There is something extremely exhilarating about getting on to a train as it chugs out of the platform and meanders over metal tracks and slowly the world dissipates and all that remains is the window and the flurrying view outside. Did you know that apart from the tracks that lead out of the city to all across India from Sealdah, Howrah and Kolkata Stations, another lesser known set of tracks meander across the City of Joy, each day ferrying hundreds of passengers to and fro from their destinations?
Interestingly, while Kolkata city is a place that caters to both classes and masses, with shining SUVs making their way to corporate offices, it is also a city where people use local trains for their everyday commute. One such mode of transport is the Kolkata Circular Railway or the Chakra Rail.
Umang Sharma
The Chakra rail mainly caters to office goers, tourists in search of easy sightseeing, and passengers who want an affordable and a little less hectic mode of communication. Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways continues to run Chakra rail or Circular Railway. It is a railway loop line encircling the entire city.
Having decided to find out more about this lesser known mode of conveyance around the city, I decided to have a closer inspection. A short bus ride to Baghbazar, I soon made my way towards the ferry ghats. The Baghbazar station for the Chakra Rail is right beside the ferry ghats. Once there, I was soon rapt in conversation with these youngsters, who had obviously bunked college (there are at least three to four colleges in the near vicinity) and were eager for a short trip around Kolkata to while away their time.
¡°This is totally awesome,¡± said one college student. ¡°We get to roam around and it is inexpensive," he added in the same breath. Others around him were already gearing up to listen to his full discourse with a subtle beam in their smiles. ¡°We do not even need to tell our parents back home! (This is where he suddenly realises that I am a journalist and confirms that I will not be using his name. Others around him nod in serious assent.) Who likes being in the classroom all the time, this gives us the perfect opportunity to travel around the city and re-discover its beauty all over again.¡± This is when I notice that he is carrying a camera, which is flung over his shoulders.
Umang Sharma
The line for the Chakra Rail begins and terminates at Biman Bandar station, with a total of 21 stations spread over the route's 35 km length. The line is operated as an extension of the Kolkata Suburban Railway, partially sharing tracks with the Sealdah South lines, terminating at Sealdah railway station (which is bypassed by the Circular Railway). Services are operated from Biman Bandar to Majerhat and from there Majerhat to Biman Bandar via Ballygunge. The line operates a part of longer suburban services from Budge Budge, Canning, Barrackpore, and Hasnabad.
While I had earlier planned to trip it across from Baghbazar to Majerhaat, I decide against it and instead headed on over towards the Guard room towards Nimtala. For those you who have been to this part of the city, you will know that during day time, this is a beautiful place for a walk with the river flowing silently beside you.
Interestingly, this loop line serves Kolkata railway station, one of the major intercity stations in Kolkata, as well as a number of prominent city landmarks including Prinsep Ghat and Eden Gardens. In addition, a 3.7 km-long line connecting Dum Dum Cantonment to the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport became the first such suburban railway line in India to serve an airport, and allowed extended Circular Railway operations from Dum Dum Junction and beyond.
Talking to one of the rail guards of Chakra Rail at one of the points in North Kolkata, who asked to be unnamed, says he is serving the railways for past twenty five years and is associated with Chakra rail for past seven years. He went on to tell me that his association with chakra rail is quite a memorable one. ¡°This is a quiet job,¡± he says, ¡°The maximum rush is during office hours,¡± he further adds, going on to elaborate, ¡°Mostly for the rest of the day, there is less crowd in this line, perfect for families who want to take a joy trip around the city.¡±
Umang Sharma
He further adds, ¡°The first train begins at 8:05am while the last train leaves at around 8: 40 pm.¡±
¡°Sometimes, one gets to see goods trains ply on this route, but they are mostly during times, when there has to be some railway related construction that needs to take place. This too happens well after the last train has departed,¡± he says.
Ask him why is the Chakra Rail important and he promptly, and very proudly replies, ¡°Kolkata has a huge and growing population, and perhaps the modes of conveyance that were already there seemed to be not enough to cope with the growing demand. Subsequently, to reduce the bottlenecks on the city roads, it was felt necessary to introduce an additional method of transportation which would ease the congestion problem particularly at peak hours. Of the various modes considered, including tramcars and trolleybuses, the railway was found to be most suitable.¡±
Umang Sharma
A passerby of sorts who is listening to our conversation intently quips in, ¡°Another wonderful thing about Chakra Rail is that it allows you to see the fading beauty of a colonial Kolkata. The Rajbaris of the erstwhile gentry which lie half in shambles to the mammoth buildings near Dalhousie, the ride offers you glimpses into the beauty that our city was.¡± He further adds, ¡°During Pujas not many people are aware of this, but the Chakra Rail is the perfect way to go from point A to B, there is no congestion anywhere!¡±
Interestingly, if one looks at the history of the Chakra Rail, one can find that there was an original single-line track with loading and unloading sidings and wharfs. When the decision to add a new mode of conveyance for Kolkata people was conceptualised, it was this same line that was commissioned from Dum Dum railway station to Prinsep Ghat on 16 August 1984. In fact the lines from the port of Calcutta already existed for an interchange yard for Eastern Railways, and these lines were modified/extended/realigned for the Circular Railway.
Umang Sharma
The Guard who has seen a signal and is gearing up to signal the train in adds as a conclusion, ¡°There are a total of 9 stations from Bag Bazar to Majerhat which can be covered in half an hour to 45 minutes. And what makes this one of the best modes of conveyance is that it is economical, where would you still get a fare that starts at Rs 5 and ends at Rs 10 anywhere in the city.¡±
A total of 27 trains are pressed into service.