<b>Bibek Debroy:</b> The history of light railways

Development of road transport killed light railways, except where they survived as heritage railways

On February 20, 1973, Lalit Narayan Mishra presented the Railway Budget for 1973-74.  That speech had a specific section on light railways. “The assets of these light railways are in a completely worn-out and dilapidated condition and have very little residual lives left. Besides, in the case of Shahdara-Saharanpur Light Railway, the party who had purchased the assets of the company has already removed a considerable portion of the track. If these Railways are to be revived and their operation continued, the assets will have to be, sooner than later, replaced at a heavy cost. There may be difficulty in