Eastern Railway Zone

Eastern Railway was established in 1952 after integrating the East Indian Railway (EIR). This zone has four major divisions under its jurisdiction: Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, and Malda. These divisions play a significant role in the country's economic development as it serves regions rich in minerals and industry resources. Besides having major divisions, this railway zone has three major workshops: Liluah, Kanchrapara, and Jamalpur. Millions of passengers book train tickets every year from the Eastern Railway zone. It transports people and goods from one region to another. The headquarters of the Eastern Railway zone is in Kolkata. Let us understand the Eastern Railway zone in Indian Railways, its divisions and its responsibilities.

Below is a list of divisions owned by the Eastern Railway zone.

• Howrah: This place is one of the oldest divisions of railway zones. It is responsible for managing passenger and freight services.
• Sealdah: This division serves the Northern and Northeastern regions of West Bengal.
• Asansol Division: This division serves the coal-rich belt of West Bengal and Jharkhand, handling significant freight traffic, especially coal and minerals. It is also a crucial link for passenger trains connecting Eastern India to other regions.
• Malda Division: Covering parts of West Bengal and Bihar, Malda Division handles both passenger and freight traffic. It serves important agricultural regions and provides connectivity to the northeastern states.

Here are a few departments handled by the Eastern Railway zone.

• Personnel: Under this department, the railway zone is responsible for recruitment, establishment matters, training, staff welfare, grievance addressing, manpower planning, and more.
• Administration: The Eastern Railway's multifaceted department oversees the operations, budget, and construction activities of the railways, while also managing legal, staff welfare, and PR activities.
• Public Relations: The Eastern Railway zone's department is not just about processing bills and releasing advertisements. It's about managing the public's perception of railway activities, and it's headed by the Chief Public Relations Officer.
• Construction: The construction of the Eastern Railway zone is responsible for constructing new railway lines, gauge conversion, railway bridge, remodelling work and more.
• Electrical: This division is headed by the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer. It is responsible for maintaining the electric and diesel locomotives, OHE, traction power supply, and more.
• Medical: This division is headed by the Principal Chief Medical Director. They are responsible for improving the medical department and providing medical guidance to doctors. They also manage medical budgets, provide medical equipment and assistance to passengers and railway staff, manage health programs, and more.

Some of the services of the Eastern Railway zone are mentioned below.

• Coaching Services: This zone provides long-distance service for passengers by introducing mail or express trains. The Duronto express was introduced by the Eastern Railway, operating from Sealdah to New Delhi in 2009. Some of the prominent trains running in this zone are Howrah Rajdhani Express, Sealdah Express, Darjeeling mail, etc. These trains cater millions of daily commuters. Also, the Eastern Railway zone operates several express and superfast express, connecting major cities of the country.
• Freight Services: The Eastern Railway zone plays a significant role in freight services. This zone caters the need of freight services across West Bengal. Also, it carries out freight services in Jharkhand and Bihar to some extent. This zone serves key industries, such as coal, cement, agriculture and others. The primary commodities transported by the trains operated in the Easter Railway zone are iron ore, petroleum products and agricultural produce.
• Rail Museums: This zone has a prestigious railway museum spread over approximately 4 acres. Nearly 25,000 visitors come to see the rail museum every year.
• Technological Services: The Eastern Railway zone has implemented an advanced signalling system to enhance safety. With the growing digital initiatives, passengers experience a seamless booking experience. They can easily book train tickets online, check PNR status, and track train running status by embracing digital initiatives.

The Eastern Railway zone stands as a testament to the pivotal role of railways in India’s development. With its rich history, extensive network, and commitment to modernization, the ER continues to be a backbone of connectivity and growth in the Eastern region of India. Its contributions to industrial development, regional connectivity, and environmental sustainability underscore its significance in the broader context of Indian Railways.