It made a modest beginning in April 1853, with the first train from Bombay to Thane.
The range of operations of the Indian Railways is quite diverse and wide.
The Indian Railway network comprises of nine zones, directly controlled by the Railway Board, which is at the helm of all operations.
Each zone is headed by a General Manager.
The nine zones are:
- Central Zone with headquarters in Mumbai
- Eastern Zone with headquarters in Calcutta
- Northern Zone with headquarters in New Delhi
- North Eastern Zone with headquarters in Gorakhpur
- North-East frontier Zone with headquarters in Guwahati
- Southern Zone with headquarters in Chennai
- South-Central Zone with headquarters in Secundrabad
- South-Eastern Zone with headquarters in Calcutta
- Western Zone with headquarters in Mumbai
