India's relationship with trains goes back to the 1850s.

The railway is revolutionized, lives here.

And two centuries on, the trains remain the principal mode of transport across this huge

country.

Politicians know the trains go hand in hand with India's economic success and so they

set out to electrify the lot, speed of services and reduce the country's carbon footprint

in the process.

In this program, we are going to see how far they have come in realising their ambitions.

I am Bhatijen and this is India our train's electric on the BBC World Service.

The railways really do have India covered.

Connectivity here is excellent with regular services reaching almost every corner of the

country and linking almost all major towns and cities.

Stations like this one at Kamukhia Junction in Gohati are busy hubs taking travellers

all over the country for work and leisure.

The first electric train to reach Kamukhia in this case, a cargo service was in October 2021.

But parts of this massive network have been in decay for years, plighted by overcrowding,

sluggish rolling stock and track and safety issues.

I have had all sorts of experience while travelling on trains, some have been quite pleasant,

some have been very busy with the trains and the trains.

I have been travelling on trains for years, just how the country is because it is very

populated, stations and travelling by train is kind of synonymous to.

It defines that chaotic nature of the country.

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