Why is railway so important today?

The railways are the main artery of inland transport in India (Fig. 6.3). It is the lifeline of the country for large-scale movement of traffic – freight and passengers. The railways are 150 years old in India. The total length of railways is about 63, 000 km. With this length, India has the second largest railway network in Asia. The Indian railways carry 40, 000 lakh passengers and 4, 000 lakh tonnes of goods a year. It is the largest public sector undertaking of the country.