Gorakhpur Railway Station, the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway, has the status of the world’s longest platform (4483 feet i.e. 1366.33 meters). But very few people know that even 52 years ago there was a station in the North Eastern Railway whose platform was the longest (2450 feet) in the country. Yes, this platform was of Sonpur Railway Station, which is now on East Central Railway. The largest transshipment yard in India, Garhara was also in Sonpur district.
Sonpur Railway Station
In fact, the formal inauguration of the Sonpur Division was done by the then Railway Minister Prof. Madhu Dandawate on 21 October 1978. It is worth mentioning that Sonpur has always been a very important center of rail movement on the North Eastern Railway. Before the division of the NER in 1969, Sonpur was the largest of the eight railway districts on the NER. It also had the distinction of having Sonpur’s largest platform (with a length of 2450 feet) in the country.
Apart from this, steamer services between Palejaghat-Mahindru Ghat and Mahadevpur Ghat and Bhagalpur were also in the Sonepur district. Considering the strategic importance of Sonpur, it was functioning as an Operating Division from 15.08.1975. Sonpur has the distinction of hosting Asia’s largest cattle fair which is organized near Harihar Nath Temple. It is situated at the confluence of the Ganges and Gandak rivers.
Sonpur Railway Station
10 longest platforms in the world :
1. Gorakhpur Railway Station (UP), Platform Length 4483 ft i.e. 1366.33 m.
2. Kollam Railway Station (Kerala), Platform Length 3873 ft i.e. 1180.5 m.
3. Kharagpur Railway Station (West Bengal), Platform Length 3519 Feet i.e. 1072.5 Meters.
4. State Street subway of Chicago (US), platform length is 3501 feet i.e. 1067 meters (longest platform in North America).
5. Bilaspur Railway Station (Chhattisgarh), platform length is 2631 feet i.e. 802 meters.
6. Sheraton Shuttle Terminal is of Folkestone (UK), the longest station in Europe with a platform length of 2595 feet (791 meters).
7. Jhansi Railway Station (UP), platform length 2526 feet i.e. 770 meters.
8. East Perth Railway Station of Perth (Western Australia) Platform length 2526 feet i.e. 770 meters, Australia’s longest station.
9. Kalgoorlie Station (Western Australia), platform length 2493 ft i.e. 760 m.
10. Sonpur station (Bihar) platform length 2421 feet i.e. 738 meters.