a. 1843

b. 1853

c. 1890

d. 1990

Answer: b. 1853

Last year on April 2020, Indian Railways celebrated the 165th anniversary of its first passenger service. Although it began its services during the colonial era, it has achieved a milestone over time. 

On 16 April ,1853  the country’s first passenger train was set off on a 34 km journey between Bombay’s Bori Bunder station and Thane 

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It was after 20th century , Indian Railways took a step forward towards modernising railways with technology and infrastructure.

Indian Railway is  one of the cheapest and most convenient means of transport both for long-distance and suburban traffic.

Since 2000 metro lines have been set up in different parts of the country, including Metro cities-Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, making it one of the most adaptable modes of transport, especially during traffic jams. 

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Digital Technology has brought a revolutionary change in the railway industry by introducing online train reservations and ticketing through its IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) system in 2002. On 31 March 2017, Indian Railways announced that the country’s entire rail network would be electrified by 2022.

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Although privatization of railways is one of the recommendations put up by the Niti Ayog, there are chances of lopsided development due to multiple factors such as crony capitalism, red-tapism, and inaccessibility in peripheral areas of the country. 

The estimated revenue for 2020-21 stood at Rs 2,25,913 crore, a 10% increase from the revised estimates of 2019-20., as per the railway budget analysis of the year 2020-21.