ROB replacement: No local trains between Sealdah & Dankuni for 4 days

Kolkata: The Sealdah Division of Eastern Railway is set to carry out a significant infrastructure overhaul by replacing the old steel girders of the Rail Over Bridge (ROB) between Bally Ghat and Bally Halt on the Sealdah-Dankuni section. This essential work will necessitate a 100-hour traffic and power block, during which local train services between Sealdah and Dankuni will be completely suspended for four days.

Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Nigam confirmed that the traffic and power block will begin on the intervening night of January 22-23 and continue until 4 am on January 27. During this period, 22 pairs of EMU local trains operating between Sealdah and Dankuni will be cancelled, meaning no local train services will be available on the section from January 23 to January 26.

In addition, approximately seven pairs of mail and express trains, including the Kolkata-Patna Garib Rath, Tebhaga Express, Sealdah-Siuri Express, Dibrugarh-Kolkata Express, Sealdah-Jangipur Road Express and Sealdah-Asansol Intercity Express, will be cancelled. In addition, the Uttarbanga Express and Sealdah-Puri Duronto Express will operate from Howrah instead of Sealdah.

Furthermore, 17 pairs of mail and express trains running through the Dumdum-Dankuni section will not be cancelled but will be diverted via Dumdum-Naihati during the block. Affected trains include Jammu Tawi Express, Bikaner Duronto, Ananya Express, Agra Cantt.

Express, Nangal Dam Express, Sealdah Rajdhani, Padatik, Kanchanjungha, and Kanchankanya. Notably, the Kanchanjungha and Jammu Tawi Express will now halt at Naihati instead of Kamarkundu, while six pairs of trains will stop at Belghoria instead of Dakshineswar.

With the diversion of trains, the frequency of services on the Sealdah main and North sections will increase slightly by 1 to 1.5 minutes.

The ROB, constructed in 1931 during the British era, has deteriorated significantly over time, posing a safety risk. DRM Nigam explained: “The steel girders had corroded, creating a potential hazard. Replacing the bridge is essential for long-term safety and reliability.”