History Southern Railway zone

in 1944, railway companies taken on government. , 3 years later, when india woke independence in 1947, stage set integration of different railways smaller zones. in 1948, after independence, there many 42 different railway systems - multiplicity of railway administrations, varying in size , standards.

the regrouping proposals put forward various committees studied in great detail ensure unification achieved least disturbance , dislocation. important associations of railway-users, chambers of commerce , industry, state governments , acknowledged experts both in india , abroad consulted.

shri n. gopalaswami ayyangar - minister railways, principal architect of regrouping of indian railways. in december 1950, central advisory committee railways approved plan indian railways 6 zonal systems, namely, northern, north-eastern, southern, central, eastern , western.

the southern railway zone 9,654 kilometres (5,999 mi) first zone formed. created on 14 april 1951 merger of madras , southern mahratta railway, south indian railway , mysore state railway, economic , geographical factors of zone facilitated integrated network. amalgamation major step towards streamlining , organizing working pattern of railway system.

shri k r ramanujam appointed first general manager of newly formed southern railways.