Railways in India began with the first passenger train running between Bombay and Thane on 16th April, 1853. Evolving from early steam locomotives, railways have now achieved 99.6 per cent electrification of the broad-gauge network as of March 2026.

At railway stations across India, a quiet transformation is underway, bringing local craftsmanship into the heart of everyday journeys.

Three decades ago, 85-year-old Sita Ram from Morena embarked on a profound spiritual odyssey. He walked barefoot to Badrinath, his sand-worn feet carrying him through Himalayan trails, sustained by bhajans on his lips and the shared warmth of fellow yatris under starlit skies. He ate simple rotis together, chanted “Om Jai Badrinath-hari” in rhythmic unison, and found deep inner peace. On his return, he completed the 21-kilometre Govardhan Parikrama, each step an offering of devotion, pausing at sacred spots to hear Krishna's pastimes from elders.

The 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper train has been designed to cater to long-distance passenger travel and is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities.

The bodies are pulled out one by one from twisted metal that, minutes earlier, was a laughing family on holiday. A child’s shoe lies in a blood-smeared aisle. A crushed steering wheel pins a lifeless torso. Skulls crack against seat frames, limbs snap beneath overturned chassis. This is not the exceptional horror of a freak crash; it is the routine forensic reality of India’s fastest roads. On Uttar Pradesh’s expressways, death has become an everyday commuter.

When government sleeps, chaos thrives—this adage is playing out on India’s streets. Stray dogs, abandoned cows, and aggressive monkeys have turned our neighbourhoods and lanes into battlegrounds, while government agencies, lacking coordination, remain mere spectators.