Indian Railways History
Indian Railways History
Overview
Indian Railways, the lifeline of the nation, is one of the world’s largest railway networks under single management. Its 170-year journey—from the first steam run in 1853 to the present-day Vande Bharat Express—mirrors India’s own economic, social and political evolution. Every mile of track laid, every bridge built and every timetable printed has a story that is asked repeatedly in RRB NTPC, Group-D, ALP and UPSC exams.
Key Facts & Figures
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First passenger train in India | 16 Apr 1853, Bombay–Thane (34 km) |
| First steam loco in India | 1851, Roorkee–Piran Kaliyar (goods) |
| First electric train in India | 3 Feb 1925, Bombay VT–Kurla (1500 V DC) |
| First metro rail | 24 Oct 1984, Kolkata Metro (Esplanade–Bhowanipore) |
| First Rajdhani Express | 1 Mar 1969, New Delhi–Howrah (via Gaya) |
| First Shatabdi Express | 1988, New Delhi–Jhansi |
| First Duronto Express | 2009, Sealdah–New Delhi |
| First Vande Bharat Express | 15 Feb 2019, New Delhi–Varanasi |
| First rail budget separate from general budget | 1924–25 (Sir Alexander Muddiman Committee) |
| Rail budget merged with Union Budget | 2017–18 (presented together) |
| Indian Railways nationalised | 1951 (all private companies merged) |
| Railway Board created | 1905 (reconstituted 1951) |
| Zonal re-organisation (1st) | 14 April 1952 (6 zones) |
| Latest zone created | South Coast Railway (SCoR) – 2019 (operational from 2019) |
| Total zones at present | 19 (18 conventional + 1 metro) |
| UNESCO World Heritage rail sites | 2 – Mountain Railways of India (Darjeeling, Nilgiri) |
| Longest platform in India | Hubballi (Hubli) – 1,507 m (2021) |
| First rail factory | Jamalpur Loco Workshop (1862) |
| First electric loco factory | Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), 1950 |
| First coach factory | Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai (1955) |
| First rail university | National Rail & Transport Institute (NRTI), Vadodara – 2018 |
Important Points
- 1853: Bombay–Thane passenger service flagged off with 14 carriages & 400 guests; 3 steam locos—Sahib, Sindh & Sultan.
- 1870: Allahabad–Jabalpur–Bombay route linked to create the first trunk route (Howrah–Bombay).
- 1880: Gatling light on trains—first form of “air-conditioning”.
- 1895: India becomes first country in Asia to run full electric traction (DC) on Harbour Line, Bombay.
- 1907: First “family planning” poster displayed in Bombay suburban trains.
- 1920: Acworth Committee recommends state ownership; leads to 1924 separation of rail finances.
- 1947: IR inherited 388 km of electrified route, 54,000 km total route; 7,500 km in Pakistan.
- 1952: Six original zones—Central, Eastern, Northern, North Eastern, Southern & Western.
- 1956: First 25 kV AC traction on Raj Kharsawan–Dongoposi (SER) with French SNCF help.
- 1984: Computerised passenger reservation starts at New Delhi (PRS) & Bombay (PRS).
- 1995: CONCERT (Country-wide Network for Computerised Enhanced Reservation & Ticketing) fully rolls out.
- 2002: 1st phase of Konkan Railway (Roha–Mangalore) opens—longest rail tunnel (6.5 km) then.
- 2008: “Vision 2025” & National Rail Vikas Yojana (NRVY) launched.
- 2016: Suresh Prabhu announces elimination of unmanned level-crossings by 2020 (achieved 2019).
- 2022: 100% electrification of broad-gauge routes targeted under “Mission 100% Electrification”.
Frequently Asked in Exams
- Date & route of first passenger train – 16 April 1853, Bombay to Thane.
- Father of Indian Railways – Lord Dalhousie (recommended rail in 1853).
- First Railway Minister of independent India – John Mathai (1948–50).
- First fully computerised zone – Southern Railway (1986).
- Oldest working steam loco in India – Fairy Queen (1855, now heritage).
Practice MCQs
Question:01 The first passenger train in India ran between which stations?
A) Bombay (Mumbai) and Pune
B) Bombay (Mumbai) and Thane
C) Calcutta (Kolkata) and Howrah
D) Madras (Chennai) and Royapuram
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: On 16 April 1853, India’s first passenger train steamed from Bombay (Bori Bunder) to Thane, covering 34 km, marking the birth of regular rail service in the country.
Question:02 In which year was the Railway Board first constituted?
A) 1901
B) 1903
C) 1905
D) 1907
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Railway Board was first constituted in 1905 to oversee the administration and development of Indian Railways.
Question:03 Who was the Chairman of the Acworth Committee (1920–21)?
A) Lord Irwin
B) Sir William Acworth
C) Sir John Simon
D) Lord Meston
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Acworth Committee of 1920–21 was chaired by Sir William Acworth, after whom the committee was named.
Question:04 The first electric train in India ran on which voltage system?
A) 25 kV AC 50 Hz
B) 3000 V DC
C) 1500 V DC
D) 750 V DC
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: India’s first electric train, which ran between Bombay VT and Kurla on 3 Feb 1925, was operated on the 1500 V DC overhead system.
Question:05 Which of the following is NOT a UNESCO World Heritage Mountain Railway of India?
A) Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
B) Nilgiri Mountain Railway
C) Kalka–Shimla Railway
D) Matheran Light Railway
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Only the Darjeeling Himalayan, Nilgiri Mountain and Kalka–Shimla Railways are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Matheran Light Railway is not on the list.
Question:06 When was the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai set up with Swiss collaboration?
A) 1947
B) 1952
C) 1955
D) 1960
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Chennai was established in 1955 with technical collaboration from Switzerland to manufacture indigenous railway coaches.
Question:07 The first Rajdhani Express was flagged off between New Delhi and ___.
A) Mumbai Central
B) Howrah
C) Chennai Central
D) Bengaluru City
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: India’s inaugural Rajdhani Express ran between New Delhi and Howrah (Kolkata) on 1 March 1969, cutting the journey time to about 17 hours non-stop.
Question:08 Indian Railways celebrated its 150th anniversary on which date?
A) 16 April 2003
B) 15 August 2002
C) 26 January 2004
D) 1 May 2001
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Indian Railways marked 150 years of service on 16 April 2003, commemorating the first passenger train run from Mumbai to Thane on 16 April 1853.
Question:09 Which of the following is the 19th (latest) operational zone of Indian Railways, created in 2026?
A) South East Central Railway (SECR)
B) South Coast Railway (SCoR)
C) East Coast Railway (ECoR)
D) Western Railway (WR)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: South Coast Railway (SCoR) was notified as the 19th operational zone of Indian Railways in 2026, carved out of the existing South Central Railway zone.
Question:10 The first rail budget merged with Union Budget in which financial year?
A) 2015-16
B) 2016-17
C) 2017-18
D) 2018-19
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget for the first time in the financial year 2017-18, ending the 92-year-old practice of a separate rail budget.
BETA
