The people in our 2AC compartment had drawn all the curtains, so we could only see out of our side berth windows. And to compound the error we opened the door on the same (wrong) side to take this shot!

Posted by Mohan Bhuyan on 2006 Dec 16 15:38:59 +0000

Oops! - B Vohra has written to say that this is not a picture of damage but of remedy. The gap behind the arch has been kept to be filled up with concrete and counter the heaving.

Posted by Mohan Bhuyan on 2006 Dec 16 15:23:21 +0000

On the memorial plaque for the 1971 Battle of Hussainiwala it is mentioned that the bridge was destroyed because of a "sympathetic detonation". My interpretation - the bridge had been wired for demolition in case the troops had to retreat to the eastern bank, but it blew up when a shell landed on or near it.

Posted by Mohan Bhuyan on 2006 Dec 16 15:19:03 +0000

Fortified Western End

I forgot to add that the damage to the structure was inflicted during the 1971 battle and that the bridge itself came down due to a "sympathetic detonation" during that same battle. Yes, there is an identical structure on the eastern bank. Thanks Jay, for the very thoughtful link to the google placemark!

Posted by Mohan Bhuyan on 2006 Dec 16 15:10:38 +0000

North by Northwest

Thank you all for the kind words.
Saifullah - we were guests of NR's Special Projects Construction Team and their on-site contractors & workers - ordinary people doing an extraordinary engineering job in difficult terrain, with a security situation that tends to get dicey ever so often. Rajeev Shrivastava had commented about the message on the buffer in an earlier post, which stuck in my mind somehow.

Posted by Mohan Bhuyan on 2006 Dec 16 15:04:58 +0000

Gentlemen - terrific pictures! Now I know what we missed by doing this section at night!

Posted by Mohan Bhuyan on 2006 Dec 16 14:58:47 +0000

The distance of 1390 Kms. is from Howrah but it is via Gondia, Nainpur, Chindwara. Sorry for having said earlier that it is via Jabalpur

Posted by V. Srinavasa Prasad on 2006 Dec 16 11:33:03 +0000

Great view.

Posted by Bizzy Mishra on 2006 Dec 15 21:48:37 +0000

Simply awesome

Posted by Bizzy Mishra on 2006 Dec 15 21:46:43 +0000

Hey Mohan and Bharat, thanks for giving us such a great insight into the railway system, both existing and being built. Also for the nice coverage of Hussainiwala area.

Posted by Jimmy Jose on 2006 Dec 15 19:48:57 +0000