Rail and coal

Official discovery of coal in Bengal is attributed to Mr. Suetonius Grant Heatly, Collector of Chota
Nagpur & Palamu, who had discovered Existence of coal in Bengal in 1774 and in the same year he
and a John Summer obtained from Warren Hastings a license empowering them to work coal mines
in Pachete and Birbhum. –Gazette of Burdwan

The difficulties of transportation, however, restricted this trade and made it a laborious operation.
The coal was carried in ox-drawn carts from the pit-head in Raniganj to Amta, a main trading sta-
tion on the Damodar in those days, where it was dumped along the bank of the Damodar, to be fer-
ried to Calcutta only when the river was navigable for heavy barges during a fortnight in the mon-
soon. All these factors led to enormous losses. ‗One house thus lost three out of eleven lakh of
maunds in the transit in one year, from boat sunk; and other causes incidental to the existing
means of transport‘.

Since the river was not navigable all round the year, coal dug from time to time had to be stocked
on the banks of the river and the time taken in the journey in hackeries and boats led in many cases
to the loss of two seasons, though the direct distance by land between Calcutta and Burdwan was
only 75 miles.

The journey along the Damodar specially during the rains when this river was over-flooded was
precarious and the loss from boat-wrecks used to be enormous —20% of the whole cargo as stated
in 1844. All these causes, in addition to the cost of transport, led to the high price of this article in
Calcutta. While the price of coal at the pit’s mouth was about half an anna, in Calcutta it used to be
sold at four annas.

“That the loss by exposure, peculation, and accidents, during the long period, now neces-
sary to convey the Burdwan Coal to the markets, is excessive, there appears to be no differ-
ence of opinion. In August last, thirteen out of sixty laden boats were sunk in one night”.—
Report of the managing director of East Indian Railway company to chairman in April 8,1846

The same difficulties attended the transport of coal along the river Ajay ,the other river traversing
this coal district, which met the Bhagirathi.--- Report of the Committee for Investigating the Coal and
Mineral Resources of India for the year 1838

In the pre-railway age, the absence of a cheap and regular means of transport to the Calcutta market
remained the chief obstacle to the proper development of the valuable resources of the Burdwan
coal- field.

It was expected that laying of Rail lines between Howrah and Raneegunge will address the
transportation issues and Progress of Rail line construction was closely being monitored by Rail-
ways & Coal companies alike, as huge amount of coal lying above ground could not be dispatched
by existing system.

―The instant this section of the line is complete, Calcutta will be amply supplied with coal. There is no limit to
the amount which can be raised from the fields round Raneegunge. The Bengal Coal Company have millions
of maunds above ground, which cannot find a market, because the available fleet is inadequate to its trans-
port down the Damooda.”--- Friend of India, May 25.1854

In February 1855, the experimental line of the E.I.R. from Howrah, opposite Calcutta, to Raniganj
in the coal district was opened to traffic. The Railway offered itself as a much better substitute for
the slow, hazardous and consequently, in its ultimate cost, expensive boat traffic along the Damo-
dar. It facilitated, in the first instance, the transport of coal to the existing demand centre in Calcutta
— demand arising from the needs of the newly introduced steam vessels along the Ganges.

At the same time, the Railway paved the way for the emergence of new demand centres. Coal from
the Burdwan mines, from now on, could be transported towards Calcutta in increasing quantities,
and at a comparatively cheaper rate and in a much shorter period of time. This possibility of obtain-
ing fuel cheaply acted as a direct impetus to the growth of the new industries in Calcutta and its
neighbourhood. The manufacture of jute with the help of steam-driven engines was started at
Rishra, near Serampore, lying along the route of the experimental line.

Early coal business, the rapid growth of coal mining in Raneegunge coal filed and speculation was
beautifully captured in one of the despatches of Engineers’ journal:

“There is no doubt that, as Railways open throughout India, the demand for coal will be considerably in-
creased, and that speculations in coal are about the most promising speculations of the day. Simply because
coal is wanted, it must be had; and hitherto, for want of Railways, the coal-supplying resources
of India have remained undeveloped. The activity at the Raneegunge collieries is now very great, the de-
mand being very extensive—in fact sometimes considerably above the supplying powers. We have known
extensive orders refused by one Company, simply from their inability to meet them within a given time, being
unable to send down coal fast enough to supply their regular customers. The opening of the Barrakur and
Singharron Valley branches of the East Indian Railway will completely alter this state of things, as they will
open up new districts, and thus break up the monopoly in the advantages for supplying coal possessed by
one Company. The Bengal Coal Company at present have the Railway up to their pits' mouth, while the East
India Coal Company, the Beerbhoom,and another Native Company are virtually deprived of the advantages
of Railway communication. Before long, however, these Companies will enjoy the privilege of having the
Railway almost up to their pits' mouths, and their out-turns and supplying capacities will be vastly aug-
mented. If really good coal can be found at Raneegunge, the day will come when, in place of having some
two or three coalingstaiths at Howrah, at least a dozen will be required to meet the requirements of the
traffic.”
------- Engineers Journal February 1 1861

Indian coal was known to be very deficient in coking qualities and so, there was no other option but
to depend on imported coke for use on the newly opened Railways in India. But, in the middle of
the year 1855, the locomotive department of the E.I.R. succeeded in using Burdwan coal without
coking it for their locomotive purposes through successive experiments.

This suddenly created a very enlarged demand for this coal and with the work of construction going
ahead on the extensions of the E.I.R. towards the Upper Provinces, the possibilities of this demand
being far more enlarged were apparent. Apart from these locomotive purposes, the work of con-
struction of the line itself involved certain processes such as brick-burning and so on, which needed
a large amount of coal and the question of quality being not so important here, the Burdwan coal
was in use from the very beginning.-- V. Anstey, The Economic Development of India, (London, 4tb
ed. 1952

In 1859, Oldham reported the carriage of cart-loads of coal from the Burdwan coalfield to the work-
sites on the Rajmahal section of the Railway.

Under the impetus of these demands, emerging along with the operation of the Railway in the area,
the yearly out-put from the Burdwan coal-field was increasing steadily. In 1855, this was estimated
to be 100,000 tons. But, in 1859, it rose to 325,000 tons approximately. There was steady increase
in the coal traffic on the section of the Railway opened. While in 1855, the receipts from the coal
traffic on this line was £1949, in 1859, these rose to £ 71,736. Within these few years, the coal-field
itself presented an altogether different sight.
 Referring in this, Oldham wrote in 1859 — ―I paid a hurried visit to this coal-field in 1851-52,
soon after my first arrival in the country. At that time, there were scarcely half a dozen pits at work
in the whole field. Nothing struck me with a greater surprise than the almost total neglect of so
valuable and important a district. But, the scene has totally changed now. Every known locality
where coal is, or has been seen, has been worked into. Quarries are seen in full work, where for-
merly nothing but bareness existed. And at the present time the great difficulty consists in procuring
labour sufficient to meet the increased demands‖.- Report on Coal Resources and Production of India
by T. Oldham, 1867, App. Ill, p. XXIV, Sel. Govt, of India. No. 64.

The increasing supplies of Burdwan coal as noted above had the most favourable effects on its price
in relation to that of the imported coal. In 1852, the English coal was selling in the neighbourhood
of Calcutta from 27s 9d a ton to 18s 8d a ton. During the same period, the price of Burdwan coal
was quoted there as 20s 9d a ton. From 1855, when the Railway began to traverse the coal-field, a
sharp reduction in the price of the latter was noticeable.

Thus, in 1851, the price of the Burdwan coal was about one-third of that of imported English coal,
the price of the former being Rs. 11 As. 3 per ton, while that of the latter, Rs. 33 As. 12 per ton. In
1855, the ratio between the prices of these two articles, i.e., Burdwan coal and imported English
coke, became 1 to 6 respectively, if not more.

When English coke was in use as fuel on EIR, the fuel cost was quoted as As. 13 Pies li per mile.
But, in the following December, as a result of the use of Burdwan coal, the fuel cost on the railway
was reported to have reduced to As, 1 Pies l of, i.e., about six times less than the cost quoted for the
first half of the year.-- Rendel and Turnbull to Noad. 23 July 1855, Rly. Home Corrsespondence ‘A’, Vol. IX. 1
Report to the Sec. of State for India in Counc. on Rlys. in India

J.E.O Connor in Review of the Trade in India 1878-79 had underlined the role of Railways in giving impe-
tus to coal mining industry:
“The commencement of the East Indian Railway line, which was laid to run through the coal bear-
ing region of the Damuda basin, gave an impetus to the mining industry and new pits were opened
in large number”.--J.E.O Connor in Review of the Trade in India 1878-79

George Huddleston in his famous book East Indian Railway: 1906 History of the EIR - Chapter
XVI, writes that nothing in the history of the East Indian Railway has been more remarkable than the growth
of the coal traffic during the past 15 years. Up to the year 1889 few had recognised its immense possibilities,
and there was certainly no idea of a great export trade setting in, while internal requirements were compara-
tively small and restricted almost entirely to the needs of Railways. There seems to have been at the outset
a good deal of prejudice on the part of those who had previously burnt Welsh coal, and particularly on the
part of the engineers of the larger steamship companies, against the introduction of Bengal coal in its place;
these prejudices were only overcome by degrees, but once a start had been made the import of coal from
the United Kingdom was doomed.

In the first half of the year 1885, more than 45,000 tons of Welsh coal were imported into Calcutta, during the
first half of 1889 the quantity imported dropped to less than 1,000 tons, and an export trade then started,
principally in bunker coal for the use of the steamers of the British India Steam Navigation Company, which
extended even more rapidly than the most sanguine anticipated. In 1890 the growth of the export of Bengal
coal from Calcutta first attracted serious attention, though in proportion to the total downwards traffic the ex-
port figures were still comparatively small. Rangoon was the port which at first took the largest quantity;
Bombay, which is now the largest taker of Bengal coal, adhering very largely to the Welsh product until some
years afterwards.

In 1891, the want of facilities for dealing with a large coal traffic were recognised. The Traffic Man-
ager, Mr. J. Rutherford, commenting on the expansion which would follow the opening up of nu-
merous mines in the coalfields adjacent to Asansol and Sitarampur and of the Jherriah field, an
extension to which was then about to be started, remarked that "we have neither the wagon stock nor
the terminal accommodation required for such an accession to our traffic," and strongly advocated the
 construction by the Railway Company of special jetties and loading machinery at a point on the river below
the Botanical Gardens, to which he proposed a short branch line should be run from Bally Station, a few
miles above the Howrah terminus.
In the year 1893 the export trade from Calcutta had grown to about 250,000 tons, and towards the close of
the year, the Kidderpore Docks, constructed for the receipt of ordinary merchandise, were first brought into
use for loading export cargoes of coal. It was, however, anticipated that the docks would not at all meet the
requirements of the trade, and that if the rapidly growing business was to be dealt with there, considerable
additions would be needed, while the railway approaches would also have to be improved. The opening of
the docks to export coal traffic at once brought the Jubilee Bridge over the Hooghly into use; previous to this
time it had been more or less a white elephant, for very little business of any kind had been done at the
docks.

In the second half of 1892 about 189,000 tons of all classes of traffic were carried over the bridge, in the
second half of 1893 the weight rose to 345,000 tons, of which two-thirds were coal.
In 1894 there was a still further advance in the export coal trade, and General Sir Richard Strachey forecast, in
an address to the shareholders of the Company, what the future was likely to be: "There is no possible rea-
son," he remarked, "why the whole of the coal now exported from England, whether required on land, or for
consumption at sea east of Aden, should not be replaced by Indian coal."

The Railways played a dual role in the development of the industry. On the one hand, it became the
biggest consumer of coal and on the other; it carried coal to the emerging industries of the
neighbouring areas. Railways gave a fillip to the coal mining works and the coal trade as well, and
coal pushed Railway construction ahead.

It was reported that Railways have been able to garner ten percent of all Calcutta bound coal traffic in ten weeks of
opening of experimental line to Raneegunge, and was able to achieve guaranteed returns in initial phase itself.

“As regards minerals, and more particularly coal, though the line to Raneegunge is designated and designed as a colliery line, yet we
find that as yet the Rail derives only one-twelfth of its returns from the conveyance of that article. The quantity of coal requiring transport
to Calcutta is about 100,000 tons annually, of which the rail is at present able to convey only a tenth. From the rapid increase of the
passenger and goods traffic in the last ten weeks on this line, we deduce the singular fact, that the enterprise will not require the miner-
als of the coal proprietors to secure a gross return of ten per cent, on the capital. In all probability the development of other descriptions
of traffic before the close of the present year, will show that the rail will be useful to the coal-mines, not that the coal-mines will
be necessary to the success of the rail”-- Friend of India, May 10,1855.

The first war of Independence, 1857, forced construction of more Rail lines for administrative ex-
igencies .Consequently Indian Railways became the largest consumer of Burdwan coal. The in-
creasing supplies of Burdwan coal from 1855, thanks to Railway transportation led to reduced
price in comparison to that of the imported coal. Two other Railways, the Eastern Bengal Railway
and the Bengal Nagpur Railway besides the E.I.R. were its major consumers. Due to rise in de-
mand for coal, the expansion of different branches of Rail to connect different collieries were rapid
and successive in the sixties of the nineteenth century.

East Indian Railway Company collieries not only ensured a steady supply of coal against the vaga-
ries of market production but also helped the Company to make a substantial saving in fuel com-
ponent of the working expenses, turning EIR into lowest cost Rail carrier in the country.
,
Contracts were entered upon to carry over 100,000 tons of coal from Raneegunge to Calcutta, and
a quantity of ordinary merchandise was transported, which, though comparatively small, gave hope
for the future. In the second half of 1855, the revenue from coaching traffic was £25,000, from
goods traffic £6,385, from coal £7,856, and the working expenses amounted to 42 percent of the
gross traffic receipts.

The weight of goods carried was 299,424 ton in 1859 against 190,566 tons in 1858, and the in-
crease in mineral traffic was so great that it was decided to extend a branch to the collieries from
Raniganj to Barrakar. The extension of the branch line from Raniganj to Barrakar coalfield in 1865,
relieved many collieries of their transport difficulties and gave fresh impetus to industry.
 Raneegunge to Siarsole section was opened on 21-7-1863, Siarsole to Sitarampur and Sitarampur
to Burracker sections were commissioned on 1-1-1865., Sitarampur to Luckeesarai section was
completed on 1-1 1871. One can only wonder at the brisk pace of laying Rail lines by East Indian
Railways.

Various coal fields were connected by Rails and there was rapid increase in coal production and
transport . Barakar to Dhanbad was connected on 20-5-1894 covering Jharia coal fields and
Ondal to Saintia was connected on 10-12-1906. Madhupr to Giridih was connected on 1-1-71.

Khana to Durgapur double line was laid on 1-6-1870 and from Durgapur to Raneegunge double
line work was completed on 2-9-1870. Raneegunge to Sitarampur double line was laid on 19-12-
1870 and it was extended up to Luckeesarai on 1-1-1871.

The Jharia Coalfield contributed to the extension of Railway across Barakar River. A proposal was
made by the East India Railway Company to extend the Barakar Branch across the Barakar River
in 1886, and despite the support of Directors of the Board, the Government, refused to sanction it
till 1889. Notwithstanding this decision, the then Chairman of the Board, Sir Richard Strachey, had
deputed T. H. Ward, the Colliery Superintendent to examine and report on the prospects of the
Jharia coal-field, who submitted the report in August 1894.

Estimates and plans of a projected line of Railway from Barrakur Station to the Jherriah coal-field,
a distance of about 36 miles, were prepared, and the Board sanctioned the estimates subject to
the confirmation of the Government of India.
In 1892 the government of India had sanctioned the work and it was at once started and by 20th
May 1894, Railway linked Ghootrya some seven miles beyond Barakar, carrying 100 tons coal and
50 passengers.

By 1897, the collieries on the Jherriah and Toposi branch lines, the latter having been extended at
the same time as the Jherriah branch, were contributing not far from a million tons a year to the
traffic of the undertaking.

When we see ten trains daily, each carrying 70 wagons with two engines and some twenty coal
staiths at work at Howrah, then we may begin to talk about approaching towards a development of
the Coal Traffic. Staiths are elevated platforms for discharging coal and other materials from rail-
way cars into collier ships for transport. In earlier days(1858), three coal trains a day with 35
loaded wagons was the limit of coal traffic-- THE ENGINEER'S JOURNAL, RAILWAY, July I5, 1859.

Acquisition of coal field by Railways:

The Giridih coalfield was acquired by the East Indian Railway Company in the early years due to the
intelligence and foresight of Mr. Macdonal Stephenson. Initially, there was a dispute between the
government and the Company on the question of the use of coalfield. The government was against
the utilisation of guaranteed capital in excavating the coalmine. The East Indian Railway Company
on the other hand argued in favour of such an investment to ensure uninterrupted supply of coal
for its moving stock. The East Indian Railway Company, on the contrary, launched 'the Auxiliary
Railway Company' to lay line to develop the Giridih property.

Rudyard kipling in his travelogue,‖Giridih Coal fields‖ writes: Company, the E.I.R., has more or less
made Giridih — principally more. ‗Before the E.I.R. came,‘ say the people, ―we had one meal a
day. Now we have two.‟ Stomachs do not tell fibs, whatever mouths may say. That „Company,‟ in
the course of business, throws about five lakhs a year into the Hazaribagh district in the form of
wages alone, and Giridih Bazar has to supply the wants of twelve thousand men, women, and
cihldren
The E.I.R. estate, bought or leased in perpetuity from the Serampore Raja, may be
about four miles long and between one and two miles across. It is in two pieces, the Serampore
field being separated from the Karharbari (or Kurhurballi or Kabarbari) field by the property of the
Bengal Coal Company. The Raneegunge Coal Association lies to the east of all other workings. So
we have three companies at work on about eleven square miles of land.”

Eventually it was Sir Charles Wood who could see the reason and permitted construction of the
chord line to access those mines. Consequently the East Indian Railway laid the chord line to
access those mines. Consequently the East Indian Railway could reach the Giridih field in 1871.

East Indian Railway Company collieries not only ensured a steady supply of coal against the
vagaries of market production but also helped the Company to make a substantial saving in fuel
component of the working expenses . Being the largest consumer of the coal industry and also
producer of the same helped it to keep the price at the bottom line. Giridih coal worth rupees 3 a
ton in wagon at the collieries cost rupees 30 a ton by the time it reached Lahore, while at Calcutta
the freight charge from Sitarampur was no less than rupees 3-13 a ton.

Demand led the EIR to invest on a large scale into its own collieries in Giridih field. The rail-
ways relieved many collieries of much of their transport difficulties and gave a fresh impetus to
the industries. By 1880, the railway collieries were raising roughly a quarter of the total Indian
coal production.

Sale of coal by East Indian Railway was causing much heartburn amongst coal owners of
Bengal, who complained to Government to look into issue of illegal sale of 72,000 T of coal
by EIR to public and other companies ,which was incorporated only as common carriers.
Even the consulting engineer to Government had observed that the the working of a Colliery is not
a legitimate application of the capital of the Railway Company and they should buy directly from the coal
companies instead of raising coal themselves.

However, considering huge economy and unique location advantages of Railway mines coupled
with Railway sidings, EIR continued with its policy of developing captive mines to remain lowest
cost Rail road in the country.

"When, however, from the peculiar circumstances of the country, there is a probability that, by retaining pos-
session of the Colliery and working it for themselves, the Railway Company may effect an annual saving of
very considerable amount in their working expenses, and more especially when a large proportion of that
amount will consist of a saving in carriage due to the position of the Colliery, to the benefit of which the Rail-
way Company are fairly entitled, but which they will lose by making the Colliery over to other parties”.

More over the deed of settlement of EIR had permitted to undertake any activities deemed neces-
sary foe carrying on Railway activities:

“The deed of settlement of the Railway Company, dated the 9 th April 1847, expressly provides for such
case as the present, empowering them to carry on any subsidiary works necessary or desirable towards the
construction or working of the Railway, " including therein the working of mines of coal, iron, and other min-
erals, in the East Indies, and manufacturing the produce thereof, and the erecting and carrying on all neces-
sary and convenient works, furnaces, forges, smelting houses, and gas works, for furthering the objects of
the Company, and selling and disposing of such of the produce thereof as from time to time shall not be
wanted or necessary for the making, repairing, or carrying on any Railway of the Company."

The problems of the collieries were aggravated by the slow expansion of Railways in comparison to
the expansion of the coalfields. Only those collieries that were on the line of railway were served
with sidings, and such sidings had to be paid for in full by the colliery using it. Collieries distant
from the Railway had to rely on the bullock-cart for their carriage. Every ton of machinery had to be
conveyed across country. The expensive labour was required to transport heavy boilers, large
flywheels and other parts of colliery machinery, to distant road deficient parts of coalfields. One
Apcar and Company, had to purchase and to engage an elephant to carry machinery from colliery
to colliery, and this method proved satisfactory.
Collieries were continuously asking for more wagons to transport their ever increasing production
and were repeatedly exhorting EIR to look after interests of coal companies: : “In subsequent ad-
dresses General Sir Richard Strachey referred, over and over again, to the pressing needs for better facili-
ties and for more rolling stock, and over and over again defended the management of the railway against the
not infrequent attacks of the mercantile community, whose complaints of want of wagons, or of blocks of traf-
fic, resulting, as they alleged, in loss of business, were at the time common.”

At a meeting of the shareholders held in December 1901, the Chairman EIR addressed those con-
cerns:
"As the coal owners of Bengal are among the most persistent of those who exclaim against the management
of the East Indian Railway, and of the want of attention paid to their interests, I will venture to call their atten-
tion to the following statement of the present value of the coal properties in Bengal, properties that, as I have
already said, have been entirely created by the initiative of the Railway, and the continued prosperity of
which has been ensured by equally constant attention to their requirements. The extremely low rates at
which coal has been carried on all Indian railways for the last ten years is also due to the action of the East
Indian Railway; the opening out of the Jherriah coalfield, which was opposed by the Government of India,
was at last sanctioned by an appeal to the Secretary of State by the Board."
I have no wish," he added, "to be a prophet of evil, but there is an opinion afloat, which seems deserving of
serious attention, that the very rapid development of the coal trade, accompanied, as it has been, by this
remarkable inflation of values, may be the forerunner of a season of speculative mining enterprise, and of
over production, in excess of the growing requirements of the public."

Within a year of the time these words were spoken their truth became apparent, the output of the
collieries became much larger than a market could be found for and share quotations declined with
a run. Fortunately the check was only a temporary one, and lost ground was soon regained.

Messrs. Apcar and Company was the first to lay down at their own expense a broad gauge line
from Sitarampur to their Lachipur Colliery in 1881. The success of this undertaking was assured
from its beginning as the neighboring collieries belonging to the Bengal Equitable, and native own-
ers were too glad to avail themselves of this line for the dispatch of their output to Sitarampur by
paying a comparatively small royalty. In some cases the saving was estimated to be as much as
12 annas to Rs. 1 per ton, and an average of 20,000 tons a month was transported by this branch
of only two miles in length.

Coal transportation and development of collieries:

When the East Indian Railway was constructed, coal was almost unknown in India. Mr. Craw-
ford referring to this in 1885, remarked:—
"If a man fell in with a bit of coal in his walk, he would pick it up as a curiosity, and throw it away because it
dirtied his finger. That was all that was known of coal 30 years ago. It was the act of this Company which
brought coal to light. From a basis of comparatively nothing 30 years ago, we have now risen to carry one
million and a half tons in the course of the year. The native mind is so full of prejudice, that one might have
been afraid that the use of an article like coal would have excited some superstitious feeling, but when the
native came to know that coal was only fossilized wood, he had no objection to burn it, and with such an
enormous population as we have in India, with such large cities and factories rising in all quarters and steam
engines and so on, we see the explanation of the great increase in the quantity of coal brought to us for con-
veyance. So it will go on and very largely increase. I venture to predict that the time will come, which I shall
probably not witness, when the article of coal will be our largest source of profit ."

With the development of the coal mining industry in Raniganj, the East Indian Railway started
penetrating the coal mining districts on its way from Mokameh to Calcutta.

The Commission of 1896, observed:‖Any traveler by that line, if he is awake at night when
passing between Sitarampur and Raniganj could fancy himself in the heart of the Black Coun-
try in England‟. In fact, introduction of Railways was an important landmark in the mode of
transport and communication in India. The East India Company Government had not adopted
any constructive policy regarding the development of communications. It was with the intro-
duction of the East Indian Railway that, a great improvement was made in the field of commu-
nication in the coal belt and Bengal as a whole.

Proposals for laying tracks : Pre construction days

Prince Dwarakanath Tagore was denied construction of Railway line by the East India Company :
In 1842, sensing the potentials of invention of steam engine in England, Prince Dwarakanath Ta-
gore, the grand father of Gurudev Raibdranath Tagore, visited England for the first time relating to
business purpose of collieries, owned by him at Raniganj and Rajmahal coalfields. He sailed and
travelled by train in England. He was greatly impressed by the "Iron Horse". He conceived the so-
cioeconomic viability of the Railways in India as a mode of transportation system. After returning,
he decided to lay Railway lines connecting the collieries at Raniganj with Kolkata and then with
capital city of India. Soon he formed a company called "Carr Tagore and Company" and applied to
the East India Company, for getting the rights of laying the Railway line. He dashed down to Eng-
land in the second time, to persuade East India Company, sensing that Mr. R. Macdonald Ste-
phenson, the grandson of Gorge Stephenson (Inventor of steam engine) visited India in 1843 and
surveyed for laying Railway lines between Calcutta and Delhi. Mr. R. Macdonald Stephenson,
Managing Director and Sir George Larpent, the Chairman of Stockton and Darlington Railway of
England, Vehemently opposed and denied permission to lay Railway line to the native "Carr Ta-
gore Company, although he had a cordial relation with the "Board of Directors" of East India Com-
pany. The first proposal for laying Rly line in India was processed by the East India Company in
1843, followed by London Company headed by Mr. R. M. Stephenson who became the Agent and
Managing Director (M.D) of East Indian Railway. Two companies, East Indian Railway of England,
got the permission of laying Rly line in Calcutta Presidency while another Great Indian Peninsula
Rly (GIPR) of England got permission for the same purpose in Bombay Presidency

Dwarkanath‘s willingness to pay a third of the capital cost of the proposed Calcutta–Raniganj line,
though, distinguished him from all other respondents.

EIR had to face periodical labour unrest due to long working hours ,less pay for natives and poor
working conditions. Goulburn Evening Penny Post (16 May 1934) had reported about strike and
violence at the Giridih , the colliery of East Indian Railway .
“A mob of 900 coolies, incensed over the,' wages reduction, attacked the offices of the East Indian
railway colliery at :the Giridih pelted stones and severely injured the English manager,. They
burnt the machines and coal stacked. The police were unable to disperse the rioters without using
force; so they opened fire killing two and injuring several.”

In spite of local enthusiasm, initially the company showed little interest in developing the coal re-
sources in India. Then the Governor of Bengal, Lord Canning, had little interest in developing the
internal resources of India. Since English coal was being imported and being sold to other countries
of the world as well.

The first Indian coal company under European supervision was the Raniganj mine open in 1820 by
Alexander and company, which was made possible by the efforts of a mining engineer- Mr. Wil-
liam Jones- aptly called the Father of coal mining in India. After 1820, other coal mines under
European management were in the Raniganj coalbelt -they are Chinakuri (1823), Damulia (1824)
and Chanch and Nuchibad (1830). Prince Dwarkanath Tagore was the first Indian to invest in coal
(Ghosh, 1994). After the introduction of steamers the demand for coal rapidly increased.

The Superintendent of the Geological Survey of India, Thomas Oldham, in his report dated 14 June,
1859, furnished to the government a statement of the yearly output of coal at that time from various
collieries in the Raniganj coalbelt. It is interesting that, there were 17 companies and concerns oper-
ating in this belt. Another interesting point to note is the dominance of indigenous entrepreneurs in
the mining industry. There were 13 of the total 17 concerns owned by Indian operators.

Extension of Raneegunge colliery lines:

Records published by House of Commons for year 1859-60 cover the debate on extension of Ra-
neegunge colliery lines:
―The great question of the year has been that of the extension of the Raneegunge colliery line to
the Barrakur River, with a branch along the Singarun Valley; having for its object the development
of the mineral resources of the neighbouring districts, and the establishment of greater facilities for
the conveyance of coal from the mines which are already worked.

The Barrakur line will be 22 miles long, and the Singarun line about seven miles long. The sections
for these lines have been forwarded to the consulting engineer to the railway company in England,
and the necessary measures for carrying out the works have been sanctioned by her Majesty‟s
Secretary of State in Council (10th December 1859). An indent has also been passed for 10 miles
of Greave‟s cast-iron sleepers, for experimental use on these colliery lines, where they will be sub-
jected to the test of a heavy slow traffic. The extension to the Barrakur is to be laid out so that it
may form part of a main line direct to the North-west Provinces, in the event of such a prolongation
being ultimately determined upon. Care has been taken in laying out the colliery lines to meet the
requirements of all the mining interests, and to place, as far as practicable, all upon an equal foot-
ing as regards accommodation.

Railways had constructed a large coal wharf to facilitate loading of coals in wagons:

“An extensive new “ coal wharf” at Raneegunge has been completed, so as to admit of coal being
loaded there, and the chief engineer reports that, “ so far as can at present be ascertained, it
seems well adapted to its intended purpose.‖

--Statement exhibiting the moral and material progress and condition India, during the year 1859-60 '
"India. Oflice, \ T. L. SECCOMBE, 14 May 1861.) Secretary, Financial Department. Ordered, by The House of Com-
mons, to be Printed, 4 July 1861.

In April 1858 the Board of Directors of the East Indian Railway forwarded to their agent in Calcutta
a memorandum from several proprietors of coal mines in the Raneegunge district, setting forth that
if the Railway should be carried on from Raneegunge to some point on the Grand Trunk Road near
the junction of the branch road to Raneegunge, they would engage to send all such coal as might
be intended for the Calcutta market by the Railway alone, and would agree to pay for its transport
the ordinary rate per mile for the full distance the coal might be conveyed. The Board forwarded
also a separate letter from the East Indian Coal Company, one of the parties to the above memori-
al, stating that if their principal mines should be put in direct Railway communication with Calcutta,
they would guarantee the dispatch by Railway of 200 tons of coal daily for 21years, paying for that
quantity, whether dispatched or not, at the rate charged to the public generally.

Prior to this a proposal was submitted to Government by the agent of the East Indian Railway
Company, to construct a branch line from the terminus at Raneegunge to the Searsole colliery, dis-
tant about 1 miles, owned by Gobind persaud Pundit, by whom the cost was to be eventually repa-
id. This proposal, which amounted in fact to a scheme for making a private Railway under cover of
the power conferred by law for the purpose of making public Railways, was rejected by the Gov-
ernment; but it was, at the same time, intimated to the agent that an extension of the line westward
might be Worthy of consideration, especially if the new line could be made available for the pur-
pose of carrying the general traffic further in that direction, while it should run near so many collie-
ries as to be rendered certainly remunerative.

The Government of India, ordered trial surveys to be commenced both for the branch line and the
main line extension, and Mr. Oldham, the Superintendent of the geological survey, was at the
same time directed to make a careful examination of the country, with a view to determining the
probable extent of the coal fields, and the positions where the mineral is found in greatest abun-
dance and of the best quality.

In his report Mr. Oldham noticed the vast increase in the production of coal from these fields since
his first visit in 1851-52, and he remarked that his examination had placed beyond doubt the fact
that there is abundance of coal in the field to meet the demand for years. He strongly urged the
construction of a branch along the Singarrun Valley as far as the Chowkeydanga colliery, which
would lead to Bahrool.

He also recommended the continuation of the main line from Raneegunge along the valley of the
Nooneah (in which lies one group of coal mines) nearly to the Burrakur, preferring this route to one
leading direct to the group of mines near the confluence of the Burrakur and Damoodah.

There was great opposition from existing coal companies against further development of collieries
lines. Bengal Coal Company did not allow survey in their lands for extension of Rail lines and did
their best to create roadblocks in extension of rail lines to of rival collieries.

“We learn that the Superintendent of the Bengal Coal Company at Raneegunge, has written to the Railway
Engineers engaged in surveying the new extension line from Raneegunge to the Barrackar River, informing
them that he has received instructions from the Secretaries at Calcutta to stop the Survey or working out of
any line throughout the Bengal Coal Company's Lands. We regret to hear this, because nothing
could be more damaging to the interests, of the interlopers, adventurers, or whatever else they may be
called, than an opposition of this nature. Among the Directors of the Bengal Coal Company are men who
have been first and foremost in the cry against the exclusive policy of the late Government. As the main-
spring of the Indian Reform League, they have been incessant and vehement in their denunciation against
the old regime. They have been talking about the infusion of the Anglo-Saxon independent element, of con-
structing Roads, Canals and Railways ; of opening up the resources of the country and so forth ; and yet
what do they do, they falsify the whole of their principles by their actions. Men, who have been denouncing
the abuses of the Government, commit the same abuses themselves. The Bengal Coal Company having got
hold of a nice tract of country at Raneegunge ; having by admirable tact got a Railway made right up to their
pit-mouths ; strenuously oppose the extension of the Railway, or the construction of branches of any kind to
accommodate Rival Coal owners.
They will bear no rival near their throne. Though, they are the bitterest opponents of the exclusive policy,
they carry out the exclusive policy to the very letter themselves.”-- THE ENGINEER'S JOURNAL, RAILWAY,
January 3, 1859.
Public opinion during the period was critical of the stronghold of Bengal Coal Company and urged
Railways to provide Rail connectivity to the new collieries.

“We have no hesitation in saying that the attempts made to frustrate the surveys of the Railway Company
will prove abortive. They may create delay but nothing more. The Railway Company will be backed by the
Government of India, and before their powerful arm everything else must give way. So far as the Railway
Company therefore is concerned, there are no fears. Not so, however with the smaller fry, the rival coal
owners. Baboo Gobind Persaud Pundit perhaps the largest of the other coal proprietors has, for some time
past, been anxious to construct a branch Railway from Raneegunge to his collieries.

He is willing to construct it himself, but the Bengal Coal Company resist the construction of the line as a por-
tion of it, to reach the Railway, must run over their property. Here is the beautiful " exclusive policy" again at
work. In such a case we are of opinion that the Railway Company ought to construct the line up to Gobind
Persaud Pundit's pits especially as he is willing to pay for it. He is too small to fight the battle out himself, and
the Railway Company should take up the matter and force the Bengal Coal Company to give up the neces-
sary land at a fair valuation. Landholders are forced to give up their land in England and why should they not
here. We know of a Railway taken right across a gentleman's park and right through his dining-room be-
cause he opposed the making of the line. If such things can be done in England, the mere taking of a strip of
waste land in India ought to be an easy matter. If the Railway Company's Act does not empower them to do
it, it is easy to obtain a revised act with the necessary powers. It is clearly to the interests of the Railway
shareholders that the stronghold of the Bengal Coal Company should be broken; into a branch line con-
structed from Raneegunge up through the Searsole district to accommodate the colliery owners there and
the line extended to the Barrackur to enable fresh collieries to be opened out. One party has already pur-
chased land on the Barrackur extension line with the view of opening out new collieries.”--

THE ENGINEER'S JOURNAL, RAILWAY, January 3, 1859.

Subsequently the opposition against carrying Railway survey was withdrawn by Bengal Coal Com-
pany after the issue was raised by Mr. Palmer, the Agent of the East Indian Railway.

“We learn that on an official letter being addressed to the Bengal Coal Company by-Mr. Palmer, the Agent of
the East Indian Railway, regarding the opposition, made against the prosecution of the Railway Survey at
Raneegunge, the Bengal Coal Company have withdrawn their opposition and promised to afford every facil-
ity for carrying out the extension line.” - THE ENGINEER'S JOURNAL, RAILWAY, January 3, 1859.

It appears from the report of the Bengal Coal Company, presented to the half yearly Meeting of Shareholders
on the 16th June, that the supply of Coal from this field is inexhaustible, at least as far as the present and
many subsequent generations are concerned. Some doubts of this fact had, it seems, been expressed, but
the report of Mr. Lord, the manager, proved beyond a doubt that it would take upwards of 3000 years for the
Bengal Coal Company's Collieries to be exhausted. One thing is certain, that the demand for Coal must in-
crease to an enormous extent. With three Railways in course of construction in Bengal, one of them open to
a considerable extent, and with constant additions to the number of our river-steamers, the
Coal Companies may safely reckon on increasing sales.

But it is very doubtful whether, with the existing means of transport, any thing like the quantity required could
be brought to the market. The Collieries to the West of Raneegunge are almost entirely dependent upon the
river Damoodah for the conveyance of Coal. It is now proposed to extend to them the advantages of Railway
communication, and the following Report of Mr. Turnbull, the chief Engineer,will show the present position of
the undertaking :—

Feasibility and survey Report of Mr. Turnbull, the chief Engineer, EIR :

It shows the meticulous planning, careful trials, comprehensive analysis and detailed site sur-
veys done, investigations conducted, alternative routes mapped and financial viability explored
,before EIR started extension of colliery lines.

EDWARD PALMER, Esq. Calcutta, 21th May, 1859.

Extension to the River Barrakur and Singareon Valley Branch.

Dear Sir,—In compliance with your request, dated the 28th October, 1858,
enclosing a copy of the Officiating Secretary's letter to the Consulting Engineer to the Government of India,
No. 4861,dated 29th September, 185S, I have made a careful re-examination of the country westwards of
Raneegunge, to and beyond the river Barrakur, having been over it on former occasions more than once, I
also examined the valley of the river Singareon,and marked out the lines on which trial sections should be
taken. Careful trial sections, plans and estimates have been completed, and I have now to report the results
of the investigations, relative to extending the Railway to the river Barrakur, and making a branch line up the
valley of the river Singareon. It will be I think most convenient, with reference to the advisability of extending
the Railway westwards into the Coal-field, to advert first to the present out-turn of the Damoodah Coal-field,
and next to the amount at present carried down by the Railway, and thirdly to the probable future demand :
Mr. Oldham has favored me with the results of his late investigations on the first point, and as they were
more minute and elaborate than mine, I prefer adopting his general abstract with some limitation :
It is as follows :
Abstract of Yearly Out-turn. Maunds

1. —Mines near Raneegunge,... 38,00.000

2.—Ditto on the Singareon, ... 22,39.000
3. —Ditto on Nooneah river, ... 6,85,000
4.—Ditto on ditto east branch, 2,80,000
5 —Ditto on west branch 3,70,000
6.—Ditto near junction of Damoodah and Barrakur 6,90,000
7.—Other mines, 4,20,000
Total,... 83,91,000
amounting to no less than 305,236 tons
at 27g maunds to a ton.
Mr. Oldham does not, as I understand him, state this as an exact or positive amount sent to market, but only
gives it as an approximate statement, showing the present capabilities of the present workings.
It would be difficult to arrive at an exact amount of the present quantity brought to market, but it will be, I
think a near approximation to assume the total present yield of the Damoodah Coal-field at 68,44,000
maunds per annum or 241,600 tons of coal. The total exact quantity carried by the Railway in the first six
months of 1858,amounted to 16,11,967 maunds, and in the latter six months of 1858, to 17,04,274 maunds,
making a total for the year of 33,16,211 maunds or 120,591 tons.

It thus appears that about one-half finds its way to Calcutta by the Railway, the other half is disposed of as
follows : part to Calcutta in boats by the river Damoodah ; part sent to the Beerbhoom districts of the Rail-
way, for brick burning and other purposes, and some used in the Locomotives, and for brick and lime burning
;and a large portion annually accumulated on the banks of the river Damoodah, waiting for a favorable sea-
son for transmission by boats to market.The total brought to Calcutta, in 1850,was about 22 lakhs or 80,000
tons, it thus appears that the amount has been tripled in 9 years. A satisfactory result, but not an unexpected
one, as to the amount of coal produced ; the only unsatisfactory circumstance being, that the whole is not
carried on the Railway as it ought to be. On the third point adverted to, viz. .- the probable future demand, it
is difficult to arrive at any but the most general results, nor is it necessary to attempt any analysis,
as the rapidly increasing demand is admitted on all hands.

The extension of the East Indian Railway to Rajmahal and towards the North West will soon cause a de-
mand for 5 times its present consumption ; then the demands of the " Eastern of Bengal" and the " Mutla"
Companies for brick-burning and other purposes connected with construction, and permanently for fuel for
the locomotive and other engines ; then the increasing demands of the steamers navigating the Hooghly
down wards and upwards, will, I think, make an estimate of ten times the present traffic in coal appear not
too great to contemplate in the course of a few years. There would not be any difficulty in conveying along
the line ten times the present amount of coal, assuming that we have a sufficient number of locomotive en-
gines and coal waggons, and also a sufficiency of coal straits for shipping into the native boats, or depots
along the river banks near Calcutta.

The present terminus at Raneegunge is not far within the eastern limit of the Damoodah Coal-fields, and the
facts above stated make it obvious that an extension westwards, at least to the river Barrakur, would be a
sound and profitable undertaking, by intercepting the large quantity which still finds its way to market by the
Damoodah, and by accommodating the large coal traffic at present carried on by carts tediously and expen-
sively, from the pits in the west to the Raneegunge station. Also by opening up the collieries at and on the
west side of the river Barrakur now almost shut out from any market ; but of which the coal is of excellent
quality.

Singareon Branch.
Assuming then that the advantages of an extension of the present line will be admitted I will first advert to a
Branch line up the valley of the river Singareon, of which the plan, section and estimate accompany this re-
port.I propose to double the line from the present Undid station to the 115th mile, a distance of 2 miles, and
thence diverge to the north, going close to the new Baboosole Colliery belonging to the Bengal Coal Com-
pany; cross the trunk road near the Buktanuggur dak bungalow ; thence nearly straight to and past Mun-
gulpore Colliery of Messrs. Erskine and Company ;thence on through several new Collieries opened, or pre-
paring for being opened, up to the workings of the " East Indian Coal Company" at Toposi ; and on to the
Chowkedangah Colliery where I propose that the branch should terminate.The section shows that the gradi-
ents are extremely favorable and the works light.
The total estimate is Rupees 356,651.The estimate is made out as for a single line, but there must be so
many sidings, and as the land is not valuable, I think land sufficient for a double line should be taken for the
whole distance. The works on this branch are so simple that it will he unnecessary here to go into further
details ; I shall only remark, that if it be determined to carry the work into effect, an early commencement
might be made even before the land plans are matured, because the land owners being also the coal pro-
prietors are the parties who would be immediately benefited and would, as I understand, offer no obstruction
but on the contrary render every assistance. Considering the benefits they will derive from the branch, they
ought to give over the land on the most favourable terms. The whole work could be done in 9 months from
the date of commencement.

The present yield of the Collieries in the valley of the Singareon is more than would suffice for one train a
day. The section shows Chowkedangah Colliery to be 338 feet above Howrah Dock Bill, or 310 feet above
the level of the rails at Howrah Station. Extension to the River Barrakur.

Trial sections have been taken on three lines, hut the one which Mr. Turnbull reoommends is called the "
Nooneah Line."It leaves the present line a little to the west of the Raneegunge station, goes between the
Raneegunge and the Searsole Collieries, and about a mile to the west of the river Nooneah it bends to the
north west, crosses the Trunk road near the suspension bridge, and maintains nearly a straight course be-
tween the Trunk road and the Nooneah river for about 7 miles, passing near Mr. Jackson's Collieries, and
so onwards in a good general direction to the river Barrakur, bending to the south at its approach to that river
and having a station near the present crossing of the Barrakur. The estimate of this line amounts to Rupees
15,31,7-10-0-0.Distance from Raneegunge to the river Barrakur 22 miles 316 yards, estimate per mile
£6,898.

The balance, as regards cost, is in favour of the Nooneah line; but the reason for which I would recommend
its adoption is, that of the three Hues under discussion, it affords the greatest accommodation to the Coal
Traffic. That is to say, that it affords the greatest accommodation to the greatest number of collieries. The
main body of the coal lies nearest to the line which I have recommended. The sections are all taken, or ex-
tended across the river Barrakur and up to a point on the Grand Trunk Road at Neershah for comparison,
this point is about 8 miles west of the river Barrakur. Although Neershah is not even at the end of the Coal-
field, as defined iu Mr.William's map, and although I am informed there is more coal to be found to the
west-ward, and to the south of the Trunk Road, yet i would not recommend any prolongation of the line be-
yond the river Barrakur at the present time, for the following reasons: first, the opening up of the Singareon
valley and the 22 miles through the heart of the Coal-field, will develop such an amount of Coal Traffic
as cannot but satisfy the wants of Calcutta, its Railways and its steamers for a series of years to come, in
fact will afford such a supply as need be practically contemplated or looked forward to. Secondly, because
a bridge over the Barrakur, with foundations for a double road, and Iron-work for a single road, would cost
not less than £60,000, and need not, I think, be under taken unless with a view to the further extension of the
Railway to the west. It is for these reasons that my estimate is only for a line up to, but not crossing
the Barrakur, and in each case I have estimated a station at the Barrakur at l£s.1,00,000. The cost of which
is included in the mileage rate.

The worst gradient between Howrah and Raneegunge is 1 in 264 or 20 feet in a mile. On the Nooneah line,
here recommended, there is one gradient of 1 in 180 but as the section is only a trial one, I believe it can be
considerably improved by closer investigation and searching out the country ; still I doubt whether a better
than 1 in 200 can be obtained without goiug into heavy cuttings, which are most undesirable works in this
country. The difficulty to surmount is a broad ridge of high land which skirts the river Barrakur on its left bank.
The station at the river Barrakur would be 400 feet above Howrah Dock Sill or 372 feet above the level of the
rails at Howrah station, the distance would be 1-13 miles.

I am, dear Sir,

Your's faithfullv,
GEOUGE TURNBULL,
Chief Engineer.

Bibiliography:

1.Turnbull to Baker, 25 June 1852, Rly. Letters Enel., Vol. VI.

2.Report on Coal Resources and Production of India by T. Oldham,
3. App. Ill, p. XXIV, 1867,Selection Govt, of India, No. 64.
4.Mineral Statistics: Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, Vol. III.
5.Turnbull to Noad, 30 June 1851, Rly. Letts. End., Vdl. III.
6.McCulloch's Commercial Dictionary (London 1859), Vol. 1,
7.Memoirs, Geol. Surv. Iud., VIII, page 321 (1872).
8. Railways of India by Edward Davidson 1868
9. THE ENGINEER'S JOURNAL, RAILWAY, July I5, 1859.
10. THE ENGINEER'S JOURNAL, RAILWAY, January 3, 1859.
11. Statement exhibiting the moral and material progress and condition India, during the year 1859-60 '
"India. Oflice, \ T. L. SECCOMBE, 14 May 1861.) Secretary, Financial Department. Ordered, by The House
of Commons, to be Printed, 4 July 1861.
12.Giridih Coal fields , Travelogue by Rudyard Kipling
13. V. Anstey, The Economic Development of India, London, 4th ed. 1952
14. East Indian Railway: 1906 History of the EIR by George Huddleston
15 Gazette of Burdwan
16 Gazette of Hazaribagh
17. Report of the Committee for Investigating the Coal and Mineral Resources of India for the year 1838
18. Report of the managing director of East Indian Railway company to chairman in April 8,1846
19. Friend of India, May 25.1854
20. Engineers Journal February 1 1861
21. Report on Coal Resources and Production of India by T. Oldham, 1867, App. Ill, p. XXIV, Sel. Govt, of
India. No. 64.
22. Rendel and Turnbull to Noad. 23 July 1855, Rly. Home Corrsespondence „A‟, Vol. IX. 1 Report to the
Sec. of State for India in Counc. on Rlys. in India
23. J.E.O Connor in Review of the Trade in India 1878-79
24. Friend of India, May 10,1855