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The story of the Indian Railways is, to a great extent the story of the development of India as a nation. It is widely accepted that the development of railways in the country initiated by the British for the benefit of administration, had a positive impact on the country. For the first time, people belonging to completely different communities, who were previously separated by huge distances, started to come together, and the theory of a nation began to be understood by the masses. The railways continued to play a pivotal role during the long independence movement, carrying important political leaders and activists throughout the country. It can be said that the first train that traveled from Bombay to Thane in 1853, signaled a new beginning in India’s history. Ever since, the railways have been serving as the life line of India, transporting countless passengers and thousands of tonnes of freight across the country.
Facts about Indian Railways:
Total route Kilometers - 63,465 kms
Total Running Track Length - 84,260 kms
Total Running Track Electrified - 32,686 kms
Total Number of Locomotives – 7910
Total Number of Coaches - Passenger coaches: 40,800 , EMU/DMU coaches: 4,000
Level crossings (total) - 43,000
Daily Passenger carriage - 13 million
Daily Freight carriage - 1.4 million tonnes
Zones of Indian Railways:
At present the vast network of Indian Railways has been divided into 16 zones. Each zone is divided into divisions, each of which has a divisional headquarter. The zones of Indian Railways are –
Northern Railway (NR)
North Eastern Railway (NER)
Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR)
Western Railway (WR)
Southern Railway (SR)
South Central Railway (SCR)
South Eastern Railway (SER)
Eastern Railway (ER)
Central Railway (CR)
South Western Railway (SWR)
North Western Railway (NWR)
West Central Railway (WCR)
North Central Railway (NCR)
South East Central Railway (SECR)
East Coast Railway (ECoR)
East Central Railway (ECR)
The Konkan railway is not a part of the Indian railways, although it is controlled by the Railway Ministry and Railway Board. The Calcutta Metro is treated as a separate zonal railway, although it is not officially an art of any of the above mentioned zones.
Services:
The Indian Railways provides passenger and freight services covering an immense area of operation. Catering services both at the stations and on board, accommodation in rest rooms, and on board recreation in some selected trains are offered by the Indian Railways at present. There are some special trains which are dedicated for certain purposes. These include the emergency car, Lifeline Express (hospital on wheels), and special trains like the Palace on Wheels, Deccan Queen, and Fairy Queen, which are among the most prominent luxury trains of India.
Recent Developments:
Indian Railways has seen major technological developments in recent years. These include electrification of more tracks, development of more efficient locomotives, and advancement in terms of passenger amenities including better catering, toilet provisions and security features. Facilities like internet access and satellite phone are in the pipeline. Advanced safety features have been incorporated to minimize accidents, while modern coaches have been imported for certain trains. Fast trains like the Shatabdi Express and the Rajdhani Express have made long distance train journey a relatively fast and comfortable mode of transport.
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