Railways Minister commemorates 172nd anniversary of India’s 1st train journey

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today commemorated the 172nd anniversary of India’s first train journey, recalling the historic moment when the inaugural train departed from Bori Bunder to Thane in Maharashtra on the 16th of April in 1853. In a social media post, the Minister described it as a landmark day in the nation’s history, marking the birth of Indian Railways. He said the day was declared a public holiday to celebrate the occasion. Recounting the details of that iconic journey, Mr Vaishnaw shared that the train consisted of 14 coaches carrying 400 invited passengers. The train was hauled by three engines named Sindh, Sultan, and Saheb and covered a distance of 34 kilometers in 1 hour and 15 minutes. Highlighting the legacy of the railways, the Minister remarked that since that first journey, Indian Railways has remained steadfast in its commitment to serve the country.