Indian Railways Provides You a Ride of Your Lifetime
Indian Railways had a humble beginning on the 16th of April in 1853, and the first train took off from Thane to Mumbai. There was not much development in the initial stages and when India got independence, the whole rail system was in shambles. The Indian government consolidated the 42 rail systems under the title of Indian Railways. From that point it expanded to be the fourth largest rail network in the world spreading over 114500 kilometers and having 7500 stations, giving job opportunities to 1.4 million people.
There are 17 railway zones in Indian Railways and each zone is further divided with headquarters at each division. Each zone is headed by a General Manager, who is directly under the railway board and under him are the various divisional officers. At the end comes the station master, who has the individual station under his control. He/She is in charge of all the activities that take place in the station.
There are four gauge systems on which the trains run in India. They are the broad, meter, standard and narrow gauges, of which the most commonly used is broad gauge. The meter gauges are mainly used in regions of less traffic and narrow gauges in hilly areas and private railways.
During the first few decades, the trains were run by steam engines which produced a lot of smoke and pollution. Now they are completely stopped except in Nilgiris, where it is a source of tourist attraction. Diesel and electric engines have replaced the steam engines now, which produce less smoke and are more environmentally friendly.
The Railways has undergone a lot of reforms in the past few decades. Railway stations are now neater and equipped with lots of facilities for the passengers, like more seating arrangements, cafeteria, waiting rooms, book stalls, restaurants, pre arranged taxis, etc. Everything is now computerized and more efficient and the online booking facility has made ticket booking and other enquiries fast.
Inside the trains, the security is strengthened to bring down thefts and other anti-social activities. Old coaches are now replaced by new stainless steel coaches and the seats are now cushioned and more comfortable. Trains now run on time and the services offered inside the trains have improved a lot. The food served is hygienic and well prepared.
The government is now on the way to introduce high-speed trains with the help of Japan and France, and six corridors are now under construction. In 2011, Real Time Train Information System (RTIS) was introduced by Indian Railways. This gives train running information real time to the travelers on their mobile phones and laptops. At present it is available only in a few trains. Soon it will cover the entire network of trains.
There are 17 railway zones in Indian Railways and each zone is further divided with headquarters at each division. Each zone is headed by a General Manager, who is directly under the railway board and under him are the various divisional officers. At the end comes the station master, who has the individual station under his control. He/She is in charge of all the activities that take place in the station.
There are four gauge systems on which the trains run in India. They are the broad, meter, standard and narrow gauges, of which the most commonly used is broad gauge. The meter gauges are mainly used in regions of less traffic and narrow gauges in hilly areas and private railways.
During the first few decades, the trains were run by steam engines which produced a lot of smoke and pollution. Now they are completely stopped except in Nilgiris, where it is a source of tourist attraction. Diesel and electric engines have replaced the steam engines now, which produce less smoke and are more environmentally friendly.
The Railways has undergone a lot of reforms in the past few decades. Railway stations are now neater and equipped with lots of facilities for the passengers, like more seating arrangements, cafeteria, waiting rooms, book stalls, restaurants, pre arranged taxis, etc. Everything is now computerized and more efficient and the online booking facility has made ticket booking and other enquiries fast.
Inside the trains, the security is strengthened to bring down thefts and other anti-social activities. Old coaches are now replaced by new stainless steel coaches and the seats are now cushioned and more comfortable. Trains now run on time and the services offered inside the trains have improved a lot. The food served is hygienic and well prepared.
The government is now on the way to introduce high-speed trains with the help of Japan and France, and six corridors are now under construction. In 2011, Real Time Train Information System (RTIS) was introduced by Indian Railways. This gives train running information real time to the travelers on their mobile phones and laptops. At present it is available only in a few trains. Soon it will cover the entire network of trains.