Title - Window Seat |National Train Day, Oriya Column

In USA National Train Day was celebrated on 12 May, Saturday (details in http://www.nationaltrainday.com/about/). Hundreds of grassroots events were held in communities across the nation. It was a celebration of trains and the different ways trains touched the lives of people around the country. 
I strongly feel that we should also celebrate Annual Train Day in India. In India trains are more closely linked to an average common man's life. It is one among few other national institutions which hold the country together.
Consider the scale of operation of Indian Railways: it has 114,500 km track over a route of 65,000 km and 7,500 stations. It has the world's fourth largest railway network after those of the United States, Russia and China. The railways carry over 30 million passengers and 2.8 million tons of freight daily.
Besides the gigantic scale of operation- it is the pan-Indian character, that makes Indian Railways a truly national symbol. But interestingly it was started by the British rulers for commercial gain.
The plan for the introduction of a rail system was first mooted in 1832. However, no action was taken for over a decade. In the year 1844, private entrepreneurs were allowed to launch a rail system by Lord Hardinge, who was the Governor-General of India. By the year 1845, two companies were formed and the East India Company was requested to support them in the matter. The credit from the UK investors led to the hasty construction of a rail system over the next few years. On 22nd December 1851, the first train came on the track to carry the construction material at Roorkee in India. With a passage of one and a half years, the first passenger train service was introduced between Bori Bunder, Bombay (now Mumbai) and Thane- a distance of 34 km on 16th April 1853.  With that the journey of the Railways in India began.
In 1880, the rail network acquired a route mileage of about 14,500 km, mostly working through Bombay, Madras (now Chennai) and Calcutta (now, Kolkata), three major port cities.
By 1895, India had started manufacturing its own locomotives. In no time, different princely states including Mayurbhanj in Odisha assembled their independent rail systems and the network extended to the regions including Assam, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. In 1901, a Railway Board was formed though the administrative power was reserved for the Viceroy, Lord Curzon. The Railway Board worked under the guidance of the Deptt of Commerce and Industry. Later it became a separate ministry and had the distinction of the only ministry to present its budget separately in the parliament.
When India got independence 42 independent railway systems with thirty-two lines were merged in a single unit and were acknowledged as Indian Railways. The existing rail networks were forfeited for zones in 1951 and 6 zones were formed in 1952. By 1985, the diesel and electric locomotives took the place of steam locomotives. The whole railway reservation system was rationalized with computerization in 1995.
Railways touch more lives in India in many ways than in any other country of the world. Therefore, a day should be marked for its celebration annually. It could be 22nd December, when the first train rolled on Indian soil.
Amarendralal Bose
North Odisha University recently conferred Honorary Doctorate to senior journalist Amarendralal Bose.  This was probably for the first time that a working journalist was conferred this honour in Odisha. Baripada based Mr. Bose is one of the most respected journalists of the state, who has immense contribution in projecting and protecting Simlipal Biosphere Reserve. He has been in active journalism for over five decades. In his long and illustrious career he has worked with Hindustan Standard, Ananda Bazar Patrika, Blitz, Indian Express, Times of India and several other publications. I had the privilege of working with him for several years and knowing him from close quarters in Baripada. A through gentleman and true professional, he has been an inspiration to young journalists. May he continue to wield his pen for many more years.
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The writer, a journalist turned media academician presently heads the eastern India campus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) located at Dhenkanal, Odisha. The views expressed are his own. He can be contacted at mrinalchatterjee@ymail. Website: www.mrinalchatterjee.in