Shalimar Station
Encyclopedia
Shalimar Station is the newest of the four intercity train stations serving Howrah and Kolkata
, India; the others are Sealdah Station, in Kolkata, Kolkata Station
in Kolkata and Howrah Station
in Howrah. Shalimar station is situated in the Shalimar area of Howrah. It is located near Shibpur
area of Howrah. It is one of the cleanest, most well-maintained and non-congested railway terminals in the Kolkata area.
.
In 2000, the first plan was conceived to utilise this area as a bigger rail station. The rapidly growing long distance passengers were gradually overcrowding the Howrah station. Due to the limitation of space, new platform construction is restricted at Howrah. Although 3 new platforms (17, 22 & 23) were constructed at Howrah during 2006 – 2008, those were not sufficient. Side by side, due to its almost central position in Howrah, Howrah station is too much busy station for both suburban and long distance rail traffic. Unlike Sealdah Station, Howrah Station has less suburban trains than long-distance trains. Due to increasing of Eastern Railway trains, many platforms, which were previously built for South Eastern Railway trains, now often occupied by Eastern Railway trains. But many people of Howrah feel that it is much easy to catch a long distance train from Howrah than Sealdah, particularly in early morning and late night. But due to platform limitation, increasing the number of long distance trains was not possible from Howrah for South Eastern Railway.
To overcome this problem, South Eastern Railway suggested to Indian Railway officers to construct another bigger rail station at Howrah, mostly for long distance trains. The many unutilised and not so utilised tracks of Shalimar yard was the first choice of the authority.
Construction started from 2000. The construction of platforms, station buildings & car parking area were started. After the completion, other tracks were re-aligned. The tracks around platform were completely electrified for passenger coaches shunting. At first, only one express train started. This train stopped later and then other long distance trains started. From this time, diesel loco hauled trains were replaced by EMU trains, which started suburban services..
, Haldia
, Kanthi, Medinipur and others. The number of suburban trains is lower than long-distance trains. This station runs some long distance express trains to various destinations. There are two platforms, among them Platform 1 is used by only suburban trains, and Platform 2 is used by long-distance trains. The station is operated by the South Eastern Railway.
, but it was closed in 1971.
's bus routes serve the station directly. Other buses run through College Road, which is 1 Km away from the station. It is often impossible to walk this 1 Km with heavy luggage for a commuter. Due to the lack of transport link, many people avoid this station. An irregular steamer
service from Garden Reach is also present.
There is a plan to transfer part of the Howrah Station bus terminus to the front of the station, mainly for Kolkata bound routes, but nothing materiaised.
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, India; the others are Sealdah Station, in Kolkata, Kolkata Station
Kolkata railway station
Kolkata Station is the newest of the four intercity train stations serving Howrah and Kolkata, India; the others are Sealdah Station, in Kolkata, Shalimar Station in Howrah and Howrah Station in Howrah...
in Kolkata and Howrah Station
Howrah station
Howrah Station is one of the four intercity train stations serving Howrah and Kolkata, India; the others are Sealdah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata railway station in Kolkata. Howrah is situated on the West bank of the Hooghly River, linked to Kolkata by the magnificent Howrah Bridge which...
in Howrah. Shalimar station is situated in the Shalimar area of Howrah. It is located near Shibpur
Shibpur
Shibpur is a residential area located in the city of Howrah, West Bengal, India. It is well known for being the location of the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, the Bengal Engineering College and the Hazar Hath Kaali Temple. The famous Bengali linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterji...
area of Howrah. It is one of the cleanest, most well-maintained and non-congested railway terminals in the Kolkata area.
History
The place where now the station is situated was formerly a very small rail station, and served by some diesel loco hauled trains. The present platforms were occupied by some goods lines. Those lines were a part of large Shalimar rail yardShalimar rail yard
Shalimar rail yard served as a terminus for goods trains and hosted a rail yard since its inception in 1883. In recent years, it has been brought into the network of passenger train stations to reduce pressure on Howrah station. Apart from suburban trains, few long-distance trains have been...
.
In 2000, the first plan was conceived to utilise this area as a bigger rail station. The rapidly growing long distance passengers were gradually overcrowding the Howrah station. Due to the limitation of space, new platform construction is restricted at Howrah. Although 3 new platforms (17, 22 & 23) were constructed at Howrah during 2006 – 2008, those were not sufficient. Side by side, due to its almost central position in Howrah, Howrah station is too much busy station for both suburban and long distance rail traffic. Unlike Sealdah Station, Howrah Station has less suburban trains than long-distance trains. Due to increasing of Eastern Railway trains, many platforms, which were previously built for South Eastern Railway trains, now often occupied by Eastern Railway trains. But many people of Howrah feel that it is much easy to catch a long distance train from Howrah than Sealdah, particularly in early morning and late night. But due to platform limitation, increasing the number of long distance trains was not possible from Howrah for South Eastern Railway.
To overcome this problem, South Eastern Railway suggested to Indian Railway officers to construct another bigger rail station at Howrah, mostly for long distance trains. The many unutilised and not so utilised tracks of Shalimar yard was the first choice of the authority.
Construction started from 2000. The construction of platforms, station buildings & car parking area were started. After the completion, other tracks were re-aligned. The tracks around platform were completely electrified for passenger coaches shunting. At first, only one express train started. This train stopped later and then other long distance trains started. From this time, diesel loco hauled trains were replaced by EMU trains, which started suburban services..
Services
The station is served by the South Eastern Railway for trains to AmtaAmta
Amta I is an administrative division in Uluberia subdivision of Howrah district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Amta police station serves this block...
, Haldia
Haldia
Haldia has a typical moderate climate with winter temperatures ranging from a low of around 7 degrees Celsius to a high of 22 degrees Celsius. Winters are chilly and is when the residents hold the Haldia Utsav festival. Summers can be very hot and humid. Usual summer temperatures in May, the...
, Kanthi, Medinipur and others. The number of suburban trains is lower than long-distance trains. This station runs some long distance express trains to various destinations. There are two platforms, among them Platform 1 is used by only suburban trains, and Platform 2 is used by long-distance trains. The station is operated by the South Eastern Railway.
Mail/Express Trains
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Bhojpuri Express (Via Tata Nagar-Purulia) - Shalimar - BaripadaBaripadaBaripada is a city and a municipality in Mayurbhanj district in the state of Orissa, India. Baripada is the district headquarters. It is a place to stay and tour the Mayurbhanj region, a region with one of the most important wildlife parks of India , lush valleys, forest lands and scores of ancient...
Express - Shalimar - NagercoilNagercoilNagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...
Gurudev Superfast Express - Shalimar - PuriPuriPuri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
Superfast Express - Shalimar - VisakhapatnamVisakhapatnamVisakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
Superfast Express - Shalimar - Udaipur City Express
- Shalimar - BankuraBankuraBankura is a city and a municipality in Bankura District in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bankura District.-Etymology:...
Rajya Rani ExpressRajya Rani ExpressRajya Rani trains are a series of express trains operated by Indian Railways to connect state capitals with other cities important for tourism, pilgrimage or business.-History:... - Shalimar - PatnaPatnaPaṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
Duronto Express
Facilities
There is a taxi stand and a bus stand outside the station. The nearest tram terminus was formerly ShibpurShibpur
Shibpur is a residential area located in the city of Howrah, West Bengal, India. It is well known for being the location of the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, the Bengal Engineering College and the Hazar Hath Kaali Temple. The famous Bengali linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterji...
, but it was closed in 1971.
Criticism
As a newest rail station, this station is not well connected by public transport. The most direct service to the station is taxi, which is not preferable by poor. Only two West Bengal Surface Transport CorporationWest Bengal Surface Transport Corporation
West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation is a West Bengal state government undertaken transport corporation. Besides plying buses throughout West Bengal it controls some waterways transport, e.g. ferries. WBSTC owns many depots throughout the state to station their buses...
's bus routes serve the station directly. Other buses run through College Road, which is 1 Km away from the station. It is often impossible to walk this 1 Km with heavy luggage for a commuter. Due to the lack of transport link, many people avoid this station. An irregular steamer
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
service from Garden Reach is also present.
There is a plan to transfer part of the Howrah Station bus terminus to the front of the station, mainly for Kolkata bound routes, but nothing materiaised.
See also
- Howrah StationHowrah stationHowrah Station is one of the four intercity train stations serving Howrah and Kolkata, India; the others are Sealdah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata railway station in Kolkata. Howrah is situated on the West bank of the Hooghly River, linked to Kolkata by the magnificent Howrah Bridge which...
- Sealdah StationSealdahSealdah is one of the major train stations serving Kolkata in India, the others being Howrah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata Railway Station. Sealdah is one of the busiest rail stations in India and an important suburban rail terminal...
- Kolkata StationKolkata railway stationKolkata Station is the newest of the four intercity train stations serving Howrah and Kolkata, India; the others are Sealdah Station, in Kolkata, Shalimar Station in Howrah and Howrah Station in Howrah...
- Kolkata Suburban RailwayKolkata Suburban RailwayThe Kolkata Suburban Railway is the rail system for the suburbs surrounding the city of Kolkata . Railways such as this are important and heavily-used infrastructure in India....
- Kolkata Metro RailwayKolkata MetroThe Kolkata Metro or Calcutta Metro is a mass rapid transit system serving the city of Kolkata and the districts of South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas in Indian state of West Bengal. The network consists of one operational line and five lines currently under construction...
- Kolkata TramwaysCalcutta Tramways CompanyThe Calcutta Tramways Company Limited is a West Bengal, India government-run company which runs trams in Kolkata and buses in and around Kolkata...