First railway line in India

Railway were introduced in India for the benefit of the British administration,political control and trade.But railways brought many changes in the lives of Indians.People from different parts of india came in close contact.This communication brought about an awareness against social evils,need of education and freedom from foreign exploitation.
          Indian Railways made a beginning on april 6,1853 when the very first train ran over a stretch of 21 miles from Bombay to Thane.It consisted of 14 railways carriages and 400 guests.It started his journey with a salute of 21 guns.
       The British introduced railways for:-

• Commercial advantage- Railways collected raw material from fields and mines and sent them to the ports to be transported to England to feed the British industries.
• Defence aspect - Most importantly, the railways helped in the defence of British  possesions in India from military attacks of other impereliast countries,who were trying to expand their influence.
• Political aspect - Railways safeguarded the British possesions in different parts of India with the quick movement of armed forces and administrative convienence.
• Investment of surplus income- Railways opened new area where investments earned huge profits.

The kalka mail from howrah to kalka was introduced to make the annual migration of British officials . Their families and their survants  and clerks from the imperial capital at calcutta to the summer capital in shimla.From kalka, there is still a narrow gauge to shimla that passes through 103 tunnels.