DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22466#0132
Six
f$Hm>Mr»« *<m« March 30, IS
SHORTAGE OF RESOURCES, A CHALLENGE TO RAILWAYMI
M. N. CHAKRAVARTY
( General Maiager, Central Eailvay )
India's railway system, war, one of the prineipal passengerB who travelle
the oldest and the largest factors accounting for this in 1938-39 in undivide
in the East, is now in being a ehange in travel India, double the numb
the throes of dynamio habits,. Indians have de- travelled in 1947-48
development. Vast pro- moostrably become more India alone, and a furth
grammes ot expansion and travel-minded. For every 40 per cent increase ha
development have been million of population, the taken place (to 1,360 mi
planned to carry the in- Indian railways carried lion) since then. Th
creased traffic whieh tbe daily an average oi 4,400 present load of paseengi
nation-wide econoanio ad- in the efirly 1940's and traffic stands more tha
vancement is bringing within a derade and a two and a half times tha
about. half, the figure has risen of the pre-war figure.
_, e j to over 10,000. To
The railways are faeed pat thig m another The increase in pa
on tha one hand, with whereas an average Indian *«nger coaches has no
an almost crippling short- psrformea! If journeys per howevei, been in ete.
age of vital assets, such then h(j %/ma with this sharp increase
as rolling stock, machi- almost four journeys now, in traffic. Against 15,600
nery, plant and equipment; a ofc tha(. a,s0 ref)eot8 passenger coaches on the
on the other hand, with th, inoreased ec0nomic broad and metre gauges
i. sharply rising traffic to aetivity in the country. in 1938 39 in undivided
be moved. Indi&! the raiiways had
Besides, heavy arrears lhis Iigure may, at after partjtion only about
of renewals and replace. lirst sight, appear small, H000 which have now
ments of overaged assets and ln *act.'t » 8° when been jncreased to tbe pre-
are waiting to be cleared. compared with the figures partition figures. In other
Despite this pressure on °* ot,ner countries. Rail wordg wHh the 6ame
the Indian railways, muoh *rav.el Per inhabitant in number 0f passenger coa-
has been achieved in re- fndl» amounts to four che, tod a8 the raiiwftys
oent years and muoh more journeys equvalent to 103 had in 1938-39 it has
is being dona, to enable milf8 a year aga>n»t tbe betsn p08sibje to carry
the railway, to carry the h'8h« figure of 408 miles tw8 Jd & ha|f time.
burden without unduly "> ^ U.K., 599 in Japan mofe traffic_
banding under the strain. and 355 m Trance, per .
year. Maximum utilisation ot
Phenomenal Growtfc of The pTeMm, of Coaches
Passenger Traff.c genger traffio hQIM by ^ natura]]y haB led
There has been a the railways can be asses- to congestion and even
phenomonal growth of sed by the number of over-crowding on certain
passenger traffio since the passengers travelling. sections and trains. But
beginning of the last great Against some 500 million it does not follow that
:■■
f$Hm>Mr»« *<m« March 30, IS
SHORTAGE OF RESOURCES, A CHALLENGE TO RAILWAYMI
M. N. CHAKRAVARTY
( General Maiager, Central Eailvay )
India's railway system, war, one of the prineipal passengerB who travelle
the oldest and the largest factors accounting for this in 1938-39 in undivide
in the East, is now in being a ehange in travel India, double the numb
the throes of dynamio habits,. Indians have de- travelled in 1947-48
development. Vast pro- moostrably become more India alone, and a furth
grammes ot expansion and travel-minded. For every 40 per cent increase ha
development have been million of population, the taken place (to 1,360 mi
planned to carry the in- Indian railways carried lion) since then. Th
creased traffic whieh tbe daily an average oi 4,400 present load of paseengi
nation-wide econoanio ad- in the efirly 1940's and traffic stands more tha
vancement is bringing within a derade and a two and a half times tha
about. half, the figure has risen of the pre-war figure.
_, e j to over 10,000. To
The railways are faeed pat thig m another The increase in pa
on tha one hand, with whereas an average Indian *«nger coaches has no
an almost crippling short- psrformea! If journeys per howevei, been in ete.
age of vital assets, such then h(j %/ma with this sharp increase
as rolling stock, machi- almost four journeys now, in traffic. Against 15,600
nery, plant and equipment; a ofc tha(. a,s0 ref)eot8 passenger coaches on the
on the other hand, with th, inoreased ec0nomic broad and metre gauges
i. sharply rising traffic to aetivity in the country. in 1938 39 in undivided
be moved. Indi&! the raiiways had
Besides, heavy arrears lhis Iigure may, at after partjtion only about
of renewals and replace. lirst sight, appear small, H000 which have now
ments of overaged assets and ln *act.'t » 8° when been jncreased to tbe pre-
are waiting to be cleared. compared with the figures partition figures. In other
Despite this pressure on °* ot,ner countries. Rail wordg wHh the 6ame
the Indian railways, muoh *rav.el Per inhabitant in number 0f passenger coa-
has been achieved in re- fndl» amounts to four che, tod a8 the raiiwftys
oent years and muoh more journeys equvalent to 103 had in 1938-39 it has
is being dona, to enable milf8 a year aga>n»t tbe betsn p08sibje to carry
the railway, to carry the h'8h« figure of 408 miles tw8 Jd & ha|f time.
burden without unduly "> ^ U.K., 599 in Japan mofe traffic_
banding under the strain. and 355 m Trance, per .
year. Maximum utilisation ot
Phenomenal Growtfc of The pTeMm, of Coaches
Passenger Traff.c genger traffio hQIM by ^ natura]]y haB led
There has been a the railways can be asses- to congestion and even
phenomonal growth of sed by the number of over-crowding on certain
passenger traffio since the passengers travelling. sections and trains. But
beginning of the last great Against some 500 million it does not follow that
:■■