Rails Through Raj: Chronicles of Eastern India's Railroad Revolution

On August 15, 1854, a modest five-coach train embarked on its maiden voyage from Howrah to Hooghly, marking a monumental engineering feat for the Eastern Indian Railway (EIR). This inaugural journey was the dawn of railway expansion in eastern India, setting the stage for a network that would soon extend to Delhi by the 1860s.

A new book exploring the history of the EIR and its founding company sheds light on more than a century-old railroad saga. While the railway's initiation stoked public interest prior to its debut, it was fraught with setbacks caused by colonial bureaucracy and logistical hurdles, delaying its completion until the mid-1800s.

The book, authored by P K Mishra, offers detailed insights into the birth and growth of the EIR, interwoven with archival reports and testimonials. It underscores the pivotal role the railway played not only in transportation but also in capturing the public imagination, evidenced by the popular street ballads it inspired.