Sainthia Junction railway station

23°56′58″N 87°40′52″E / 23.94944°N 87.68111°E / 23.94944; 87.68111Elevation58 metres (190 ft)Owned byIndian RailwaysOperated byEastern RailwayLine(s)Sahibganj loop
Andal–Sainthia branch linePlatforms5^[1]Tracks7ConstructionStructure typeStandardParkingAvailableOther informationStatusFunctioningStation codeSNT Zone(s) Eastern Railways Division(s) HowrahHistoryOpened1 September 1859; 164 years ago (1 September 1859)Electrified2016; 8 years ago (2016)Location

Sainthia Junction railway station is one of the oldest stations in India serves Sainthia city of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a "NSG-5" category railway station. The railway station is under the administrative control of Howrah division of Eastern Railway. Sainthia Junction comes under the jurisdiction of Sainthia GRP Police Station.^[2] There is a total of 54 train arrivals and departures per day happening at this railway station. Sainthia Junction the 3rd busiest railway station in Birbhum district.^[3][4] This railway station is the busiest "NSG-5" category railway station in Howrah division and 6th busiest in all of NSG category railway stations in Howrah division.^[5] It also serves as the originating station of 4 important trains. In this station the famous Sainthia train collision took place between Uttar Banga Express and Vananchal Express^[6]

Trains

Some of the Major Trains available from this railway station are as follows:

• Guwahati-Howrah Saraighat Super-fast Express
• Sealdah-Alipurduar Kanchan Kanya Express
• Sealdah-Bamanhat Uttar Banga Express
• Sealdah–Silchar Kanchenjunga Express
• Sealdah–Agartala Kanchenjunga Express
• Sealdah-Rampurhat Maa Taara Express
• Ranchi Bhagalpur Vananchal Express
• Ranchi–Kamakhya Express
• Howrah Rampurhat Mayurkashi Express
• Howrah–Malda Town Intercity Express
• Howrah–Azimganj Kavi Guru Express
• Howrah-Azimganj Ganadevata Express
• Howrah-Radhikapur Kulik Express
• Howrah–Gaya Express

History

Construction of the Khana–Rajmahal section of Sahibganj loop was completed in October 1859. Construction of the Sainthia railway station was done as part of building the entire line and that was the start of the Sainthia railway station that year. The first passenger train journey from this station started on 1 September 1859.^[7] On 4 July 1860, train service started from Howrah to Rajmahal via Khana.^[8][9]

The Andal–Sainthia branch line was built in 1913.^[10]

Amenities

Amenities at Sainthia railway station include sheds, first-class and second-class waiting rooms, escalators, two over bridges, digital clock, CCTV camera, toilet and book stall.^[11]

Goods facilities

There were full rake goods sheds at the Sainthia railway station until 2018. Currently, it is used as a railway siding to load/unload material in the rakes.^[12]

References

Preceding station	Indian Railways			Following station
Bataspur towards Khana		Eastern Railway zone Sahibganj loop		Gadadharpur towards Kiul Junction
Mahishadahari towards Andal Junction		Eastern Railway zone Andal–Sainthia branch line		Terminus