ABSTRACT
The era of the Five Year Plans has naturally brought marked changes in India's trade position, large imports of capital goods reversing the generally favourable balance of trade of the British period. India entered the second half of the 20th century on the crest of the wave of confidence and jubilation following Independence, with a stable political scene, a good administrative system, an adequate rail-net and an amount of industry considerable in absolute figures. From the First Five Year Plan onwards, the Indian Government has constantly given a high priority to developments in transport. In railway development the main initial tasks were to overcome the backlog caused by excessive war-time strain on the system – inadequate maintenance, obsolescence of locomotives and rolling stock – to make adjustments consequential upon Partition. Then there was the task of forward planning in relation to a developing and industrializing economy.
