The old line to Amta, and its branches, of 2'6" gauge and run by Martin Burn
had closed down many years previous. There had been talk of conversion and work had started in earnest and the
line till Mahendralalnagar had been running for a while, with skeletal EMU services on the single track. Work was
in progress and as soon as the line to Amta was opened, Saurab and I decided to see it for ourselves.
The trouble with this section is that there are no trains in the afternoon, a big yawning gap between the early
morning and evening services. So we were forced to try out an evening train. So we headed out to Howrah well in
advance, too an SER EMU to Santragachhi and decided to wait a while there till the train for Amta came in. We boarded,
and soon after leaving Santragachhi, we crossed over the flyovers and took a northward route, which is the tracks
which join to the ER main line at Dankuni.
After the stations of Bankra Nayabaz and Baltikuri, the Amta line separates and veers off Westwards, to the next
station Kona. Carrying on, we cross Dansi, Jhalurbar, Makardaha, Domjur Rd, Domjur, Dakshinbari and then reach
Bargachhia. Here the old NG line to Champadanga would branch out. There is talk of restarting this line. Carrying
on through the paddy fields, we touch the next stations of Pantihal and and Munsirhat before reaching Mahendralalnagar.
From there, we cross Maju, Jalalsi, Panpur and Harish Dadpur before reaching the end of the line at Amta.
The BG line follows a mostly different alignment from the old NG one. From what we heard from locals on the train,
the NG line would run parallel to the road and pass through the surrounding towns. The BG line skirts most of them.
Upon reaching Amta, We had a quick cup of tea and made our way back, since the train was about to leave and that,
being a Sunday, was the last service of the day. On the way back, well into the darkness, the train took an inordinately
long stop at a midway station, leaving us worried whether something was wrong. Mercifully we were on our way soon
enough, and we made it back to Howrah safe and sound. |
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On at the way, at Santragachhi station.
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A WAP-4 at Santragachhi station, awaiting deployment.
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One of the midway stations on the Amta line
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Amta station, the present terminal point.
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A view of the EMU at Amta station
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The EMU, still at Amta station, awaiting departure for Howrah.
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Well into the night, the EMU pauses for clearance at one of the midway halts.
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