Gaya–Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction section Gaya–Mughalsarai section
Dehri-on-Sone railway station lies on Gaya–Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction section
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh
Termini	Gaya Junction Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction
Stations	31
Service
Operator(s)	East Central Railway
History
Opened	1907
Technical
Line length	197 km (122 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification	electrified in 1962
Operating speed	up to 160 km/h (99 mph)
Route map km km to Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line & Howrah–Delhi main line Mughalsarai–Kanpur section Mughalsarai 000 Ganikhwaja 009 Chandauli Majhwar 017 Saidraja 026 Karamnasa 034 Karmanasa River Uttar Pradesh Bihar border Uttar Pradesh Bihar border Dhanichha 039 0 Arrah Durgavati River Howrah–Delhi main line Patna–Mughalsarai section Durgaoti 046 19 Garhani Bhabua Road 055 24 Samraon Muthani 060 29 Charpokhari Halt Pusauli 067 37 Piro Kudra 078 47 Hasan Bazar Halt Khurmabad Road Halt 084 56 Bikramganj Shiusagar Road 089 63 Mani Halt Kumhau 094 68 Sanjhauli Halt Sasaram 097 102 77 Garhnoka 87 Khairadih Halt Karwandiya 109 Pahleja Halt 115 120 Dehri-on-Sone Nehru Setu bridge across Son River Son Nagar 000 126 Son Nagar Bagaha Bishnupur 009 131 Chirailla Halt Ankorha Akorha 016 136 Anugrah Narayan Rd Barki Salaiya 018 145 Phesar Nabinagar Road 034 151 Baghoikusa Bihar Jharkhand border 156 Jakhim Kajrat Nawadih 042 168 Rafiganj Japla 050 177 Ismailpur Haidarnagar 057 183 Gurau Kosiara 062 189 Paraiya Mohammadganj 068 195 Kastha Satbahani 075 205 Gaya Untare Road 080 Patna–Gaya line Karkatta 086 Asansol–Gaya section Sigsigi 090 to Chopan Garhwa Road 097 Tolra 102 Lalgarh Halt 108 Rajhura 112 Kajri 124 Amanat River Daltonganj 130 Chianki 137 Auranga River Kechki 145 Mangra Halt to Ambikapur (planned) Barwadih 157 Chhipadohar 166 Hehegara Halt 174 Kumendi 841 Bendi 192 Latehar 198 Demu 204 Richuguta 212 Chetar 220 Tori 230 to Ranchi to Koderma Damodar River Mahuamilan 243 McCluskieganj 252 Pipawar CPP/CHP & colliery sidings Khalari cement plant Khalari 258 Hesalong colliery Ray 267 Hendegir 279 Tokisud 287 Patratu 294 Sayal, Giddi & Religara collieries JSEB Patratu Thermal Power Station Bhurkunda 303 to Gomoh & Hazaribagh Barkakana 313 to Ranchi (under construction) Barkakana–Muri–Chandil line

The Gaya–Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction section, formerly Gaya–Mughalsarai section , is a railway line connecting Gaya Junction and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction. This 197-kilometre (122 mi) track is part of the Grand Chord, Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line and Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line. This section includes Arrah-Sasaram and Son Nagar branch lines. It is under the jurisdiction of East Central Railway.

Grand Chord

Ever since the railway connection of Delhi with Howrah in 1866, the East Indian Railway Company was making regular efforts to reduce the distance of the Howrah–Delhi main line. After a survey in 1888-89 and two more subsequently, a route was determined from Dhanbad to Mughal Sarai via Koderma and Gaya. The major works in this section were a bridge across the Son River at Dehri, and tunnelling and ghat line construction between Gurpa and Gujhandi.^[1] The Grand Chord was opened in 1907. Even when the Grand Chord was under construction, the Son Nagar-Daltonganj branch line was opened in 1902.^[2]

Bridging the Soane/Son

The total length of the Upper Sone Bridge across the Soane, as the river was then called, over abutments is 3,064 metres (10,052 ft).^[3] It was opened for traffic on 27 February 1900. When it was built, it was the longest bridge in India and was believed to be the second longest bridge in the world, short of the Tay Bridge near Dundee.^[1][3] Subsequently, longer road bridges were built but it remained the longest rail bridge in India for many years.^[4] The opening of the 4.62 km Vembanad Rail Bridge, connecting the Container Transshipment Terminal on Vallarpadam Island to Edappally, in February 2011, pushed it to the second position.^[5][6]

Electrification

The Gaya–Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction section was electrified in 1962.^[2] In 1965, Asansol–Bareilly Passenger was the first long-distance train on Eastern Railway hauled by an AC loco.^[7]

Arrah–Sasaram

The Arrah–Sasaram line was opened as a narrow gauge (2 ft 6 in (762 mm)) section of Martin's Light Railways in 1914 and was closed in 1978.^[2][8] A new broad-gauge line was laid by Indian Railways from Sasaram to Arrah in 2006–07.^[9]

Speed limits

Most of the Gaya–Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction section 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 84.70 km per hour.^[10][11]

Freight corridor

Son Nagar is expected to be connected with Ludhiana as part of the Eastern Corridor. The primary feeder routes for this will be from Sonnagar to Durgapur via Gomoh, Sonnagar to Tatanagar via Garhwa Road, and Barkakana to Bokaro via Chandrapura.^[12]

Railway reorganisation

In 1952, Eastern Railway, Northern Railway and 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.^[13] East Central Railway was created in 1996–97.^[14]

References

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