Indian Railways
Indian Railways is rightly called 'The Lifeline of the Nation'. You will be surprised to learn that India has 68,280 kms of railway lines, which is equivalent to going around the Earth three times. And you will be wonder-struck to know that we have the world's fourth-largest railway network that operates 22,593 trains every day, which include 13,452 passenger services and 9,141 freight trains. The trains crisscrossing the length and breadth of our country connect people of diverse cultural, educational, economic and social backgrounds. Also Indian Railways employs 1.54 million people, making it the seventh-largest employer in the world according to Forbes.
On an average, 34 million passengers use the Indian Railways network every day. The fares are affordable for the common man. First-mile and end-mile connectivity is better than airways. Many remote places have been identified on the railway map and are equipped with rail connectivity. Indian Railways has also introduced many semi-high-speed trains like Vande Bharat, Tejas, Garib Rath, Duronto, Rajdhani and Shatabdi, which have considerably reduced travelling time. The ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor is a dream project.
Trains and rail journeys always fascinate children. The very sight of a train is enough to kindle the curiosity in children. But families need to plan more vacation trips to scenic locations and use trains like the Nilgiri Mountain Railway during summer vacations. Educational institutions should also come forward to organise field trips to encourage students to travel by train. Children must be taken to rail museums, exhibitions and iconic railway stations to elicit an interest in railways.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway trains, popularly called as Ooty Toy Trains, continue to enthrall tourists. Trains like the Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Tejas, Duronto and double-decker redefine rail journeys. Mountain Railways include the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and Kalka-Shimla Railway line.
Hill trains run under Mountain Railways, such as the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR). They are equipped to negotiate steep gradients and navigate through tunnels and curves in hilly areas. The unique rack and pinion system in NMR is a technological marvel that has transcended times.
The Ghum Railway Station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway track is situated at an altitude of 8,407ft. Recently, Indian Railways constructed the Chenab Bridge, which is the world's highest railway bridge. This bridge is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project. The height of the bridge is 1,172ft above the riverbed-it is the highest railway bridge in the world.
Railways in coordination with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and state tourism development boards are running trains such as the Maharaja Express, Deccan Odyssey and Deccan Queen with special tourism packages. Bharat Darshan tourist specials are being run to important tourist and religious destinations.
Private service providers have also been roped in to run Bharat Gaurav tourism circuit trains! The Bharat Darshan trains run by IRCTC offer an affordable fare structure, which makes them easy on the pocket. Besides, tourist enthusiasts can always plan their own itinerary and avail of circular journey tickets to cover many tourist hotspots.
The Indian Railways is taking every possible effort to maintain cleanliness in trains. On-board housekeeping services are available on all long-distance trains. Cleanliness on stations and in trains has improved remarkably in the last few years. Also it is the duty of every passenger to contribute towards this cause.
So if you are planning to travel by train, have a pleasant and memorable journey!
