Indian Railways
“A century of development in Indian Railways from 1853-1945”
India, or the Indian-subcontinent, is the seventh largest country [in terms of area] in the world and home to 1,236,686,732 residents [total population of India] (World Bank Data 2014).
To cater for such a large population over an enormous area, a reliable and quick means of transportation is imperative. Indian railways do an astounding job of binding the nation together. This essay will commence with a brief overview of Indian history with key events that changed its course. Then, it will examine the birth of railways in India, followed by their expansion, concluding with how they contributed to India’s independence. India has an extensive history that the essay will not be looking in great detail, but its necessary to give an overview of the situation in the Indian sub-continent. The essay will go through some of the key events that changed the course of Indian history. Firstly, the essay looks at how the railways were born in India during the rule of the English East India Company (EEIC). Secondly, we will further dive deep into the expansion during the Crown rule in India and finally, concentrate how it helped India gain independence from the British rule.
Overview to the Indian Sub-continent
On 20 May 1498, Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer became the first European to reach the Indian sub-continent, opening up the East to the Europeans. The Portuguese took control of Goa in 1510. The Dutch took control of Pulicat (north of Madras) and later in Masulipatam and Surat. This attracted the British and the French to setup factories in India. On the 31 December 1600, Queen Elizabeth I granted the Royal Charter to the merchants of the...
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...icials retired and settled in the hill stations in India
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... British had colonized India for approximately 200 years, there were lasting effects on the country in terms of many sectors, specifically the economical and industrial sectors. Due to India’s non-participation and manipulation of agriculture by the British, some would argue that the British obliterated the economy. Others would argue that the British instead helped due to the creation of the railroad, improved communication and created the beginnings of an industry. The British harmed the economy and industrial sector more than they helped it, and effectively caused the destruction of the economy both in the short term and the long term. The growth rate directly after the independence was less than 1% for almost 5 years (BIC 4). It was necessary for India to rebuild the economy if they ever wanted to be on the same playing field as the other countries at the time.
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India, the population of which is estimated to be 1.27 billion also ranks 2nd in largest population and 33 in population density. The social problems in India in the new