Evolution of Indian Railways - History, Industrial, Passenger Railways, Electrification of Railways & More

The evolution of Indian Railways dates back more than 160 years since the first Indian train was introduced by the British Government of colonial times. India’s railways defined and shaped the country over the last century and a half. The tracks laid boost a regime the foreign investors evolved to support the country itself. 

Indian Railways has experienced a diversifying evolution from the British Raj to modern-day rail developing operations. Indian Railways is one of the world’s largest railway networks and has employed numerous people since the 18th Century. The entire process of the evolution of the Indian Railways could be classified into two phases: one before the Indian Independence and the other after the Indian Independence.

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History of Railways in India: Before Independence

Let’s see the introduction of railways in India in the pre-Independence period.

First Train in India

The Indian Railways, for the first time in the 18th century, had its first ever rail in 1837, the Red Hill Railways, introduced by Arthur Cotton for the transportation of granite and road construction materials. This first railway in India ran from the Red Hills, Madras, to Chintadripet Bridge.

Laying of the first railway line in India

Chief Resident Engineer James John Berkely was appointed by the Great Peninsula Railway to construct India’s first railway track on August 21, 1847, in collaboration with the East India Company.

The track was 56 kilometers long and stretched from Bombay to Khandesh and Berar. Officially, the opening was done in 1853 when the railway line was first used for the Indian passenger rail.

First Passenger Train in India

The first passenger train in India set off on a 34km journey between Bombay’s BoriBunder station and Thane. It consisted of 14 cars being hauled by three steam locomotives and carried 400 passengers.

The 14-carriage train was hauled by three steam locomotives: the Sahib, Sindh, and Sultan. The passenger line was built and operated by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR). This train was built on a 1,676 mm (5ft 6in) broad gauge track. This early era of passenger travel was primarily funded by private companies under a guarantee system created by the British Parliament, which ensured they’d receive a particular rate of interest on their capital investment. In total, eight railway companies were established between 1855 and 1860, including Eastern India Railway, Great India Peninsula Company, Madras Railway, Bombay Baroda, and Central India Railway.

First Railway Station in India

The first railway station in India, Boribunder, was reconstructed and renamed Victoria Terminus in honor of Queen Victoria in 1888. The station was established in BoriBunder, Mumbai, and was the first railway station. In 1853, the first passenger train in India ran from Bori Bunder to Thane.

India’s first/ oldest working locomotive

The Fairy Queen was one of the world’s first and the oldest working locomotives which is still working. In 1998, It was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest steam locomotive in regular service, which was manufactured in 1855. It occasionally runs between New Delhi and Alwar. The Fairy Queen runs on the same route as the Palace on Wheels, the tourist train launched in 1982, and in 1999 was awarded a National Tourism Award.

The Government of India bestowed its heritage status on the Fairy Queen in 1972 and declared it as the national treasure. This is provided a special spot in the newly built National Rail Museum at Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.

Introduction of Toilets in Railways

Since the beginning of the Railways, for more than 50 years of operation of Indian Railways, the passengers were deprived of the toilet facility in the trains. On July 2, 1909, Okhil Chandra Sen, an Indian Railways passenger, wrote to the Sahibganj Divisional Office, West Bengal, in 1909 urging to set up toilets.

So, In 1909, after half a century of operation, toilets were installed in Indian Railways.

First Electric train in India

In 1924, the first railway budget was presented, and in the same year, the Oudh and Rohilkhand. On 3 February 1925, the first electric passenger train in India began between Victoria Terminus and Kurla Harbour.

The electric line was later extended to the Igatpuri district of Nasik and then to Pune.

Deccan Queen, one of the most iconic Indian trains

The Deccan Queen ran between Maharashtra’s two most important cities, Pune and Mumbai, and was launched on June 1, 1930. It was the watershed moment in the history of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the forerunner of the Central Railway.

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Introduction of Industrial Railways in India

Year	Key Developments
1851	The first experimental railway line was built near Chintadripet, Chennai, for transporting granite stones. This marked the beginning of industrial railways in India.
1854	A 3.5-mile railway line constructed by Sir Arthur Cotton to transport construction materials for the Godavari Dam.
1863	The Eastern Bengal Railway was constructed to transport tea, jute, and coal from the eastern regions of India.
1870s	Railways expanded in the mining regions of Bihar and Bengal to transport coal and minerals.
1900s	Industrial railways became vital for transporting raw materials and finished goods for various industries, including textiles, mining, and steel.
1947	Post-independence, industrial railways continued to support the growth of key industries in India.

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Introduction of Passenger Railways and Expansion

Year	Key Developments
1853	The first passenger train in India ran between Bori Bunder in Mumbai and Thane, covering a distance of 34 km.
1862	Introduction of the first railway bridge across the Ganges River at Allahabad, connecting northern and southern parts of India.
1864	Railway lines extended to Kolkata (Calcutta), a significant step in connecting the eastern regions to the rail network.
1870s	Expansion of railway lines to major cities like Delhi, Chennai (Madras), and Mumbai (Bombay), linking key urban centers.
1873	Completion of the Pamban Bridge, connecting Rameswaram to the mainland, facilitating rail travel to South India.
1889	The railway time zone system was introduced to standardize time across the country, improving scheduling accuracy.
1890s	Introduction of the "famine specials," dedicated trains to transport food and aid during famines.
1896	Establishment of the Railway Board to oversee railway administration and development.
1900s	Introduction of long-distance passenger trains connecting major cities, improving travel comfort and connectivity.
1912	Opening of the Konkan Railway route, connecting Mumbai to Mangalore along the picturesque Western Ghats.
1924	Introduction of the Imperial Mail, a luxurious train with amenities for elites, showcasing the diversity of railway services.

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Evolution of Indian Railways: After Independence

After the Independence in 1947, the railways faced a setback as nearly 40% of the railway tracks were now situated in the newly created Pakistan. This issue was resolved by laying new railway tracks to connect the major cities of the new India, like Jammu, and this caused a heavy expense to the Indian Government. But even after the setbacks, the railways evolved over the course of time.

Nationalization of the Railway

In the post-independence era, 75% of the public transport and 90% of the freight was composed by the Railways. The government required a separate railway budget for its work. Now, in recent times the share of the Indian Railway was reduced to 15% and 30% respectively.

Indian Railways was nationalized in 1951 and is now Asia’s second-biggest and world’s fourth-largest rail network.

Reservation in Indian Railway

Indian Railways, in the initial days after nationalization, introduced the system of reserving seats for passengers, especially those who had to travel a long distance.

Before the computer age, reservations were made manually by entering the details of the passengers. This technique had a major drawback that the passengers had to wait in long queues.

In 1986, the first-ever computerized reservation system was introduced in New Delhi by Indian Railways.

First Live Telecast of the Rail Budget

Since Indian Independence, the government started creating a rail budget every year. On March 24, 1994, the first-ever live telecast of the Rail Budget took place. From 2004 to 2009, the Rail Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, presented the budgets six times in their entire tenure.

Mamta Banerjee, the current Chief Minister of West Bengal, was the first woman in Indian History to hold the post of Railway Minister in 2000 and present the Railway Budget in 2002. She was the first lady to present the railway budget for two separate central governments, i.e., NDA & UPA.

India’s First Air-Conditioned Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU)

During the first Modi Ministry, the rail minister was Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, who introduced India’s First Air-Conditioned Diesel Electric Multiple Unit in India.

India’s first air-conditioned DEMU train was launched in Kochi in June 2005.

The Angamaly-Ernakulam-tripunithura-Piravom train service was introduced with the aim of alleviating the traffic congestion of the Indian Railways in the fast-growing districts of Kerala.

India’s First solar-powered Train

The Indian Railway initiated the development of the solar-powered train with the motive of increasing savings. Solar power helps to decrease carbon dioxide emissions by up to 2.7 tonnes per year.

On July 14, 2017, the Indian railway launched the first-ever DEMU(Diesel-electric multiple units) from Delhi’s Safdarjung Station. The train was all set to operate from Delhi’s Sahrai Rohila to Haryana’s Farukh Nagar. The train is equipped with a total of 16 solar panels that together generate a total of 300 Wp and a total of six coaches.

India’s First CNG Train

As part of the adoption of green fuel by the Ministry of Railway, the first ever CNG gas-led train began on the Rewari-Rohtak section of the Northern zone of the Indian Railway in January 2005

India’s Fastest Train “Vande Bharat”

The fastest train of the Indian Railways, “Train 18”, commonly known as Vande Bharat, is a prestigious train with fully air-conditioned chairs and is operated between Delhi and Varanasi via Kanpur and Prayagraj.

In its test runs, this is the only indigenous train built under the Make in India initiative to travel 180 km per hour. However, due to speed restrictions, it cannot exceed the maximum speed limits of the route tracks. It goes at 130 km/hour.

The services of New Delhi – Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra – New Delhi Vande Bharat Express and Hazrat Nizamuddin – Jhansi – Hazrat Nizamuddin Gatimaan Express have been restored with effect from 21 July 2021.

India’s First Solar Miniature

The miniature rail system comprises three wagons with a total passenger capacity of 45 passengers. It also includes a tunnel, station, and ticket counter.

In November 2020, the chief minister of Kerala, Pinaraj Vijayan, introduced the country’s first solar miniature train for the Veil Tourist Village, which operates completely on Solar Energy. He longed that this train could be a one of its kind.

India’s and the World’s First double-stack Container train and launch of DFC Section

The world’s first double-stack haul container train from New Ateli in Haryana to New Kishanganj was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2021.

A western dedicated freight corridor (DFC) was launched between Rewari and Madar Station, which is 306 kilometers long.

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Electrification and Expansion of Indian Railways

Period	Key Events
1925	The first electric train in India ran between Victoria Terminus (Mumbai) and Kurla on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR).
1927	Electrification of the suburban section of the GIPR between Colaba and Borivli.
1930	Introduction of electric traction on the Howrah-Burdwan section of the Eastern Railway.
1931	The first electric train service commenced on the Howrah-Sheoraphuli section.
1935	Electrification of the Chennai Beach-Tambaram suburban section.
1941	Introduction of electric trains on the Madras Beach-Gummidipundi section.
1942	Launch of electric train services on the Howrah-Kharagpur section.
1949	Electrification of the Howrah-Burdwan main line completed.
1950	Electrification of the Mumbai suburban section, covering both Western and Central Railways.

During this period, Indian Railways also witnessed significant expansion:

Broad Gauge Conversion

Narrow gauge and meter gauge lines were converted to broad gauge. This prompted improved connectivity and operational efficiency.

New Railway Lines

• Construction of new railway lines connecting previously unconnected regions.
• Expansion of the rail network to reach remote areas and facilitate economic development.

Major Stations and Bridges

• Construction of iconic railway stations like Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) in Mumbai.
• Building of major bridges, such as the Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu, for rail connectivity.

Rolling Stock

• Procurement of new locomotives and wagons to cater to the increasing passenger and freight demands.
• Introduction of modern and more comfortable passenger coaches.

Improved Signaling Systems

• Upgradation of signaling systems to enhance safety and regulate train movements.
• Introduction of block signaling and interlocking systems.

Workshops and Maintenance

• Establishment of new workshops for maintenance and repair of rolling stock.
• Introduction of mechanized maintenance practices for efficient operations.

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Re-organisation of Zones in Indian Railways

Period	Key Events
1951	Creation of the first zone, Northern Railway, by merging several smaller railways in the northern region.
1952	Formation of Western Railway by consolidating the railways in the western part of India.
1955	Eastern Railway was established by amalgamating various railways in the eastern region.
1957	Southern Railway was formed by merging multiple railways in the southern part of India.
1966	Northeast Frontier Railway was established to cater to the northeastern region of the country.
1971	South Central Railway was formed by merging railways in the central and southern parts of India.
1982	Central Railway and Western Railway were reorganized to create two additional zones: North Central Railway and South Western Railway.
1983	Formation of North Western Railway by reorganizing Western Railway.

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Rapid Transit and Other Developments in Indian Railways

Period	Key Events
1984	Introduction of Kolkata Metro, the first metro railway in India, connecting various parts of Kolkata.
2002	Delhi Metro started its operations, revolutionizing urban transportation in the national capital region.
2004	Commencement of operations of the Konkan Railway, a major project connecting the states of Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka.
2009	Launch of the Bengaluru Metro, providing a rapid transit system in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
2011	Mumbai Metro was inaugurated, offering a metro network in the bustling city of Mumbai.
2017	Chennai Metro Rail became operational, serving as a rapid transit system in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
2019	Ahmedabad Metro was inaugurated, providing a metro network in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Present	Ongoing expansion and development of metro networks in various cities, including Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kochi, and Jaipur.

Several significant developments have taken place in the Indian Railways during this period:

High-Speed Rail Project

Launch of the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project in collaboration with Japan. It is commonly known as the Bullet Train project.

Dedicated Freight Corridors

• Construction of Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) to enhance freight transportation efficiency.
• The Eastern DFC and Western DFC projects aim to provide dedicated tracks for freight trains, reducing congestion on existing lines.

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Advantages of Indian Railways

The following are some of the advantages of Indian railways:

• Indian Railways has one of the world's largest railway networks. It covers vast distances and connects various regions across the country.
• Rail travel is often more economical compared to other modes of transportation. This makes it accessible to a wide range of passengers.
• Indian Railways has the capacity to accommodate a large number of passengers. It facilitates mass transportation on a daily basis.
• The rail network provides connectivity to both major cities and remote areas. This ensures accessibility even in rural and underserved regions.
• Indian Railways plays a crucial role in freight transportation. It facilitates the movement of goods across the country efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Trains are relatively fuel-efficient compared to road transport. This leads to lower carbon emissions and reduced environmental impact.
• Indian Railways maintains a strong focus on safety measures. It implements strict protocols and infrastructure upgrades to prevent accidents.
• The railway sector offers significant employment opportunities. It provides employment for a wide range of skilled and unskilled workers.
• Indian railways contribute to the overall economic growth of the country. It enables trade, commerce, and tourism through efficient transportation and connectivity.
• The railways have a rich history and heritage. It attracts tourists who can explore the diverse landscapes and heritage of India by train.
• Indian Railways promotes social integration by connecting people from different regions.
• The railways provide special services like luxury trains and special pilgrimage trains. This offers unique and memorable travel experiences.

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