Just a few more days remain. The goods shed of Purulia Station will completely disappear. The hearts of many people in Purulia, especially the elderly, are heavy as the bell tolls for the final farewell of this nearly century-old warehouse. Among them are former railway employees. There are also those labourers who once toiled here, loading and unloading various goods. The goods shed of Purulia Station, which once bustled with activity day and night, is now a broken wasteland. Work is underway to demolish all its structures. In the future, the new platforms 5 and 6 of Purulia Station will be built on this very site.
From the elderly, it was learned that train services began running through the Purulia district in 1889. Purulia Station was established at that time. Subsequently, as the railway line extended from this station through Kotshila and Ranchi to Lohardaga, Purulia became an important junction. With the increase in train movement, freight transportation through Purulia Station also began extensively. A warehouse was built toward the loco shed. Freight train rakes began arriving here one after another. The goods shed became vibrant. Loading and unloading of various materials, including food grains, cement, rods, and concrete, continued here. Thousands of workers found their livelihood centred around this warehouse.
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Its existence was threatened many years ago. Platform 4 of Purulia Station was built by closing one line of the warehouse. A few years ago, work began to permanently relocate this shed to Chharra, a station adjacent to Purulia. Now the main warehouse and office of this shed have been demolished. Work on demolishing the remaining portion will also begin within a few days.
Achintamoy Bandyopadhyay, a resident of Purulia town, joined as a station master in the Adra Division of South Eastern Railway in 1964. He retired 20 years ago. He said, "Purulia's goods shed provided substantial revenue to the railway. Freight trains regularly came and stopped here. Coolies, labourers, and railway goods clerks were always busy with loading and unloading. That scene will no longer be visible." The elderly man became somewhat nostalgic while speaking. Sheikh Afroz, a resident of Purulia's Dhavadi, has also grown old. For a major part of his life, he worked here carrying goods. He has many memories surrounding this shed. Knowing that it will no longer exist, his heart is melancholy.
However, the common people of Purulia are happy to learn that two new platforms will be built. They expect the number of trains to increase as well. Though Purulia is losing it, Chharra, seven kilometres away, is set to get an ultra-modern warehouse. Bikash Kumar, Senior DCM of Adra Division, said, "Hereafter, freight operations of Purulia Station will be conducted from Chharra. This decision has been taken to improve the infrastructure of Purulia Station."
