File:Howrah Station Building.jpg

English: INTRODUCTION : -

Howrah (HWH) station is one of the four major stations near Kolkata , the capital city of West Bengal from where about 250 pairs of EMU trains and about 75 pairs of long distance trains terminates and originated daily . It is situated near the West bank of the river - Hooghly . It is connected to the heart of Kolkata by the magnificent and iconic Rabindra Setu (Howrah bridge) across the river - Hooghly . It is one of the oldest station and the largest railway complex in India .

HISTORY OF THE STATION : -

In 1854 , the British colonial government in India started building a rail link from Kolkata to the coalfields in Bardhaman district . This was the second railway line constructed in India after the first one from Mumbai to Thane in 1853 . The line started from Howrah , then a small town on the west shore of the Hooghly River . Initial plans for the first Howrah station were submitted by George Turnbull the Chief Engineer of the East Indian Railway Company on 17 June 1851 . In May 1852 , the detailed station plans were the major work of him and his team of engineers . In October 1852 , four tenders for building the station were received . Due to a great increase of traffic , a new station building was proposed in 1901. The new station was designed by the British architect Halsey Ricardo . It was brought into service on 1st December 1905 and this building is the current Howrah station building. The station had 15 platform tracks .

DETAILS : -

At present , Howrah Station Complex has been divided into two parts - the Old complex and the New complex . The old complex comprises 1 to 15 platforms , where suburban trains of both ER and SER zones terminate and originate . Almost all the long distance trains of ER terminates and originates at the old complex . Few , long distance trains of SER zone are all received in this complex . The clock of the old complex building makes every Bengali nostalgic . The Nex complex comprises 7 platforms starting from 17 and ending at 23 and it receives and dissipates almost all the long distance trains of SER zone . There very well known trains terminating and originating from Howrah (HWH) stations are : - (01) 12301/12302 (HWH=NDLS) Rajdhani Express . (02) 12841/12842 (HWH=MAS) Coromandal Express . (03) 12860/12859 (HWH=CSTM) Geetanjali Express .

CONFLUENCE OF TWO RAILWAY ZONES : -

Howrah (HWH) is the confluence of two railway zones (ER and SER) and is a life line for the connection of Midnapur district with Burdwan district . It is a life line for passenger transportation of the city of Kolkata and I wish that this station reaches the peak of progress in all respect .