While it can retain its name for some time, Allahabad Junction will lose a landmark very soon—that of Gadha Line, a popular name for platform number 5.While no one can say for sure how the name got stuck, everyone would agree that it is a unique one. The platform is almost half the size of a normal one and witnesses operation by just one train everyday. As a result, it has been decided that it will be merged with platform 4.Apart from serving the lone train, platform 5 is used mainly to park unused wagons. Until a few years ago though, it would be vibrant at multiple times of the day with arriving and departing passengers of two trains: Allahabad-Chandigarh Unchahar Express and Allahabad-Jaunpur passenger train.While the former has been shifted to Prayag station (Northern Railway), the latter now graces platforms 7 or 8.What lies in dust, literally, is Gadha Line.On probing a bit about how the name came about, TOI found a story that does carry some explanation.According to senior and retired railway officials and workers, the British used this platform to load and unload animals including horses, goats and donkeys from trains as part of trade.“Perhaps this is why platform number 5 is so named,” says Pradeep Kumar Mishra, a former grade A guard who retired from Allahabad after serving in the railways for around 35 years.Likewise, there is another unique platform at the Junction, known as ‘Ghoda Line’ (horse platform). With a span of around 50 metre, this platform is located behind the ‘line Shah Mazaar’ on the Howrah end of platform number 1.This exclusive name came by because the British used the platform exclusively for loading and unloading of horses and mules during war time. Today, the platform is used for parking VIP saloons of railway officials.While a new platform is being constructed on the Civil Lines side, platform 5 would cease to exist in the coming days. Hence, we will continue to have 10 platforms as it is right now,” says chief public relations officer of North Central Railway GK Bansal.The platform is being merged because of lack of usage for long periods of time. This happened because several trains have been shifted to satellite stations such as Prayag, Naini, Subedarganj and Rambagh, he added.

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