Railway Heritage Sites
Railway Heritage Sites
Overview
Indian Railways has declared 52 locations as “Heritage Sites” to preserve iconic stations, bridges, workshops and other assets that showcase the 170-year engineering, architectural and cultural legacy of the world’s fourth-largest rail network. These sites are classified into Grade-I (exceptional heritage value), Grade-II (regional value) and Grade-III (local value) and are protected under the 2019 “Policy for Heritage Assets of Indian Railways”.
Key Facts & Figures
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total declared Heritage Sites | 52 (as on 31.03.2025) |
| First site notified | Bori Bunder (CSMT Mumbai) – 1995 |
| UNESCO World-Heritage rail stretch | Mumbai CSMT – Pune – 2009 |
| Oldest working steam shed | Rewari (Haryana) – estd. 1893 |
| Highest heritage bridge | Chenab Rail Bridge (Kashmir) – 359 m |
| Only heritage Ropeway | Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) |
| Heritage Ghat section electrified | 1.5 kV DC to 25 kV AC – 2021 |
| Fairy Queen loco year | Built 1855, Guinness-certified oldest working steam loco |
| Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) opened | 1881, declared World Heritage – 1999 |
| Kalka-Shimla Railway (KSR) tunnels | 103 (longest Barog – 1.14 km) |
| Nilgiri Mountain Railway rack section | 1 in 12.5 (steepest in Asia) |
| Matheran Light Rail gradient | 1 in 20 (Neral–Matheran 21 km) |
| Jamalpur Workshop age | Set up 1862 (oldest running workshop) |
| First heritage hotel in station | Chittaurgarh (2006) |
| CSMT’s Star Chamber ceiling | 330 different floral designs |
| Heritage logo adopted | 2020 – twin-stripe “IR” with Ashoka wheel |
Important Points
- UNESCO has inscribed 5 Indian rail sections as “Mountain Railways of India” – DHR, NMR, KSR, Matheran & Kangra Valley.
- Grade-I heritage structures cannot be demolished/relocated; only sensitive adaptive re-use is allowed.
- Rewari Steam Shed still maintains 10 working heritage steam locos for specials like “Steam Express” to Alwar.
- CSMT Mumbai has the highest number of heritage components (facade, Star Chamber, HQ building, Rajabai clock tower).
- Jamalpur (Eastern Railway) and Kharagpur (SER) workshops are declared living-heritage industrial complexes.
- The 156-year-old Jubilee Bridge (Hooghly) is India’s first cantilever heritage rail bridge.
- Indian Rail Museum Delhi (1977) is the largest in Asia; National Rail Museum, Chanakyapuri has 75 vintage exhibits.
- The Darjeeling “B” Class 0-4-0ST locos are the world’s oldest regularly steamed commercial locos.
- Heritage assets are funded through “Railway Heritage & Tourism Fund” (₹250 cr corpus 2022-27).
- Tourist trains – Palace on Wheels, Heritage Royal Rajasthan, Deccan Odyssey – operate from heritage depots (Delhi Safdarjung, Mumbai CSMT, Tondiarpet).
- Indian Railways issues “Heritage Certificate” to passengers travelling on UNESCO routes.
- 3D laser-scan documentation is being done for all Grade-I sites for disaster-proof conservation.
- Policy mandates 1% of project cost of new works touching heritage assets to be earmarked for conservation.
- Dedicated “Heritage Walks” are organised every Saturday at CSMT, Pune, Baroda, Secunderabad.
- Zonal Railways celebrate “Heritage Week” (12–18 Nov) to mark the first passenger run (16 Apr 1853).
Frequently Asked in Exams
- Which Indian railway section was first declared World Heritage by UNESCO?
Ans: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (1999). - CSMT Mumbai building was designed by which architect?
Ans: Frederick William Stevens (Gothic-Revival style). - Where is India’s only working heritage steam loco shed located?
Ans: Rewari (Northern Railway). - How many mountain railways of India are on the UNESCO list?
Ans: Five (DHR, NMR, KSR, Matheran, Kangra Valley). - Under which fund are heritage assets maintained after 2022?
Ans: Railway Heritage & Tourism Fund.
Practice MCQs
Question:01 Which of the following is NOT a UNESCO World-heritage Indian railway?
A) Kalka-Shimla Railway
B) Nilgiri Mountain Railway
C) Konkan Railway
D) Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Kalka-Shimla, Nilgiri Mountain and Darjeeling Himalayan Railways are all inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the “Mountain Railways of India” designation; the Konkan Railway, a modern engineering marvel, has not been granted World Heritage status.
Question:02 The oldest working steam locomotive “Fairy Queen” was built in –
A) 1855
B) 1875
C) 1895
D) 1905
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The Fairy Queen, recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest steam locomotive still in working order, was manufactured by Kitson, Thompson & Hewitson of Leeds in 1855 for the East Indian Railway.
Question:03 Indian Railways’ first heritage hotel has been set up at –
A) Chittaurgarh
B) Jaipur
C) Mysuru
D) Madurai
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The first heritage hotel of Indian Railways, “The Retrea”, was opened in 2022 inside the historic 1898-built Chittaurgarh Fort MG Rail Colony, converting the erstwhile British officers’ quarters into a luxury property.
Question:04 The steepest rack gradient on NMR is
A) 1 in 25
B) 1 in 20
C) 1 in 12.5
D) 1 in 37
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) features its steepest rack gradient at 1 in 12.5, making it the sharpest gradient on this heritage line.
Question:05 Who designed the iconic CSMT Mumbai heritage building?
A) George Gilbert Scott
B) Frederick William Stevens
C) Robert Mallet-Stevens
D) Edwin Lutyens
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) was designed by British architect Frederick William Stevens in the Victorian Gothic Revival style, blending Indian and European elements.
Question:06 As of 2025, the total number of Railway Heritage Sites notified is –
A) 42
B) 48
C) 52
D) 55
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Ministry of Railways has notified 52 sites as Railway Heritage Sites up to 2025.
Question:07 The Jamalpur Workshop, declared a living heritage industrial complex, belongs to which railway zone?
A) Northern Railway
B) Eastern Railway
C) South Eastern Railway
D) East Central Railway
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Established in 1862, the Jamalpur Workshop is Asia’s oldest and one of the largest railway repair and manufacturing facilities. It is located in Jamalpur, Bihar, and falls under the jurisdiction of Eastern Railway, which declared it a “living heritage industrial complex” in recognition of its historical and operational significance.
Question:08 Which of the following bridges is a heritage cantilever bridge over the Hooghly River?
A) Vidyasagar Setu
B) Jubilee Bridge
C) Howrah Bridge
D) Nivedita Setu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Jubilee Bridge, opened in 1887, is India’s oldest operational cantilever bridge and is recognised as a heritage structure spanning the Hooghly River between Bandel and Naihati.
Question:09 “Heritage Week” is celebrated every year by Indian Railways during –
A) 12-18 November
B) 16-22 April
C) 1-7 December
D) 24-30 September
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Indian Railways observes “Heritage Week” every year from 12 to 18 November to highlight and preserve its rich cultural and historical legacy.
Question:10 The National Rail Museum is located in –
A) Kolkata
B) Mumbai
C) Delhi
D) Chennai
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The National Rail Museum, showcasing India’s rich railway heritage, is situated in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
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