The railway construction in India took an abrupt boom and a large number of companies started working. These companies had only one thing in their mind. To earn enough money. They had no co-ordination in their working and time tables. The British government was seriously thinking about this. Sir Thomas Robertson who was appointed by His Majesty as Special Commissioner to report on future management of railways submitted his report in 1903. As a result of his efforts the Railway Board assumed office in 1905. Railway mileage now at about 24,750 miles in India, of which 14,000 miles are BG, and most of the rest MG (with only a few hundred miles of 2' and 2'6" gauge lines).   Regrouping was first conceived  in  1904, but materialised after World War. three territorial divisions were formed.

1. Western Division consisting of : Great Indian Peninsula , Bombay Boroda Central India(BBCI), North  Western, Jodhpur, Bikaner together with branch and feeder railways in their areas.

2. Eastern Division consisting of : EIR, Oudh & Rohilkund, Bengal & North Western, Rohilkund & Kumaon,  Assam   Bengal, Bengal Nagpur(BNR), East Bengal (EBR).
3. Southern Division consisting of : Madras Railway, Southern Marhatta, South Indian, Nizam together with ports and local railways. 

HICCUPS !

1914...
 

  World War I places heavy strain on the railways. Railway production is diverted to meet the needs of British forces outside India. At the end  of the war Indian railways are in a total state of dilapidation and disrepair. All services are downgraded or restricted. The entire railway system in India was in doldrums.

   


1920...





 
1922...


1924...


1939...

 


1942...

  1951...


  1952...


  1956...

   


        Total trackage at 37,000 miles (about 15% privately-held). The East India Railway Committee (chaired by  Sir William Acworth, hence also known as the Acworth Committee) points out the need for unified management of the entire railway system. On the recommendations of this committee, the government takes over the actual management of all railways, and also separates railway finances from the general   governmental finances (the latter step led to the practice, followed to this day, of presenting the Railway Budget separately from the General Budget every year).

         Retrenchment Committee under Lord Inchcape recommends drastic cuts in working expenses and other measures designed to produce a fixed annual profit for the state.

         Railway finances separated from general finances in the general government budget


         World War II. Railways under strain again. Locomotives, wagons, and track material are taken from India to the middle East; 28 branch lines were completely cannibalized for this. Railway workshops are used to manufacture shells and other military equipment. The entire railway system is in poor shape by the end of the war.


         Most of the remaining large railway companies are taken over by the state.


         Zonal grouping of IR begun. SR is created on April 14, CR and WR on Nov. 5.

 
         NR, ER, and NER zones created on April 14.


        Passenger fares standardized at 30 pies, 16 pies, 9 pies and 5 pies per mile for 1st, 2nd, Inter, and 3rd  class, respectively. (Platform tickets are 2 annas each.)

Railways Act, 1989, updated the legal framework for railways in India after nearly a century, replacing the Railways Act of 1890.
 

AFTER INDEPENDENCE

NEW ZONES     
Initially 6 zones were formed during 1951-52.

 

South Eastern (1955) ,
South Central(2-10-1966) and
North Frontier (1958) were formed later after carving out portions from Eastern, Southern and North Eastern respectively.

14.04.1951

Southern Railway

  1. Madras Railway

  2. South Marhatta Railway

  3. South Indian Railway

  4. Mysore Railway

05-11-1951

Central Railway

  1. GIPR

  2. Nizam

  3. Scindia

  4. Dholpur

05-11-1951

 

Western Railway

  1. BB&CI (Bombay Baroda & Central Indian)

  2. Sourashtra

  3. Rajasthan

  4. Jaipur

14.04.1952

Northern Railway

  1. Eastern Punjab

  2. Jodhpur

  3. Bikaner

  4. 3 Upper divisions of E.I.R.

14-04-1952

North Eastern Railway

  1. Oudh

  2. Tirhut

  3. Assam

14-04-1952

Eastern Railway

  1. Bengal Nagpur

  2. Remaining Divisions of E.I.R

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