Indian railway network is one of the world's largest. Its 11,000 passenger and freight trains carry some 14 million passengers and transport large shipments daily. With 64,000 kilometers of railway tracks that cut through some of the most densely populated cities, it is also the country's largest employer with around 1.4 million people on its payroll.

Indian Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s presentation of the country's rail budget for next fiscal year in the parliament, will no doubt affect India’s economy as a whole. —Photos and texts by Agencies