The Railways in Colonial South Asia: Economy, Ecology and Culture

471 Pages·2021·3.996 MB·English

by  Ganeswar Nayak

THE RAILWAYS IN COLONIAL SOUTH ASIA
Tis book is an interesting collection of essays on the Railways in
Colonial South Asia. An attempt has been made to introduce the key
concepts which have now entered the study of railway history, e.g.
economy, ecology, culture, health and crime through the various
essays. Te well researched essays include those on the Imperial
Railways in nineteenth century South Asia, Pakistan Railway, Impact
of railway expansion on the Himalayan forests, development of the
Sri Lankan Railways, a study of the European employees of the BB
& CI Railways, problems of Indian Railway up to c. ad 1900, railways
in Gujarati literature and tradition, mapping the Gaikwad Baroda
State Railway on the colonial rail network, coming of railways in Bihar,
expansion of railway to colonial Orissa, etc.
Tis book will be of immense value to those researching on various
dimensions of railway transport in colonial South Asia. It can also be
read by the more perceptive general reader exploring books on
railways.
Ganeswar Nayak, is working as Assistant Professor and Head,
Department of History, F.M. Autonomous College, Balasore, Orissa.

The Railways in Colonial South Asia
Economy, Ecology and Culture
Edited by
GANESWAR NAYAK
MANOHAR
2021
First published 2021
by Routledge
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and by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2021 selection and editorial matter, Ganeswar Nayak; individual chapters, the
contributors; and Manohar Publishers & Distributors
The right of Ganeswar Nayak to be identified as the author of the editorial
material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
1988.
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Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to
infringe.
Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh,
Pakistan or Bhutan)
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-032-05737-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-19897-0 (ebk)
Typeset in ITC New Baskerville Std 11/13
by Ravi Shanker, Delhi 110095
Contents
Preface 7
Acknowledgements 11
Introduction: The Railways in Colonial South Asia
Ganeswar Nayak 13
1. Imperial Railway in Nineteenth Century
South Asia
Laxman D. Satya 85
2. Pakistan’s Railway: A Painful History?
Muhammed Imran and Waheed Ahmed 115
3. The Impact of Railway Expansion on
Himalayan Forests
Dhirendra Datt Dangwal 141
4. Railways and Forests: History of Railways and
their Impact on Forest Policies of South India,
1850-1900
V.M. Ravi Kumar 165
5. The Rise and Fall of Pakistan Railway, 1849-2013
Nadia Tahir 191
6. An Overview of the Development of the
Sri Lanka Railway
David Hyatt 249
7. The Covenanted Workforce: A Study of the
European Employees of BB&CI Railway
in Colonial India, 1852-1870
Madhumita Bandyopadhyay 261
6 Contents
8. Construction of Railway Line over Thall and
Bhore Ghat: A Dream Come True
Rita P. Bhambi 285
9. Problems of Indian Railways upto c. 1900
N. Benjamin 307
10. Socio-Cultural History: Railways in Gujarati
Literature and Traditions
Maitree Vaidya Sabnis 333
11. Mapping the Gaikward’s Baroda State Railway
on the Colonial Rail-Network
Aruna Awasthi 361
12. Colonialism and Transformation in Punjab:
A Story of Railway Development
Bhupinder Singh 397
13. Railways in Bihar: Peasant Protest,
Response of Raj and Compensation
Puspa Kumari 413
14. Railway Development in India: A Study of
Extension to Colonial Orissa
Ganeswar Nayak and Keshab Chandra Jena 431
Bibliography 453
List of Contributors 469
Preface
The collection of articles in this volume is intended to draw
the attention of students and research scholars to some of
the latest research on various dimensions of railway transport
in colonial South Asia. It can also be read by the more per-
ceptive general readers interested in exploring railways in
colonial India. The idea originated in the course of a discus-
sion with different research scholars presenting their papers
on railway history in different sessions of Indian History
Congress. That idea got further momentum when I com-
pleted an ICHR funded project on railway transport in
colonial India.
The volume was visualized as a collective effort of those
who are in teaching and conducting their research on vari-
ous aspects of the railway history of South Asia both in India
and abroad. The purpose was to put together articles which
grew out of annotated bibliographies and which one thought
might be useful to those who are either unaware of recent
advances in the subject or those who have little access to
them.
The focus of each article is on the new trend in research in
a particular field. An attempt has been made to introduce the
key concepts which have now entered the study of the railway
history as, for example, ecology, culture, health, crime and
economy. Problems associated with the colonial railway have
received more attention since the nature of change has often
been neglected in the past studies. Source material from the
archives and the library is now being incorporated in new
ways into historical analyses. Clearly, in such a vast coverage
8 Preface
of time and space, it is not possible to refer to all publications,
even those of importance. A selection of necessity had to be
made and those works which have encouraged new trends
in historical interpretation have been preferred. Each article
includes a bibliography. This is not intended to be exhaus-
tive and refers to those publications which contain new data,
or point towards changing existing interpretations.
Many of the ideas were fleshed out at different seminars
and conferences, collected from wide circle of friends, activ-
ists, peers and equally voluminous number of voices which
supported the project emphatically. None the less, I acknowl-
edge, value and gratefully express my deepest gratitude to
Prof L.K. Mohapatra, former Vice-Chancellor of Utkal Uni-
versity, Odisha. He inculcated in me the ethics of historical
research during the formative period of my research career.
I owe a deep gratitude to him. I am also greatly indebted
to Prof. K.S. Behera, who always encouraged me to persue
research.
I am richly indebted to Prof. Laxman D. Satya, Profes-
sor of History, Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, who
provided several timely input in the critical period of pursu-
ing this project. His inspiring words and superb plans went
a long way to complete this work. Priyal de Silva, former
President of the Institution of Engineers, former Chairman
of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Sri Lanka,
provided several historical sources which shaped my con-
cept on railway transport. From the beginning he supported
this project strongly. I am deeply indebted to him. I am also
indebted to Lisa Mitchell, Associate Professor, Department of
South Asia Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
(USA). Prof. Madhumita Bandyopadhyay, Associate Profes-
sor of History, Smt. P.N. Doshi Women’s College, Mumbai,
arranged several sessions of academic consultation with
research scholars at several conferences and seminar. This
project became successful due to her sincere and patient
advice at several phases.
Prof. Nadia Tahir, head of Business and Economics, UCP
Preface 9
Business School, Lahore, provided many important sources
on railway transport of Pakistan. Prof. Imran Muhammed,
Messy University, Palmerstone North, New Zealand, also
supported this project and encouraged me for an early com-
pletion.
Other noted persons who helped this project are, Prof.
A.K Mohapatra, Prof. of West Asia and African Studies,
JNU, New Delhi, Dr L. Hoakip, Nehru Memorial Museum
& Library, New Delhi, Dr D.C. Dash, Asst. Director, History
Division, Ministry of External affairs, New Delhi, Dr Keshab
Jena, Asst Director, National Archives of India, Dr S.D.
Adhikari, Principal, F.M. Autonomous College, Balasore,
Dr Gitasri Roy, Associate Professor of English, F.M. Autono-
mous College, Balasore and P. K. Tarai, Office Superitendent,
F.M. Autonomous College, Balasore.
At New Delhi, I consulted the Indian Council of Histori-
cal Research Library, Jawaharlal Nehru University Library,
National Archives of India, Nehru Memorial Museum &
Library, Ratan Tata Library of Delhi School of Economics and
Railway Transport Museum and Library. At Bhubaneswar,
I consulted Orissa Assembly Library, Orissa Secretariat
Library, Orissa State Archives, Orissa State Library and
Orissa State Museum Library. At Cuttack, the Board of Rev-
enue Library, Utkal Sahitya Samaj Library and Ravenshaw
University Library provided me with enough material. At
Kolkata, the staff of the National Library, West Bengal Secre-
tariat Library and West Bengal Secretariat Library and West
Bengal State Archives were very helpful in providing me with
required sources used in the project. At Parlakhemundi, I
consulted SKCG Autonomous College, Library. At Balasore,
I consulted, F.M. Autonomous College, Library. I express my
sincere thanks to all these institutions.
I cannot forget the inspiration of my teachers, friends, and
colleagues who constantly encouraged me to complete the
project. I benefitted enormously through their long-term
interaction and cooperation.
I am also grateful to Ramesh Jain for evincing keen interest