Yard upgrade at Berhampore Court boosts capacity and safety

Kolkata: Eastern Railway has commissioned upgraded yard facilities at Berhampore Court station in the Sealdah Division on Tuesday, completing a project aimed at improving safety, capacity and operational efficiency.

The yard modification allows simultaneous movement of trains from both up and down directions, reducing delays caused by trains waiting outside the station. The number of operational routes has been increased from 25 to 50, cutting route-setting time and improving punctuality.

The addition of three common loop lines and the extension of existing lines enable the station to handle more trains at once. Line 1 has been extended to 890 metres from 680 metres and Line 2 to 807 metres from 564 metres, allowing longer trains and increasing passenger capacity. Officials said this will also support increased passenger and freight operations.

The opening of island platforms 4 and 5 is expected to ease congestion and improve boarding and deboarding during peak hours. Railway authorities said the work was carried out by teams from the construction, electrical, operating, signal and telecommunication, and engineering departments under the Sealdah Division and was completed within schedule with minimal disruption.

A new electronic interlocking system has been commissioned to strengthen safety. Dual visual display units have been installed, along with dual multi-section digital axle counter (MSDAC) systems on main lines and MSDAC-based track detection with redundant DC track circuits on loop lines. Eleven new point machines have been installed to support the revised layout, along with integrated power supply systems to prevent signalling failures during outages.

Electric lifting barriers have been installed at level crossing gates 129/E and 132/T, along with fire detection and alarm systems, fuse alarm systems and earth leakage detectors.