Unity Tracks: Indian Railways Connecting Cultures for Freedom

Indian Railways  are a mode of land transport for bulky goods and passengers over long distances.

The railway gauges vary in different countries and are roughly classified as broad (more than 1.5 m), standard (1.44 m), metre gauge (1 m) and smaller gauge.

Mahatma Gandhi said the Indian railways “…brought people of diverse cultures together to contribute to India’s freedom struggle”.

A Comprehensive Overview of Rail Transport in Various Continents: Connecting Continents, Cities, and Cultures

• Commuter Trains: These are very popular in the U.K., U.S.A, Japan and Indian Railways. 
  • These carry millions of passengers daily to and fro in the city.
• Europe’s Dense Rail Network: Europe has one of the most dense rail networks in the world. 
  • The important rail heads are London, Paris, Brussels, Milan, Berlin and Warsaw. 
  • Underground Railways: These are important in London and Paris.

• Russia: In Russia, railways account for about 90 per cent of the country’s total transport with a very dense network west of the Urals.
• North America: It has one of the most extensive rail networks accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the world’s total.
• Canada: In Canada, railways are in the public sector and distributed all over the sparsely populated areas.

• South America: The rail network is the most dense in two regions.
  • Namely, the Pampas of Argentina and the coffee growing region of Brazil which together account for 40 per cent of South America’s total route length. 
  • There is only one trans-continental rail route linking Buenos Aires (Argentina) with Valparaiso (Chile) across the Andes Mountains through the Uspallata Pass located at a height of 3,900 m.

Indian Railways: Connecting People, Progress, and Challenges

• World’s Longest and Largest Government Undertakings: The Indian Railways network is one of the longest in the world and also the largest government undertaking in the country. 
  • It facilitates the movement of both freight and passengers and contributes to the growth of the economy. (Refer Figure)
• Genesis of Indian Railways: It was first introduced in 1853, from Bombay to Thane (34 kms).
  • It was introduced by the British with the intention to connect the hinterland to main urban centres. 
  • The motive was exploitation of resources, i.e. export of raw materials and import of British goods. 
• Zonal Division: In India, the railway system has been divided into 16 zones. (Refer Figure)
• Indian Railways’ Ambitious Program: Indian Railways has launched an extensive programme to convert the metre and narrow gauges to broad gauge. 
  • Moreover, steam engines have been replaced by diesel and electric engines. 
  • This has increased the speed and the haulage capacity of the trains. 
• Metro Rail: This has revolutionised the urban transport system in India, making travel easier, safer and quicker. 
• Influential Factors: The distribution pattern of the Railway network in the country has been largely influenced by physiographic, economic and administrative factors. 
  • The Northern Plains: With their vast level land, high population density and rich agricultural resources provided the most favourable condition for their growth.
  • The Hilly Terrains: Of the peninsular region, railway tracks are laid through low hills, gaps or tunnels. 
  • The Himalayan mountainous regions too are unfavourable for the construction of Indian railway lines due to high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities. 

 Indian Railways- Zones and Headquarters

• Some challenges that plague Indian railways are: Theft, Delays, Ticket Issues
  • Thefts and damage of railway property; 
  • Unnecessary pulling of chains, causing train delays; 
  • Passengers travelling without tickets.

Trans-Continental indian railway lines: India’s Trans-Continental Railways

Trans–continental railways run across the continent and link its two ends. They were constructed for economic and political reasons.

Indian Railway Lines

Following are the most important Trans-continental indian railway lines: Notable Trans-Continental Railways Worldwide

• Trans–Siberian Railway : This is a major rail route of Russia running from St. Petersburg in the west to Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast in the east passing through Moscow, Ufa, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Chita and Khabarovsk. 
  • It is the most important route in Asia and the longest, double-tracked and electrified trans–continental railway in the world. 
  • It opened up the Asian region to European markets. It runs across the Ural Mountains, Ob and Yenisei rivers. Chita is an important agrocentre and Irkutsk, a fur centre. 
  • There are connecting links to the south, namely, to Odessa (Ukraine), Baku on the Caspian Coast, Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Ulan Bator (Mongolia), and Shenyang (Mukden) and Beijing in China. (Refer Figure). The vast network of railways, including the Indian Railways, plays a crucial role in global connectivity.
• Trans–Canadian Railways: This 7,050 km long rail-line in Canada runs from Halifax in the east to Vancouver on the Pacific Coast passing through Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Calgary. 
  • It was constructed in 1886. This line is the economic artery of Canada. 
  • Wheat and meat are the important exports on this route. (Refer Figure)
• The Union and Pacific Railway: This rail-line connects New York on the Atlantic Coast to San Francisco on the Pacific Coast. 
  • The most valuable exports on this route are ores, grain, paper, chemicals and machinery. 
• The Australian Trans–Continental Railway: This rail-line runs west-east across the southern part of the continent from Perth on the west coast, to Sydney on the east coast. 
• The Orient Express: This line runs from Paris to Istanbul. The journey time from London to Istanbul by this Express is now reduced to 96 hours as against 10 days by the sea-route. 
  • The chief exports are cheese, bacon, oats, wine, fruits, and machinery. 

Pipelines

• Facilitating Uninterrupted Flow: Pipelines are used extensively to transport liquids and gases such as water, petroleum and natural gas for an uninterrupted flow. 
• Efficiency in Motion: Pipelines are the most convenient and efficient mode of transporting liquids and gases over long  distances.  
  • Even  solids  can  also  be transported by pipelines after converting them into slurry. 
• Example: 
  • In New Zealand, milk is being supplied through pipelines from farms to factories.  
  • About 17 percent of all freight per tonne-km is carried through pipelines in the U.S.A.
• Global Connectivity: In Europe, Russia, West Asia and India pipelines are used to connect oil wells to refineries, and to ports or domestic markets.

Pipelines Transporting natural gas in Ukraine

Pipelines in India: OIL and GAIL Networks

• Oil India Limited (OIL): It is  under the administrative  set  up  of  the  Ministry  of Petroleum and Natural Gas and is engaged in the exploration, production and transportation of crude oil and natural gas.
  • It was incorporated in 1959 as a company. 
  • Asia’s first cross country pipeline covering a distance of 1,157 km was constructed by OIL from Naharkatiya oilfield in Assam to Barauni refinery in Bihar. 
  • It was  further extended up to Kanpur in 1966.
• Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL): It was set up in 1984 as a public sector undertaking to transport, process and market natural gas for its economic use. 
• Pipeline Transport Network: It is a new arrival on the transportation map of India. 
  • The far inland locations of refineries like Barauni, Mathura, Panipat and gas based fertiliser plants could be thought of only because of pipelines.
  • The Economics of Pipeline Infrastructure: Initial  cost  of  laying  pipelines  is  high  but  subsequent running costs are minimal. It rules out trans-shipment losses or delays.
• Three Vital Networks: There are  three  important  networks  of pipeline transportation in the country: 
  • Assam to Kanpur: From oil field in upper Assam to Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), via Guwahati, Barauni and Allahabad.
  • Salaya to Jalandhar: From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab, via Viramgam, Mathura, Delhi and Sonipat.
  • Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur: The first 1,700 km long Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur (HVJ) cross country gas pipeline, 
    • It connects Mumbai High to Bassein gas fields with various fertiliser, power and industrial complexes in western and northern India. It was constructed by GAIL. 

Also Read: Water Transport and Ports: India’s Maritime Legacy and Global Gateways