Red Hill Railroad

The Red Hill Railroad at Chintadripet was constructed in 1836 and opened 1837 for the conveying of granite to be used as road-building material. It was the first railway in India.

History

The Madras Parliament first came up with the idea. In 1832, the first proposal of railway under the British administration was made in Madras, 21 years before the first operational railway line in India. Later in 1836 A T Cotton, a civil engineer in Madras, advocated the construction of a railroad in India.

Meanwhile in 1835, a short railway line intended to carry granite stones was laid at Chintadripet on an experimental basis, which later became to known as Red Hill Railroad line. Construction on this line began in 1836 and the line was opened in 1837. Despite a few troubles, the line became operational in the same year, with a written report of its functioning since January 1838.

Although the Chintadripet line was primarily intended for wagons hauled by animals, steam locomotives were also operated on the line, one of which is believed to be built in India.

The India Office Records, see ‘Records’ below, indicate that there was a proposal by Captain Arthur Thomas Cotton to utilise the railway for passenger traffic.

Records

An on-line search of the India Office Records (IOR) records held at the British Library relating to this railway gives several entries, the most relevant as follows: -

• Z/E/4/45/C1048; “Cotton, Capt. Arthur Thomas, Scheme for passenger traffic on Red Hill railroad referred to”; 1838-1842
• Z/E/4/45/R13; “Railways, Red Hill, References; 1838-42
• Z/E/4/46/R11; “Railways, Red Hill, Reference”; 1842-1845