Indian Railways

Indian Railways Fact file:

• Indian railway system is the largest in Asia and third in the world after USA and Canada.
• It is the world’s ninth largest commercial or utility employer employer in the world and the single largest undertaking in the country.
• It has the biggest electrified system in the world after Russia.
• The first train in India was introduced between Mumbai and Thane (34kms) on April 16^th 1853.
• Indian railway system has 115000 routes Km of tract making it one of the largest networks of the world.
• The journey from Jammu Tawi to Kanya kumara is the longest (about 3726kms) and is covered by Himsagar Express in about 66hours.
• New Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi is the fastest train running in the country with an avj. Speed of 150km/hr.
• Indian railways hold over 239231 freight wagons, 59713 passenger coaches and 9549 locomotives.
• Bholu or Bholu the guard elephant is the mascot of the Indian Railways.
• India has railway connection with Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Railway projects under construction or proposed are:  Bhutan (under construction), Myanmar (through Manipur; under construction). Vietnam (proposed), Thailand (if Burma railway is rebuilt).
• There are two world heritage sites on the Indian Railways- Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Mountain Railways.
• The mountain railways consists of 3 different routes:

1. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

2. Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

3. Kalka –Shimla railway (has made its way to the Guinness Book of World records for offering the steepest raise in altitude in the space of 96 kms.

• Indian railways have been divided into 16 zones headed by a General Manager who is responsible for the operation, Maintenance and financial matters of the railway system.

Following is the List of Zones and headquarters:

Indian railway manufactures much of its rolling stock and heavy engineering components at six manufacturing plants. They are called “production Units”. These units are headed by a general manager and are managed directly by the ministry.