Eastern Divisions
Eastern Divisions – Railway General Knowledge Capsule
The Eastern Railway (ER) is one of the 19 zones of Indian Railways. Headquartered at Fairlie Place, Kolkata, it came into existence on 14 April 1952 by amalgamating the East Indian Railway (EIR) and the Bengal–Assam Railway.
ER is operationally carved into four Divisions whose technical, historical and current details are exam-repeater favourites.
1. Divisional Map & Jurisdiction
| Division | HQ | Major Districts / Sections | Route kms (2024) | Track kms (incl. multiple) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howrah | Howrah (West Bengal) | Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, parts of Birbhum & Jharkhand | 1,050 | 2,380 |
| Sealdah | Sealdah (Kolkata, WB) | Kolkata, North & South 24-Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad | 713 | 1,640 |
| Asansol | Asansol (West Bengal) | Paschim Bardhaman, Bankura, Purulia, Dhanbad (Jharkhand), parts of Bihar | 853 | 2,050 |
| Malda | Malda (West Bengal) | Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Birbhum, Jharkhand’s Sahebganj, Bihar’s Katihar | 1,044 | 1,970 |
Total ER network ≈ 3,660 route km (2024) — highest density among all zones.
2. Technical Specifications
| Parameter | ER (Eastern Divisions) |
|---|---|
| Electrification | 100 % (since Jan 2021) – 25 kV AC 50 Hz |
| Traction | 80 % trains hauled by WAP-4, WAP-7, WAG-9 (BCOY / 3-phase) |
| Signalling | 68 % stations with Panel / Electronic Interlocking; 32 % Route-Relay |
| Max Permissible Speed (MPS) | |
| – Howrah–New Delhi Rajdhani | 130 km/h |
| – Howrah–Barddhaman Chord | 130 km/h |
| – Sealdah–Naihati–Bandel | 130 km/h |
| – Asansol–Gaya–Mughalsarai | 130 km/h |
| – Dankuni–Sitarampur 3rd line | 110 km/h |
| Track Standard | 52 kg 90 UTS rail; PSC sleepers; 1660 / km density on mainline |
| Loading | CC+8+2 (BOXNHL) since 2022; earlier CC+6+2 |
| Major Workshops | |
| – Howrah (Carriage & Wagon) | |
| – Jamalpur (EIR heritage, now under ER) | |
| – Kanchrapara (Electric Loco & Coach) — largest in ER | |
| – Liluah (EMU & MEMU) | |
| – Andal (Diesel Shed) — 260 loco holding | |
| Freight Share | 18 % of IR’s total coal, 24 % steel, 12 % food-grain (FY 23-24) |
3. Historical Milestones
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1854 | First passenger train in Eastern India ran from Howrah to Hooghly (15 Aug) – 37 km |
| 1862 | Howrah station first building commissioned |
| 1887 | Bridge over Hooghly (Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Setu) – dual-use rail-cum-road |
| 1900 | Sealdah–Ranaghat–Lalgola BG completed |
| 1916 | Sealdah division created (oldest division of IR) |
| 1925 | First 1.5 kV DC EMU service Sealdah–Budge Budge (later converted to 3 kV & then 25 kV AC) |
| 1930 | Howrah–Barddhaman main line electrified with 3 kV DC |
| 1952 | Eastern Railway zone born (14 Apr) |
| 1958 | 25 kV AC system adopted; Howrah–Barddhaman converted |
| 1962 | Asansol division carved out |
| 1984 | First 5-digit numbered train – 12301 Howrah Rajdhani |
| 1998 | Malda division created (1 Oct) |
| 2003 | Kolkata Metro (under ER umbrella till 2010) |
| 2021 | Full network electrified |
| 2023 | Kavach Trial on Howrah–Barddhaman Chord (expected completion 2025) |
4. Current Status & Recent Updates (2023-24)
- Amrit Bharat Station Scheme – 32 stations of ER sanctioned; Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, Bandel in top 5.
- Kolkata–Howrah 3rd bridge (Rakesh Sinha Setu) – 650 m extradosed, 2025 target; will de-congest Howrah bridge.
- Howrah–New Delhi route undergoing Gati-Shakti multi-track (4th & 5th) – 1,400 cr sanctioned.
- Dankuni–Sitarampur 5th line – 75 % earthwork complete; will segregate freight.
- Sealdah–Barrackpore 3rd line commissioned (Feb 2024).
- Kanchrapara Workshop rolled out first Vande Bharat Sleeper rake shell (Mar 2024).
- Howrah EMU Carshed got 12-coach Medha 3-phase EMUs with 160 km/h design.
- Asansol division declared “Green Unit” – 100 % LED, solar roof 14 MW.
- Malda division recorded highest freight loading 69 MT in FY 23-24 (beat last 10 yr record).
- RailTel Wi-Fi live at 215/231 stations of ER.
- Railway Protection Force – ER has all-women “Durga” squad in Sealdah suburban.
- Heritage – 155-yr-old Howrah building to be re-developed under “Srijan” plan while retaining façade.
5. Mega Terminals & Satellite Freight Complexes
| Station | Division | No. of Platforms | Unique Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howrah | Howrah | 23 + 1 (under-construction) | Oldest & 2nd busiest in India (1.2 mn daily) |
| Sealdah | Sealdah | 21 (Main + North + South) | Largest suburban hub (3.2 mn/day) |
| Asansol | Asansol | 12 | Adjudged “Cleanest Railway Colony” 2023 |
| Malda Town | Malda | 8 | Gateway to N-E via Farakka Barrage |
| Kolkata | Sealdah | 7 | Only terminal inside Kolkata city |
| Dankuni | Howrah | 6 | Largest freight marshalling yard in ER |
| Andal | Asansol | 4 | Proximity to IISCO Steel Plant; coal link |
| Bandel | Howrah | 5 | Junction for branch to Katwa & Bandel–Naihati chord |
6. Freight & Economic Impact
- Coal – 60 % originates from Jharia & Raniganj coalfields → transported via Asansol division → Dankuni → Haldia / Paradip.
- Steel – SAIL IISCO (Burnpur), Tata Kalinganagar, JSPL Patratu.
- Food-grain – Major loading points: Malda Town, Rampurhat, New Farakka for movement to N-E & Bihar.
- Container traffic – Dankuni ICD 0.5 TEU/yr; 2nd to Tughlakabad in NCR.
- Revenue – ER earned ₹17,836 cr in FY 23-24 (8.4 % of IR’s total).
7. Quick-Fire Points for CBT
- Oldest train still running – Punjab Mail (1909) passes through Asansol.
- Longest platform in ER – Howrah 8-9 (704 m) after renewal.
- Highest rail-cum-road bridge – Vidyasagar Setu (120 m clearance).
- First 25 kV AC loco homed at Howrah (WAM-4).
- ER’s UNESCO site – Mountain Railways of India (Darjeeling) is under NFR, but ER maintains heritage EIR museum at Howrah.
- ER’s only RORO ramp – Dankuni.
- ER’s only inland container rail-linked port – Haldia Dock Complex (freight corridor).
- ER’s CO2 target – Net-zero by 2030 (solar 150 MW, wind 20 MW).
MCQs – Eastern Divisions
1. Eastern Railway was formed on which date?
Ans: 14 April 1952
2. Which is the newest division among the four of ER?
Ans: Malda
3. Headquarters of Asansol division is situated in which state?
Ans: West Bengal
4. Total route kilometres of Eastern Railway (2024) are approximately?
Ans: 3,660 km
5. Which division of ER handles the highest freight loading?
Ans: Malda
6. First passenger train in Eastern India ran between?
Ans: Howrah to Hooghly (1854)
7. The 25 kV AC traction system in ER was adopted in which year?
Ans: 1958
8. Which workshop of ER manufactures Vande Bharat rake shells?
Ans: Kanchrapara
9. Eastern Railway became 100 % electrified in?
Ans: January 2021
10. Longest platform of ER is located at?
Ans: Howrah
11. Which of the following is NOT a terminal station of Sealdah division?
Ans: Bardhaman (it is under Howrah division)
12. Dankuni marshalling yard falls under which division?
Ans: Howrah
13. Which bridge connects Howrah station to the main line towards Bardhaman?
Ans: Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Setu (Hooghly Bridge)
14. The first 5-digit numbered train of Indian Railways was?
Ans: 12301 Howrah Rajdhani Express
15. Which division recorded the highest freight loading in FY 23-24?
Ans: Malda division (≈ 69 MT)
16. The Liluah Carriage & Wagon workshop is located in which division?
Ans: Howrah division
17. Which of the following sections has MPS of 130 km/h in ER?
Ans: All of the above (Howrah–NDLS Rajdhani, Howrah–Bardhaman Chord, Sealdah–Bandel)
Revise → Practice → Score high in CBT!
BETA
