Namkhana railway station, the end of the Sealdah South line
Namkhana railway station (code NMKA) is the terminus of the Namkhana branch of the Kolkata Suburban Railway's Sealdah South section, at Narayanpur, Namkhana, in South 24 Parganas. It is run by the Sealdah division of the Eastern Railway. The branch runs 83 km from Baruipur Junction, and suburban trains link Namkhana with Sealdah and Lakshmikantapur.
How the line reached Namkhana
- 1928: the Eastern Bengal Railway builds a 37 km line from Baruipur to Lakshmikantapur.
- 1987–88: a 47 km Lakshmikantapur–Namkhana line is sanctioned to reach remote areas.
- 1992: the line reaches Kulpi; it gets to Kakdwip by 2001.
- 2004–06: the Kakdwip–Namkhana section is completed and electrified at 25 kV AC, and Namkhana station opens.
Gateway to Gangasagar and Bakkhali
Each January during Makar Sankranti, thousands of pilgrims travel to the Gangasagar Mela on Sagar Island, and Kakdwip and Namkhana are the handiest railheads. Eastern Railway runs many special trains for the mela. Namkhana is also on NH-12, where the Hatania Doania Bridge carries the road on to the seaside resorts of Fraserganj and Bakkhali.
Trains and facilities
About 14 local trains start and end here each day, including Sealdah–Namkhana "gallop" (semi-fast) and local services. Namkhana has 3 platforms on a single electrified line, about 4 metres above sea level. The platforms are well sheltered, with water and toilets and a proper approach road, but there is no parking and no step-free access. Kolkata airport is about 106 km away.
Will the line reach Bakkhali?
Extensions of 14 km to Chandranagar (sanctioned 2009–10) and a further 17.2 km to Bakkhali (2011–12) were approved, but work has not started because land is not available, and the project was in abeyance as of 2021.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reach Gangasagar by train?
Take a suburban train from Sealdah to Kakdwip or Namkhana, the handiest railheads for the mela on Sagar Island. Special trains run at mela time.
Is there a train to Bakkhali?
No. Namkhana is the nearest station; Bakkhali is reached by road over the Hatania Doania Bridge.
See Sealdah or our train schedule page.