Thursday, May 14, 2026 20:30 [IST]
Last Update: Thursday, May 14, 2026 14:58 [IST]
Who does not wish to travel? People travel to experience change, refresh themselves, visit religious places, explore destinations of interest, and pursue trade, business, education, and other activities.
In the good old days, though mankind had plenty of time at its disposal, the means of travel were limited. These were confined to horses, bullock carts, tongas, short-distance vehicles, trucks, and minibuses.
Travel by train began in England. It revolutionized the way people travelled. The process of convenient and fast travel started in 1830 with the setting up of the first railway station between Liverpool and Manchester. In 1913, Grand Central Terminal in New York, USA, came up. With 44 platforms, it is still among the largest railway stations in the world.
In India, railway operations began in 1837 at Madras when some cargo was ferried as a test case. However, passenger train services began only on April 16, 1853, when a 34-km-long journey was undertaken from Bori Bunder in Mumbai to Thane. Under the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, three locomotives pulled a train carrying 400 passengers in fourteen carriages. The first railway terminal in the then Bombay city was called Victoria Terminus. Now known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, it is a World Heritage Site. Two other old stations are Howrah, which became operational in 1854, and Royapuram, Chennai, commissioned in 1856.
From having six divisions in 1961, Indian Railways — the fourth-largest rail system in the world — now has 18 zones. With a track length of 1,35,207 km, it employs nearly 1.25 million people. About 99.1% of its lines are now electrified.
The width of railway tracks is categorised into Broad Gauge, Metre Gauge, 2 ft 6 in Gauge, and 2 ft Gauge.
As many as 13,198 trains, pulled by 13,569 electric locomotives, 4,169 diesel engines, and 16 steam engines, carried 6.905 billion passengers in 2023–24. It is simply mind-boggling. Headed by a Railway Board, Indian Railways is a state-owned enterprise with 15 subsidiaries and 12 undertakings.
Era of High-Speed Trains
The maximum operational speed achieved by three trains in India — namely the Vande Bharat Express, Gatiman Express, and Shatabdi Express — so far is 160 kmph (99 mph).
The proposal for introducing a Bullet Train, based on Japanese technology and financial assistance, was mooted in 2013–14.
After initial swift progress on the 520-km-long Ahmedabad–Mumbai corridor, work slowed down over time. Land acquisition and allotment issues emerged in a big way in Maharashtra. Differences between the State Government and the Centre came out in the open. Contractors, too, did not perform as expected.
All this led to time and cost overruns. A high-speed train of this nature could not have run on the existing old and weak tracks. There were signalling issues as well. It now appears that, after returning almost to square one, there may finally be light at the end of the tunnel. However, the cost may turn out to be exorbitant — reportedly crossing Rs 1,00,000 crore. This is something the economy may find difficult to bear, given the geo-economic implications of the ongoing Middle East conflict and the imbroglio surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
Railway Works in Tough Hilly Terrain
Undertaking the 760-km-long Konkan Railway project through one of the toughest terrains of the Western Ghats was never an easy proposition. It was completed due to the indomitable spirit of E. Sreedharan, the engineer in charge, and the firm commitment of George Fernandes, the then Railway Minister.
Not only this, Sreedharan was later entrusted with the responsibility of executing the Delhi Metro project in 1998, the country’s second Metro rail system. Working in the congested areas of the national capital was no cakewalk. He ensured that brand-new Japanese Metro coaches, aided by advanced technology, began operations by mid-2001.
Today, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is synonymous with efficiency, dedication, and hard work. It has never compromised on the crucial issue of environmental protection.
While many new cities have been added to the Metro network, several important towns are yet to be shortlisted. Forget consideration — they are not even in the discussion zone. This needs to be addressed at an early date.
Outreach of Railways in the North East
Among all eight North-Eastern states, Assam was connected to Indian Railways right from the British era. Gradually, Manipur and Tripura were also linked. Next came the turn of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.
In Meghalaya, however, the Railways faced stiff opposition. Despite years of effort, the 110-km Burnihat–Shillong rail link project could not make any headway. Vague, strange, and unconvincing reasons were put forward by so-called socio-political activists. What this writer has gathered is that the project area fell in a stable zone that would not have invited major environmental concerns.
If the terrain happens to be a hard plateau, as in Meghalaya, or a young geological formation, as in the Eastern Himalayas of West Bengal and Sikkim, then apart from protecting biodiversity and preserving thick vegetation to stabilise slopes, utmost care must be taken in regulating drainage. Any hill cutting should not trigger landslides or aggravate existing instability.
Bairabi–Sairang Project of Mizoram
This 51.38-km-long project was finally commissioned in May 2025. One of the most picturesque railway projects in the country, it was sanctioned in May 2008 at a cost of Rs 8,071 crore.
The project has 55 major and 88 minor bridges. Forty-five tunnels pass through nearly 16 km of terrain. It also has four stations located in scenic surroundings. People and tourists alike are making good use of this long-awaited facility. Its frequent appearance on social media will only add to its popularity.
Sevoke–Rangpo Rail Link Project (SRRP)
Like the proposed 125.2-km-long Dehradun–Tehri–Pauri–Chamoli railway line, the 44.56-km-long Sevoke–Rangpo Rail Project (SRRP) is underground to the extent of nearly 85%. Yet, it has taken a very long time since being sanctioned as a national project in 2008. One should not overlook the fact that the final green signal from NITI Aayog came only in September 2019. Even then, actual work began in 2021.
The IRCON headquarters perhaps should not have delayed the process, especially after years of difficult experiences involving Gorkhaland-related unrest on one hand and issues concerning the Forest Department of West Bengal on the other.
It is heartening to note that within such a short distance, the project will have fourteen tunnels and thirteen bridges. Ten out of the thirteen bridges and twelve out of the fourteen tunnels have already been completed. Mining and lining work has also been completed in twelve tunnels.
The foundations and substructures of the remaining bridges are being taken up on priority, informs the Project Director of SRRP. Track-laying and ballastless track (BLT) works have also been completed in ten out of the fourteen tunnels, adds the Project Director. Similarly, track work on five bridges has also been completed. Yard work at five stations has been taken up simultaneously. One station is complete, while another is nearing completion.
Rangpo Station
However, work on the Rangpo station building and yard needs special attention, as it will be Sikkim’s first railway station and therefore its most prestigious one. Its design must be in tune with local architectural traditions.
During my two visits to the project sites over the last three years, I witnessed unusual hard work, sincerity, and dedication among the qualified and experienced engineers and their assistants. The apprehensions expressed by both vested interests and genuinely concerned people during the monsoon and pre-monsoon periods over the last three years have been duly noted, and requisite action has been, and continues to be, taken by the project authorities.
To Sum Up
All said and done, the SRRP is going to be a game changer for Sikkim — the sparkling jewel of the Ashta Lakshmi region. It is bound to bolster both tourism and trade. Now that the final locational survey for the second and third phases of the rail link, extending up to Nathula, has been completed, it is high time that work between Rangpo and Gangtok is also taken up on top priority.
Let us hope for the best.
