Which of the following factors are responsible for railways having not developed much in the northeastern parts of India?

1) Highly dissected topography

2) Dense forests

3) Low population density

4) Heavy rainfall and frequent flooding

The correct answer is 1,2 and 4.

Key Points

• The northeastern part of the country is marked by the presence of big rivers, dissected relief, dense forests, frequent floods, landslides, international frontiers, etc.
• Since it is difficult to lay railway lines in hilly terrains or remote forested areas, railways are not common in North-East India.

Additional Information

• Railways:
  • The first railway proposals for India were made in Madras in 1832.
  • As a result, the country got its first train in the form of the Red Hill Railway which was built with the sole purpose of transporting granite for road-building in 1837.
  • In 1845, the Godavari Dam Construction Railway was built by Cotton at Dowleswaram in Rajahmundry, to supply stone for the construction of a dam over the Godavari River. 
  • India’s first passenger train, operated by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway and hauled by three steam locomotives – Sahib, Sindh, and Sultan – ran for 34 kilometers with 400 people in 14 carriages on 1,676 mm broad gauge track between Bori Bunder (Mumbai) and Thane on 16 April 1853.