History:
It was expected that rail connectivity between Calcutta and Rajmahal would avoid the five hundred and twenty eight miles of a long circuitous route of “rapid and ever tortuous Bhaugerrutte, long labyrinth of Soonderbunds, which would be navigable only eight months of the year”. The river traffic was extremely dangerous due to frequent ship wrecks and total loss of large amounts of property, according to historians. A contract was signed between the East India Company and the East Indian railway Company on 17 August 1849, entitling the latter to construct and operate an “experimental” line between Calcutta ~ the existing seat of power of British India and Rajmahal, old capital of Bengal.
One historical text notes:
“The expenditure of £ 1,000,000 was sanctioned for the first section: from Howrah, opposite Calcutta, to Raneegunge, via Pandooah and Burdwan. The line is to be continued from Burdwan, in a northernly direction, to Rajmahal, and hence probably along the right bank of the Ganges to Patna, Mirzapore and Allahabad. A further sum of £1,000,000 has been sanctioned for the purpose of continuing the extended line to Rajmahal”.
At present, only one passenger train runs between Tinpahar Junction to Rajmahal station, which is about eight kilometres, three times daily. The railways has been continuously reviving its old dilapidated heritage buildings in the country.