New Delhi: Today is the most special day in the history of Indian Railways. Because the railways in the country are celebrating its 170th anniversary. On this day, 16 April 1853, the train ran for the first time in the country. John Elphinstone, the then governor of Mumbai, inaugurated rail services for the first time in the country by showing the green flag from Bori Bunder railway station. On this special occasion, the train was flagged off with a 21-gun salute.
There are many interesting stories related to the beginning of rail in India 170 years ago. Let us tell you in detail how the country’s first train left on 16 April 1853, how far it ran, where it stopped, and how many passengers enjoyed this journey.
Left with applause and a gun salute
On 16 April 1853, there was a lot of movement at Bori Bunder railway station. A huge crowd had arrived for the first time to see the journey of the train going to start in India. At 3.30 pm, the country’s first train left with thunderous applause and 21 gun salutes. In this train with 14 coaches, 400 passengers traveled a distance of 34 kilometers. The first train from Bori Bunder railway station to Thane took one and a half hours to cover a distance of 34 km.
The crowd of people presents at the station at that time
170 years ago, train running in India was no less than a dream, so the people present at the station were not considering the train less than any divine power. According to media reports, people were worshiping the train by offering red vermilion and flowers. The sound coming when the train was running was thrilling the people every moment.
Stopped at 2 stations in the 34-kilometer journey
After leaving Bori Bunder station, this train stopped at Byculla after walking 8 kilometers where its engine was filled with water. Then after leaving there, there was a stoppage in Sion for a while. In this entire one-and-a-half-hour journey, the train stopped at two stations for 15 minutes each.
The task of running the railways in the country has not been so easy and hard work has been done for it. In 1851, more than 10,000 laborers were employed to lay the track between Mumbai and Thane. After this, the dream of running a train on this route came true. Rail operations started in the country for the first time on 16 April 1853 and after that, the Indian Railways expanded. On August 15, 1854, the first passenger train ran from Howrah to Hubli. The length of this train journey was 39 kilometers. Thus the first section of the East Indian Railway was opened to public traffic, marking the beginning of railway transport in the eastern direction.
