growth of Indian railways pre-independence

Railway Expert And Commentator

Lalit Chandra Trivedi

THE first train to ran in india from Boribunder Mumbai to Thane was by a joint venture company formed out of alliance between the East India company and Great Indian Penisular Railway. In fact, a total of eight private companies were responsible for the growth of railway network in India. Among others these were GIP Railway, EIR, BNR, BBCI and Madras Railway.

Exit of TATA and other private companies from railways post independence.

These private companies were guaranteed a fixed rate of interest on their capital investment.

The result was exponential growth in network. For example Ledo (Dibrugarh) -Chitgaon 1000 km long MG Railway line a major part of which cuts across the Kachhar hills was commissioned in 10 years 1895-1905 facilitating transport of tea leaves from gardens of Assam to the British isles.

As stated earlier, all three major metros of the time ie Kolkata, Madras and Bombay had railway connectivity even before first train started in China.

By 1895 workshops of Indian

Railway nies were locomotives, meet requirements tem sprawling During British capacity turing was requirements, Works (TISCO) of Indian