Question

Give a detailed account of the development of railways in India and highlight their importance.

Answer 1

Indian railways network is one of the longest in the world. It facilitates the movement of both freight and passengers and contributes to the growth of the economy. Indian Railway was introduced in 1853 when a line was constructed from Bombay to Thane covering a distance of 34 km.

It is the largest government undertaking in the country. Its network length is 63,221 km. It's very large size puts lots of pressure on a centralized railway management system. Thus, in India, the railway system has been divided into sixteen zones. Indian Railways has launched an extensive programme to convert the metre and narrow gauges to broad gauge. Moreover, steam engines have been replaced by diesel and electric engines. This step has increased the speed as well as the haulage capacity.

The replacement of steam engines run by coal has also improved the environment of the stations. Metro rail has revolutionized the urban transport system in Kolkata and Delhi. Replacement of diesel buses by CNG run vehicles along with the introduction of the metro is a welcome step towards controlling the air pollution in urban centres.

Areas around towns, raw material producing areas and of plantations and other commercial crops, hill stations and cantonment towns were well-connected by railways from the British colonial era. These were mostly developed for the exploitation of resources. After the Independence of the country, railway routes have been extended to other areas too. The most significant development has been the development of the Konkan Railway along the western coast providing a direct link between Mumbai and Mangalore.

The railway continues to remain the main means of transport for the masses. The Railway network is relatively less dense in the hill states, north eastern states, central parts of India and Rajasthan.