bondamunda. The coach maintenance yard is in Santragachi. The South Eastern Railway has a major workshop located in Kharagpur.
Administration
The South Eastern Railway caters to the states of
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
,
Jharkhand
Jharkhand (; ; ) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north and Odisha to the south. It has an area of . It ...
and
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
. S.E. also runs regular
electric multiple units
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number ...
(EMU) services to areas adjacent to
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
, from
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is th ...
to
Kharagpur
Kharagpur () is a planned urban agglomeration and a major industrial city in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Kharagpur subdivision. It is the largest, most populated, multicultural and cosmopol ...
,
Amta,
Medinipur
Medinipur or Midnapore (Pron: med̪iːniːpur) is a city known for its history in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the West Medinipur district. It is situated on the banks of the Kangsabati River (variously known as '' ...
,
Tatanagar
Tatanagar Junction railway station, station code TATA, is the main railway station serving the city of Jamshedpur in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It is located on the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line of the Indian Railways. It has 6 platforms an ...
,
Balasore
Balasore or Baleswara is a city in the state of Odisha, about north of the state capital Bhubaneswar and from Kolkata, in eastern India. It is the largest town of northern Odisha and the administrative headquarters of Balasore district. It i ...
,
Rourkela
Rourkela is a planned city located in the northern district Sundargarh of Odisha, India. It is the third-largest Urban Agglomeration in Odisha after Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. It is situated about west of state capital Bhubaneswar and is surro ...
and
Santragachi
Santragachi, or Santragachhi, is a residential neighbourhood in Howrah, Howrah district, West Bengal, India. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Santragachi Junction in Santragachi is one of t ...
to
Shalimar Shalimar or Shalamar refers to three historic royal gardens (or Baghs) of the Mughal Empire in South Asia:
* Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India; built in 1619
* Shalimar Gardens, Lahore, Pakistan; a UNESCO World Heritage Site built i ...
. It also handles major freight traffic to
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
and
Haldia
Haldia is an industrial port city in Purba Medinipur in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a major river port and industrial belt located approximately southwest of Kolkata near the mouth of the Hooghly River, one of the distributaries of ...
and
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is th ...
to
Digha
Digha is a seaside resort town in the state of West Bengal, India. It lies in Purba Medinipur district and at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. It has a low gradient with a shallow sand beach. It is a popular sea resort in West Bengal.
Hi ...
and
Mecheda
Mecheda is a town in Shahid Matangini Block in West Bengal, India. The town is the entrance point of Purba Medinipur Dist. which lies upon the South Eastern Railway Zone and in proximity to Haldia, Tamluk, Digha and Contai, Egra.
Education
Me ...
to
Digha
Digha is a seaside resort town in the state of West Bengal, India. It lies in Purba Medinipur district and at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. It has a low gradient with a shallow sand beach. It is a popular sea resort in West Bengal.
Hi ...
Divisions
*
Adra railway division
Adra railway division is one of the four railway divisions under South Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways. This railway division was formed on 14 April 1961 and its headquarter is located at Adra town in Purulia district in the state of Wes ...
*
Kharagpur railway division
*
Chakradharpur railway division
Chakradharpur railway division is one of the four railway divisions under South Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways. This railway division was formed on 14 April 1952 and its headquarter is located at Chakradharpur in West Singhbhum district ...
*
Ranchi railway division
Ranchi railway division is one of the four railway divisions under South Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways. This railway division was formed on 1 April 2003 and its headquarter is located at Ranchi in the state of Jharkhand of India.
Kha ...
Gallery
File:Howrah Mumbai Mail.jpg, Howrah - Mumbai Mail
File:Coromandel Express with WAP-4 Loco at Nalpur.jpg, Coromandel Express
File:East Coast Express hauled by LGD shed WAP-4.JPG, East Coast Express
File:Yesvantpur-Howrah Express with a WAP-4 loco at Marripalem 02.jpg, Yesvantpur-Howrah Express
File:A View of Anakapalle Train station.jpg, Howrah – Chennai Mail
File:12221 Pune Howrah Duronto Express - AC 3 tier coach.jpg, Howrah - Pune Duronto
File:Titlgarh (TIG) bound 12871 (Howrah-Titlagarh) Ispat Express 01.jpg, Ispat Express
File:Howrah bound Amaravati Express at Vizianagaram.jpg, Amaravati Express
File:BNR House.jpg, BNR House, residence of the GM of SER
Loco sheds
*
Electric Loco Shed, Tatanagar
Electric Loco Shed, Tatanagar is a motive power depot performing locomotive maintenance and repair facility for electric locomotives of the Indian Railways, located at Tatanagar of the South Eastern Railway zone in Jharkhand, India.
Operatio ...
*
Electric Loco Shed, Bokaro Steel City
* Electric Loco Shed, Santragachi
* Electric Loco Shed, Rourkela
* Electric Loco Shed, Bondamunda
* Electric Loco Shed, Kharagpur
* Electric Loco Shed, Ispatnagar
* Diesel Loco Shed, Bondamunda
See also
*
Howrah Station
Howrah railway station, also known as Howrah Junction, is a railway station located in the city of Howrah, West Bengal, India. It is also the oldest and largest existing railway complex in India. It is one of the busiest train stations in the w ...
*
Eastern Railway zone
The Eastern Railway (abbreviated ER) is among the 19 zones of the Indian Railways. Its headquarters is at Fairley Place, Kolkata and comprises four divisions: , , , and . Each division is headed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). The name o ...
*
Zones and divisions of Indian Railways
Indian Railways divides its operations into zones, which are further sub-divided into divisions, each having a divisional headquarters. There are a total of 19 zones (including Metro Railway, Kolkata) and 70 Divisions on Indian Railway System. E ...
*
All India Station Masters' Association (AISMA)
References
External links
*
*
{{coord missing, West Bengal
Zones of Indian Railways
1955 establishments in West Bengal