This is the only Railway line of India not operated by Indian Railways; it was run by…, started in year 1910

Shakuntala Railways was founded by Killick, Nixon & Company in 1910. Scroll down to read its historical significance.

Shakuntala Express: Running over 13,000 passenger trains across 19 operational zones of the country, the Indian Railways serves over 24,000 on any given day. Owning hundreds of trains, the Indian Railways is one of the cheapest and safest modes of transport in the country. However, would you believe if we tell you that there is one Railway line which is not owned by the Indian Railways. Here are all the details you need to know about the Railway line which is not owned by the Indian Railways.
Some stories from the past still live quietly in the present and one such story is that of Shakuntala Railways, a railway line in India that does not belong to Indian Railways.

Which is the only Railway line of India not owned by Indian Railways?

Shakuntala Railways is a 189 km narrow gauge railway line owned by the Central Provinces Railway Company. Started in 1910 by Killick, Nixon & Company, the company was found during British rule, when railway lines were run by private companies. Thereafter, when Indian Railways were nationalized in 1951, this railway line was somehow left out. Therefore, the Shakuntala Railways became the only privately owned railway line in India.

Route details of Shakuntala Express

The historic Shakuntala Express runs between Yavatmal and Achalpur in central India. Originally built to transport cotton from nearby cotton-producing areas to Murtazapur, then to Mumbai, the train began carrying passengers and slowly became a lifeline for poor and remote villages along the route, thereby creating a new legacy in the Indian Railways.

How much royalty does Indian Railways pay to Shakuntala Express?

Surprisingly, media reports say that the Indian Railways even paid a royalty of Rs 1.2 crore for using this private track. In the present scenario, the train runs on a diesel engine instead of steam, but much of its old charm remains, creating the historic legacy. However, the train was discontinued a few years back.

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Why is Shakuntala Express special?

The wooden seats, broken windows and narrow two-foot tracks of the Shakuntala Express make the journey feel like a step back into the colonial era. Readers can also note that although a broad gauge line for the Achalpur–Yavatmal–Murtazapur route was announced in 2016, the historic Shakuntala Express still runs, carrying both people and history forward.