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==Background==
The discovery of coal ne]]ar [[Jharia led to the construction by the EIR of a short branch line of approximately 30 miles(48km) from [[Sitarampur]], on the ‘EIR Main Line’, via [[Kumardhubi]] to [[Dhanbad ]]in 1880 <ref name=Symph> “Symphony of Progress - The Saga of the Eastern Railway 1854-2003”; published by Eastern Railway, 2003; page 18-19</ref>. [[Kumardhubi]] was the location of an early Colliery. The line was extended from [[Dhanbad]] to [[Katrasgarh]] in 1894 <ref name=wiki/><ref name=Admin54>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n63/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 54 (pdf63) ]; Retrieved 22 Apr 2019</ref>.
In 1890 the EIR submitted a Report by Mr T H Ward on the economic resources of the coalfield which was superior to the quality from the [[Raniganj]] coalfield. The construction of the EIR line from [[Barakhar]] to [[Katrasgarh|Katras]] was sanctioned in Apr 1892 and the line via [[Dhanbad]] opened in May 1894 and a year later another line from [[Kusunda]] to [[Pathardi]] thus connecting ‘the whole length of the coalfield’ <ref name=manrhum>[https://archive.org/details/manbhum01coup/page/174 “Bengal District Gazetteer - Manbhum” by H.Coupland, 1911, Chapter IX ‘Coalfields in Manbhum’, pages 174-5]; Retrieved 22 Apr 2019</ref>.
In 1894-98 the [[Midnapore-Jherriah Coalfield Railway Survey|'''Midnapore-Jherriah Coalfield Railway Survey''' ''- see separate page for more information '']] developed a number of alternative routes for accessing the Jharia coalfields. The final route was developed by the [[Bengal Nagpur Railway]](BNR)
The BNR entered the Jhariah coalfield in 1904 and it was recorded that “the subsequent extension of various loops and small branches, besides innumerable small sidings from both Railway systems and the EIR Grand Chord from [[Dhanbad ]] to [[Gomoh ]] which opened in 1907, enabled full development of every part of the coalfield, including the extension to the west towards the Ramgarg Bokaro Coalfield” <ref>[https://archive.org/details/manbhum01coup/page/174 “Bengal District Gazetteer - Manbhum” by H.Coupland, 1911, Chapter IX ‘Coalfields in Manbhum’, pages 174-5]; Retrieved 22 Apr 2019</ref>.
==Jharia Coalfield EIR Railways==
The discovery of coal near [[Jharia]] led to the construction by the EIR of a short branch line of approximately 30 miles(48km) from [[Sitarampur]], on the ‘EIR Main Line’, via [[Kumardhubi]] to [[Dhanbad]] in 1880 <ref name=Symph> “Symphony of Progress - The Saga of the Eastern Railway 1854-2003”; published by Eastern Railway, 2003; page 18-19</ref>. Kumardhubi was the location of an early Colliery. The line was extended from Dhanbad to Katrasgarh in 1894 <ref name=wiki/><ref name=Admin54/>.
<br>This line later further extended to [[Gomoh]] to form the route [[Sitarampur]]-[[BarakarBarakhar]]-[[Kumardhubi]]-[[DhanabadDhanbad]]-[[Katrasgarh]]-[[Gomoh]]. This line become part of the ‘EIR Grand Chord Line’ which fully opened in 1906 and reduced the distance for carrying coal to North India by 110 miles(177km) as it was no longer necessary to detour via [[Sitarampur]]<ref name=Symph/>.
All the lines were broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) serving the Jharia Coalfields had four major sections <ref name=wiki/> :-
* ‘Katras EIR Branch Line’ from [[Dhanbad]] opened in 1894 via [[Kasunda]] to [[Katrasgarh]], 9½ miles(15km) <ref name=Admin55/> and extended to [[Phularitand]] in 1924 to form the ‘Dhanbad-Phularitand Section’, 14 miles (22 km)<ref name=wiki/>.
* ‘Jharia EIR Branch Line’ from [[Dhanbad]] to [[Jharia]] opened 1894, 3¾ miles(6km) <ref name=Admin55>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n64/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 55 (pdf64) ]; Retrieved 22 Apr 2019</ref>
* ‘Damuda EIR Branch Line’ from [[KasundraKasunda]] to [[Jharia]] opened in 1895, 4 miles(7km) <ref name=Admin55/>; extended in 1903 to [[PathardiPathardih]] to form the ‘Dhanbad-Pathardih Section 9½ miles(15km) <ref name=wiki/>.
* ‘Pradhankhanta-Pathardih EIR Chord’ linking [[Pradhankhanta]] and [[Pathardih]] 9½ miles(15 km), opened in 1913<ref name=Admin55/><ref name=wiki/>.
The [[Bengal Nagpur Railway]], ‘BNR Main Line’ between [[Asansol]] and [[Nagpur]] was a broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) line. The section between [[Asansol]], and [[Purulia]],46 miles(km), opened in 1891<ref name=Admin1>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n10/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 1 (pdf10) ]; Retrieved 22 Apr 2019</ref>.
<br>At Asasnol there was a junction with the ‘EIR Main Line’.
<br> Midway between [[Asansol]] and [[PurliaPurulia]] is the location of Adra Junction. * ‘BNR Jharia Extension Line’. The ‘Bankura-Bhojudih BNR Section’; 61 miles(98km), opened 1903<ref name=Admin2>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n11/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 2 (pdf11) ]; Retrieved 22 Apr 2019</ref>, from [[Bankura]] via Adra Junction [[Bhojudih]].* ‘Bhojudih-Sudamdih-Gomoh BNR Section’, 26 miles(42km)was opened in 1907 as a further extension to the ‘BNR Jharia Extension Line’<ref name=Admin2/>. Midway between [[Sudamdih]] and [[Gomoh]] is Mahuda Junction, the connection to the ‘Loop Line’ described below, giving access from the south to the Jharia Coalfields. At [[ Gomoh]] there was a junction with the ‘EIR Grand Chord Line’.
* ‘BNR Jharia Extension Line’. The ‘Bankura-Bhojudih BNR Section’; 61 miles(98km), opened 1903<ref name=Admin2>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n11/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 2 (pdf11) ]; Retrieved 22 Apr 2019</ref>, from [[Bouracan]] via Adra Junction [[Bhojudih]].
* ‘Bhojudih-Sudamdih-Gomoh BNR Section’, 26 miles(42km) was opened in 1907 as a further extension to the ‘BNR Jharia Extension Line’<ref name=Admin2/>. From [[Bhojudih]] via [[Sudamdih]] to [[Gomoh]]. Between [[Sudamdih]] and [[Gomoh]] is Mahuda Junction, the connection to the ‘Loop Line’ described below, giving access from the south to the Jharia Coalfields. At [[ Gomoh]] there was a junction with the ‘EIR Grand Chord Line’.
F
'''BNR Branches and extensions on the Jharia Coalfields'''<ref name=Admin2/>:-
* ‘[[Bhojudih]]-Bhaga-[[Malkera]]-[[Mahuda]] BNR Loop Line’ ; 19 miles(31km), opened 1903-04
