The Indian Railways have a network of 7,031 stations spread over a route length of 63,221 km with a fleet of 7817 locomotives, 5321 passenger service vehicles, 4904 other coach vehicles and 228,170 wagons as on 31 March 2004. The Indian railways is the largest public sector undertaking of India. The first train steamed off from Mumbai to Thane in 1853, covering a distance of 34 km. It is organised into 16 railway zones.
Railways are the prime mode of transportation for goods and passengers in India. Railways also make it possible to conduct varied activities like business, sightseeing and pilgrimage along with transportation of goods over longer distances. They are suitable for long distance travel and play an important role in national integration. Railways in India bind the economic life of the country as well as accelerate the development of the industry and agriculture. The Indian Railways is the largest public sector undertaking in the country. In recent times, the development of the Konkan railway along the west coast has simplified the movement of passengers and goods in this most important economic region of India.
Factors which influence the distribution pattern of Railway network in India:
The distribution pattern of the railway network in the country has been largely influenced by physiographic, economic and administrative factors.
(i) The northern plains provide most favourable condition having high population density, vast level land, and rich agricultural resources.
(ii) Rivers create problem in laying down of railway tracts because they require construction of bridges across the wide beds of the rivers.
(iii) In the hilly terrains of the peninsular region, railway tracts are laid through low hills, gaps or tunnels.
(iv) The Himalayan mountainous regions too are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines due to high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.
(v) It was equally difficult to lay railway lines on the sandy plain of western Rajasthan, swamps of Gujarat, forested tracks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
Today, the railways have become more important in our national economy than all other means of transport put together. However, rail transport suffers from certain problems as well.
Problems faced by the Indian Railways
(i) Many passengers travel without tickets.
(ii) Thefts and damaging of railway property has not yet stopped completely.
(iii) People stop the trains, pull the chain unnecessarily and this causes heavy damage to the railway.
