Railways in india
CHAPTER I
COLONIAL POWER AND THE INTRODUCTION OF
RAILWAYS IN INDIA
Transport is an important infrastructure inevitable for the developmental process of a country. The progress of a country depends upon the availability of a viable system of transport facilities. Without proper means of transport and communications it may not be possible for any government to administer a vast country like India. Indian Railways played a vital role in the
1
economic development and national integration of our country . It has brought about remarkable changes in the economic, political, social and cultural life of the country. The Indian Railway system today is the largest state owned enterprise in Asia and the second largest state owned
Railway system in the world. The introduction of Railways, which is one of the legacies of the
British rule in India, has not only caused remarkable increase in the quick communication between different parts of India but also brought about profound changes in the habits and outlook of the people. From 1757 AD onwards the English East India Company consolidated its possessions in
India and our country experienced the bitterness of Colonialism. Colonialism is understood as a social formation, which contained control over a number of modes of production and forms of
2
exploitation. Britain acquired colonies in the non-European world first for trade in exotic luxury
1
goods, missionary activities, for the glory of their country and to satisfy their adventure, later on with the rise of capitalism, greed for profit making characterized these outward expansions.
3
Colonialism refers to a system of political and social relations between two countries, of
4
which one is the ruler and the other is the colony. The ruling country not only had political control over the colony, but it also determined the economic policies of the subjugated country. Broadly colonialism relates to foreign domination which implies the
COLONIAL POWER AND THE INTRODUCTION OF
RAILWAYS IN INDIA
Transport is an important infrastructure inevitable for the developmental process of a country. The progress of a country depends upon the availability of a viable system of transport facilities. Without proper means of transport and communications it may not be possible for any government to administer a vast country like India. Indian Railways played a vital role in the
1
economic development and national integration of our country . It has brought about remarkable changes in the economic, political, social and cultural life of the country. The Indian Railway system today is the largest state owned enterprise in Asia and the second largest state owned
Railway system in the world. The introduction of Railways, which is one of the legacies of the
British rule in India, has not only caused remarkable increase in the quick communication between different parts of India but also brought about profound changes in the habits and outlook of the people. From 1757 AD onwards the English East India Company consolidated its possessions in
India and our country experienced the bitterness of Colonialism. Colonialism is understood as a social formation, which contained control over a number of modes of production and forms of
2
exploitation. Britain acquired colonies in the non-European world first for trade in exotic luxury
1
goods, missionary activities, for the glory of their country and to satisfy their adventure, later on with the rise of capitalism, greed for profit making characterized these outward expansions.
3
Colonialism refers to a system of political and social relations between two countries, of
4
which one is the ruler and the other is the colony. The ruling country not only had political control over the colony, but it also determined the economic policies of the subjugated country. Broadly colonialism relates to foreign domination which implies the