Journalist uncovers rare photos, forgotten stories of Mumbai's rail heritage
Journalist Rajendra Aklekar, whose love affair with the railways began when he was a child, is now writing a book on the history of Mumbai's rail system – the first railway to be built in Asia.
Rajendra Aklekar has two things on his mind: Mumbai city and the railways. While many rail obsessives are passionate about locomotive models and vintage trains, Aklekar is fascinated by the history and the relics of old buildings he sees along the tracks as he takes train journeys up and down the city.
He has made his obsession his work. For the last decade, he has reported on the Mumbai railways for several city newspapers. This November, Aklekar will be out with his first book, tentatively titled Zero Mile Bombay, a history of the city’s railway system from the time it was first built in 1853 to all the relics that are associated with it 160 years later.
“The railway in Bombay was not just the first in the country, but also the first railway in this part of the world, in Asia,” said Aklekar, who now works with Mumbai Mirror. His book is an attempt to systematically document the heritage of Mumbai railways, including relics like old milestones, forts, wells and cannons that lie scattered along the city's railway routes. “These are parts of the original skeleton of what is a megapolis today.”
To write the book, Aklekar undertook a walking journey along the first railway route from Bombay to Thane, and recounts stories that he found on the way, one station at a time.
The book explores, among other things, the forgotten Colaba railway station and old industrial rail routes, the history of the first nine locomotives in the city, the boat trains that ran along Ballard Pier and an interview with a descendant of the first woman engineer in the railways.
Aklekar's book will be published by Rupa Publications. Images courtesy: Western Railway archives.
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He has made his obsession his work. For the last decade, he has reported on the Mumbai railways for several city newspapers. This November, Aklekar will be out with his first book, tentatively titled Zero Mile Bombay, a history of the city’s railway system from the time it was first built in 1853 to all the relics that are associated with it 160 years later.
Churchgate station in the 1920s.
“The railway in Bombay was not just the first in the country, but also the first railway in this part of the world, in Asia,” said Aklekar, who now works with Mumbai Mirror. His book is an attempt to systematically document the heritage of Mumbai railways, including relics like old milestones, forts, wells and cannons that lie scattered along the city's railway routes. “These are parts of the original skeleton of what is a megapolis today.”
An old arch bridge under Bhandup station, which is now filled up.
To write the book, Aklekar undertook a walking journey along the first railway route from Bombay to Thane, and recounts stories that he found on the way, one station at a time.
New electric local trains are unloaded. They were introduced in Mumbai between 1925 and 1930.
The book explores, among other things, the forgotten Colaba railway station and old industrial rail routes, the history of the first nine locomotives in the city, the boat trains that ran along Ballard Pier and an interview with a descendant of the first woman engineer in the railways.
Bandra station in the 1920s.
Aklekar's book will be published by Rupa Publications. Images courtesy: Western Railway archives.
