S O N P U R D I V I S I O N
EAST CENTRAL RAILWAY
Sonepur is located in Saran district of Bihar, 22 km away from Patna, at the confluence of two mighty rivers, Ganges and Gandak. It is a small town set in picturesque surroundings, close to Mahatma Gandhi Setu, the longest bridge in Asia (5575 Meter). Sonepur is famous for hosting the special one month cattle fair (Asia’s largest fair of its kind) in the months of November-December. This fair is held every year on Kartik Purnima on the banks of the river Ganges and Gandak with myriad of colours, music and dance drawing tourists from all over India and abroad. There is famous “Hariharnath Temple in sonpur for which this area is popularly known as Harihar Kshetra”.
Vaishali, a place of great historical importance, where ruins of “Lichhavi Republic, Ashok Stup, Archeological Museum and Lord Budha’s Shanti Stup” are there, is not far away. Historical Shakti Peeth temple “Maa Ambika Bhawani” (Durga) at the bank of holy river Ganga is situated near the railway station of Dighwara and Shakti Peeth “Maa Katyayani” (Durga) at Badla ghat is situated near Mansi Railway station of this division. Only Agricultural University known as “Rajendra Agricultural University” in Bihar, is premised at near historical station Khudiram Bose Pusa of this division. In addition to above there is famous Gurudwara in the name of Sikh Guru Teg Bhadhur near by Karahagola Road station and Dinkar Gram Simaria is the birth place of famous National Poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar. Last but not the least, the “ Zonal Head Quarter Office, Hajipur” of E. C. Rly. is also on this division which is only 7 – 8 KMs away from Sonpur.
Sonpur division, established on 21st Oct. 1978 in N.E.Rly., is spread over north side of holy river Ganges and West side of Gandak River. Garhara yard and Dinkar Gram Simaria station, part of Danapur division, have been merged in this division since 01st January’2005. The division routes over 479.649 kms, all on BG. Having almost 25% single line is railing on 162.604 kms from ex CPR on western side to ex Katihar on eastern side, dotted on north bank of river Ganges following its serpentine course. It is further decorated with a crown of 138 kms, MFP as its head, spanning from Hajipur to Bachhwara (87 kms) as its base. This way it has two routes to Barauni from Hajipur, one is via Muzaffarpur- Samastipur – Bachhwara and the other one via Sahpur Patori- Bachhwara which is a shorter route by around 68 Kms.
CPR-KIR chord line via SPP (316 Kms) is its main Goods artery, where as for coaching predominantly, it traverses a longer route via MFP. Its Critical sections are Sonpur-Hajipur, Bachhwara-Barauni, Tilrath-Khagaria, Thanabihipur-Naugachhia and Kataria –Karagola Rd. L-xing density (at every 1.3 km) is much higher on this division when compared to all India average (at every 1.7 km)
This division has nine (9) interchange points. Trains are being interchanged on Eastern side at Katihar under Katihar division (N.F.Rly), Munger under Maldah division (E.Rly) on the Western side at Chhapra Kacheri under Varanasi Division (N.E.Rly.), Patliputra under Danapur division (E.C.Rly) on north side at Muzaffarpur, Khagaria, Mansi and Samastipur from Samastipur division and at Dinkar Gram Simaria from Danapur division on South side of this Railway.
This division traverses through 8 districts of Bihar and therefore, is playing important role in growth & developments of these districts - Saran, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Katihar of North Bihar in social, economic, industrial and cultural field. This division is an important link of railway network between northern states and North Eastern states and specially its Barauni – Katihar line is in a way the life line to the North Eastern states as it provides very important link to N.F. Railway serving whole of north eastern region.
Presently this division has 90 stations, with breakup as 63 crossing, 4 Flag and 23 halt stations. All these 61 Crossing stations are having UTS (Unreserved Ticket System). 13 stations have Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and 20 stations have UPT (UTS cum PRS terminal). 109 pairs of Mail/Exp. trains and 38 pairs of passenger trains are running on this Division. Earning of this Division is of the order of 680.23 crores a year, contributing almost equally from goods and passenger segments.
Its major station is Muzzaffarpur. 24% passenger earnings (around Rs. 93 crores) of the Division comes from this single station, though it serves 13% passengers of the Division. This city is considered the financial hub of Bihar and capital of north Bihar. Hazipur is our 2nd major staion giving passenger earnings to the tune of 99 crores a year. Hajipur coupled with Muzaffarpur accounts for 37% of passenger earnings on the Division. Hajipur being a town opposite Patna across the Ganga, is shaping up as counterpart station of Patna in North Bihar.
There is an “Oil Refinery” of Indian Oil Corporation at Barauni in Begusrai district from where POL is supplied in Railway tank wagons all over the country. Around 72% of our goods earnings comes from loading of tank wagons.
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This Division is having direct train services to well known cities of India such as Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Ajmer, Ambala, Bhagalpur, Bangalore, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Dehradun, Dibrugarh Town, Ernakulam, Guwahati, Gwalior, GandhiDham, Gondia, Jammu Tawi, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Okha, Mumbai, Patna, Pune, Puri, Ranchi, Tatanagar, Surat Valsad & Silchar etc.
With a view to provide better train services and give boost to development of this region, many works/ projects have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Railways such as DEMU shed in Sonpur, (Patna) Road – cum - Rail bridge on river Ganga for direct link bet Sonpur - Digha, Road - cum-Rail bridge on river Ganga for direct link between Sahebpur Kamal - Munger, Rail Wheel Factory near Sitalpur Railway station, construction of New railway line between Chhapra-Muzaffarpur, doubling of Rly. line between Brauni - Katihar section and Railway Electrification all over the division.
AVAILABLE FACILITIES
(1) Served District : 08 (Saran, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Katihar)
(2) Number of Stations : Crossing : 63 (Excluding Samastipur)
Halt : 23
Flag : 04
Total : 90 (Excluding Samastipur)
(3) Main sources of income (in %) : Passenger Traffic : 55.74%
Goods Traffic : 38.36%
Other coaching earning Parcel Traffic : 4 .43%
Sundry Earning : 1.47%
(4) Track : Route K.M. Track K.M. Double line K.M. Electrick Track K.M.
(Total BG) 479.649 1144.882 317.045 (68.10%) 283.445 (60.25%)
Details of Double Line Sections
Section / Block sections / Length in KmChapra Kachehari -Hajipur / CI-HJP / 52.15
Hajipur –Muzaffarpur / RD-MFP / 05.83
Muzafferpur-Samastipur / MFP-SPJ / 49.69
Samastipur-Bachhwara / SPJ-BCA / 31.80
Bachhwara-Barauni / BCA-BJU / 16.70
Barauni – Katihar / BJU-GAI / 78.89
Kosi cabin-NNR / 38.34
KUE-KIR / 34.88
Barauni-Garhara-RJO (ex.) / BJU-GHZ-RJO(ex) / 07.965
Total route Km / 317.045
(5) Total number of trains : (including not running daily)
Sl.N. / Section / In pair / Goods train (Up/Dn) / Avg. daily
Total Trains
Exp. / Passenger
1. / Chapra Kachehari -Hajipur / 54 / 05 / 24 / 82
2. / Sonpur-Hajipur / 54 / 09 / 24 / 92
3. / Hajipur –Muzaffarpur / 43 / 04 / 05 / 53
4. / Muzafferpur-Samastipur / 43 / 05 / 09 / 61
5. / Samastipur-Bachhwara / 44 / 07 / 07 / 59
6. / Bachhwara-Barauni / 55 / 13 / 26 / 100
7. / Barauni – Mansi / 45 / 10 / 15 / 77
8. / Mansi - Katihar / 35 / 04 / 14 / 52
9. / Hajipur - Bachhwara (Via – SPP) / 11 / 06 / 20 / 42
10. / Barauni-Dinkar Gram Simeria / 49 / 05 / 17 / 71
The details of trains which is not running daily :
( In pair)
Sl.N / Section / Weekly / By weekly / Tri weekly / Four day / Five Days / Six day
1. / Chapra Kachehari -Sonpur / 23 / 08 / 06 / 03 / -- / --
2. / Sonpur-Hajipur / 23 / 08 / 05 / 03 / -- / 01
3. / Hajipur –Muzaffarpur / 18 / 05 / 04 / 03 / -- / 01
4. / Muzafferpur-Samastipur / 19 / 03 / 04 / 03 / -- / --
5. / Samastipur-Bachhwara / 21 / 07 / 02 / 01 / -- / 01
6. / Bachhwara-Barauni / 26 / 10 / 03 / 01 / -- / 01
7. / Barauni – Mansi / 20 / 06 / 04 / 01 / -- / 02
8. / Mansi – Katihar / 17 / 05 / 03 / 01 / -- / 01
9. / Hajipur - Bachhwara (Via – SPP) / 05 / 03 / 01 / -- / -- / --
10. / Barauni-Dinkar Gram Simeria / 21 / 08 / 03 / 02 / -- / 02
(6) Interchange Point :
(I) Inter Railway : 03 Nos. ( Katihar from N.F.Rly., Chhapra Gramin
from N.E.Rly. and Sabdalpur from E.Rly. )
(II) Inter Divisional : 06 Nos. (Dinkargram Simaria and Pahleja Ghat
from DNR Division and Samastipur, Mansi,
Khagaria & Muzaffarpur from SPJ Division.)
(7) Rake Loading-Unloading Facility : 19 Stations
SL.No. / Station / Rake Facilities / Reception Facilities / Remarks / Utilisation (No. of rakes) Up to March.
2014-15 / 2015-16
1 / Narayanpur Anant (GS) / 03 Full Rake / Indirect Reception / Incl. 02 in one spur & 01 in two spur / 678 / 654
2 / B.P.C.L/ NRPA / 01 Full Rake / Indirect Reception / One spur / 121 / 140
3 / FCI /NRPA / Full Rake / Indirect Reception / Five shed / 112 / 78
4 / Karpurigram / 02 Full Rake / Direct reception / Incl. 01 in one spur & 01 in two spur / 549 / 548
5 / Barauni / Full Rake / Indirect Reception / In two spur / 138 / 122
6 / Begusarai / Full Rake / Indirect Reception / In one spur / 289 / 273
7 / Khagaria / Full Rake / Direct reception / In one spur / 82 / 137
8 / Mansi / Full Rake / Direct reception / In one spur / 59 / 19
9 / Naugachhia / Full Rake / Indirect Reception / Under construction / 36 / 179
10 / Sarai / Full Rake / Direct reception / In one spur / 337 / 431
11 / Barauni IORG / 03 Full Rake / Indirect Reception / Each in two spur / 593 / 669
12 / Semapur / Full Rake / Indirect Reception / In one spur / 60 / 36
13 / Kursela / 1/2 Rake / Indirect Reception / In one spur / 60 / 37
14 / TPS/ Kanti / 01 Full Rake / Indirect Reception / In one spur / 175 / 148
15 / BTPS/Dinkar Gram Semaria / Full Rake / Indirect Reception / In two spur / -- / --
16 / Garahara (Dump) / Full Rake / Indirect Reception / In two spur / 23 / 88
17 / PMU / Full Rake / Indirect Reception / In one spur / -- / 84
18 / NNNL / -- / -- / -- / -- / --
19 / NYO / -- / -- / -- / -- / --
Total / 3312 / 3643
(8) Parcel Loading Station : 19
Sl.No. / Section / Name of stations1 / Chhapra - Hajipur / Sonpur & Hajipur.
2 / Hajipur - Bachhawara / Shahpurpatori.
3 / Hajipur - Muzaffarpur / Sarai, Goraul & Muzaffarpur.
4 / Muzaffarpur - Barauni / Khudi Ram Bose Pusa, Dholi, Uziarpur, Dalsingsarai, Bachhawara & Barauni
5 / Barauni - Katihar / Begusarai, Khagaria, Thanabihpur, Naugachhia, Karagola Road, Semapur & Pasraha
09. Classification of Stations : 90 (X-ing, Halt & Flag)
Sl.No. / Category
of stations / stations / Total No. of stations
1 / A1 / MFP / 01
2 / A / HJP, BJU, & KGG / 03
3 / B / DSS, SEE, BGS, MNE & NNA / 05
4 / D / SPP, MSK, DGA, SMO, BCA, DOL, THB, MOG, DES, CRR, KUE, GRL, LAK, KRBP & MNO. / 15
5 / E / BNR, LKN, NNR, PSR, DUBH, VPN, STLR, AYRN, UJP, TGA, NAZJ, SDG, SKJ, SLT, SIHO, KTRH, NYO, KHQ, KPGM, SAI, GJH, CSR, RD, GAI, KHI, STJT, NRPA, BKRH, TUR, BAGL, TIL, DKGS, DPL, UMNR, CKRD, PMU, BUJ, ATNR, BTHL, BUDA, NNNL, PHLG & SBDP / 43
6 / F / CDBN, DRI, BNPT, BKRD, HBP, FAH, GKHT, MPNH, GWH, SPPA, BEHT, SANH, DBHI, GHZ, RJJN, BIGH, PPDA, AABH, BNPR, SHHT, VBH, BLRI & BASR. / 23
TOTAL / 90
Note-
1. Chakia Thermal Halt not included as being reported through Rajendra Pul under DNR division.
2. A1 category - Non Suburban stations with an annual passenger earning
of more than Rs. 60 Cr.
A category - Non Suburban stations with an annual passenger earning
of Rs. 8 Cr. and upto 60 Cr.
B category - (i) Non Suburban stations with an annual passenger earning
between Rs .4 Cr. To 8 Cr.
(ii) Stations of tourist importance, or an important junction
station ( to be decided by GM)
C category - All Suburban stations.
D category- Non Suburban stations with an annual passenger earning
between Rs. 60 lakhs and 4 Cr.
E category- Non Suburban stations with an annual passenger earning
less than 60 lakhs.
F category- Halts.
(10) Interlocking ׃
Pannel Interlock Station / 65Standard III Interlocking / 64
Standard I Interlocking / 01 (Barauni)
(11) Multi aspect colour light signal ׃ 991 (all are LED)
2 Aspect / 6153 Aspect / 331
4 Aspect / 45
(12) Bridge ׃ 505
1 / Important Bridge / 05 (Gandak -78 UP & 78 DN, Kosi -10 & Burhi Gandak- 16 UP & 16 DN )2 / Major Bridge / 68
3 / Minar Bridge / 403
4 / Road Over Bridge / 12
5 / Road Under Bridge / 17
(13) Level Crossing Gate : 356 @ every 1.3 km there is a L-xing where as
all India average is at every 1.7 kms
Manned = 295, U/manned = 62
1 EngineeringManned / 183
Un-Manned / 60
Total / 243
2 Traffic
Manned / 111
Un-Manned / 02
Total / 113
(14) Accident Relief ׃
1 / Medical Van / Sonpur and Barauni2 / Brake Down Train (A Class) / Sonpur Along with 140 Tonne Crane
3 / M.F.D Train (B Class) / Barauni (Garhara)
(15) Running Room ׃ 04