The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c15.77

v1.c15.77

From Bombay inland runs the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. The line branches a short distance from the coast, striking on the one hand south-eastward in the direction of Madras, and on the other hand north-eastward in the direction of Allahābād on the East Indian Railway. Each week, a few hours after the arrival of the mail steamer at Bombay, three express trains leave the Victoria Station of that city. One of them is bound south-eastward for Madras. The second runs north-eastward to Allahābād, and then on to Howrah for Calcutta. The third also runs north-eastward, but diverges northward from the Calcutta route to Agra and Delhi. When the Government of India is at Simla the last mentioned train continues beyond Delhi to the foot of the mountains. The time taken to Madras is twenty-six hours, to Calcutta thirty-six hours, and to Delhi twenty-seven hours. Recently a more direct line has been made from Bombay to Calcutta which does not pass through Allahābād, but through Nāgpur. It traverses a hilly country, much forested and relatively thinly peopled, in the upper basins of the Godāvari and Mahānadī rivers.