Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words.

Give a detailed account of the development of railways in India and highlight their importance.

Railways has been the lifeline of India. It is one of the longest networks in the world and facilitates the movement of both freight and passengers and contributes to the growth of the economy. No wonder, Gandhiji had said, the railways “…brought people of diverse cultures together to contribute to India’s freedom struggle”. Introduced in 1853, Indian railways is now the largest government undertaking in the country. In view of modernising the network, the government has launched extensive programme to convert the metre and narrow gauges to broad gauge, also steam engines have been replaced by diesel and electric engines; this had increased the speed, as well as, the haulage capacity. The most significant development, post-Independence, has been the development of the Konkan Railway along the western coast providing a direct link between Mumbai and Mangaluru. Rail transport is much cheaper compared to road and air, and therefore, still continues to be the main means of transport for the masses.