๐ Topic 02 of 6 ยท Chapter 09 ยท Transport, Communication & Trade
Indian Railways โ Zones, Gauges & Freight Corridors
18 zones, gauges, Dedicated Freight Corridors, Konkan Railway โ complete notes for UPSC & PSC exams.
๐ Indian Railways โ Key Facts
- 4th largest railway network in the world (~68,000 km of track)
- Largest employer in India (~12 lakh employees)
- Headquarters: New Delhi (Railway Board)
- Carries ~23 million passengers and 3 million tonnes of freight daily
- 18 zones (as of 2023)
๐ Railway Gauges
| Gauge | Width | Where Used |
|---|---|---|
| Broad Gauge | 1.676 m | Most of India; main lines; “Rajdhani gauge” |
| Metre Gauge | 1.0 m | Being converted to broad gauge under Project Unigauge |
| Narrow Gauge | 0.762 m / 0.610 m | Hilly areas: Darjeeling (Toy Train), Ooty (Nilgiri), Kalka-Shimla |
๐ Key Railway Projects
- Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC):
- Eastern DFC: Ludhiana โ Dankuni (1,337 km) โ World Bank funded
- Western DFC: Dadri โ JNPT Mumbai (1,504 km) โ Japan (JICA) funded
- Konkan Railway: 760 km; Roha (Maharashtra) to Thokur (Karnataka); 2,000+ bridges; 91 tunnels; completed 1998
- Vande Bharat Express: Semi-high speed train; made in India; 160 km/h
- Metro Rail: Delhi Metro = largest metro network in India; Kolkata = first metro (1984)
โญ Key Facts โ Railways:
โข Indian Railways = 4th largest network in world
โข South Central Railway HQ = Secunderabad (important for APPSC/TGPSC)
โข Darjeeling Toy Train = UNESCO World Heritage Site = narrow gauge
โข Kolkata = first metro in India (1984)
โข Konkan Railway = most challenging railway project in India
โข Indian Railways = 4th largest network in world
โข South Central Railway HQ = Secunderabad (important for APPSC/TGPSC)
โข Darjeeling Toy Train = UNESCO World Heritage Site = narrow gauge
โข Kolkata = first metro in India (1984)
โข Konkan Railway = most challenging railway project in India