§ Mr. LANSBURYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India the total railway mileage of the railways in India; the mileage State-owned;. the mileage State-controlled; the mileage at present under construction; and whether State-owned or State-controlled?
§ Earl WINTERTONOn the 31st March, 1926, the latest date up to which full information is available, the total open mileage of the railways in India was 38,579. Of this a mileage of 27,264 was owned by the Government of India, who worked 13,169 miles directly and 14,095 through the agency of companies. The balance of 11,315 miles was made up of lines owned by private companies, district boards and Indian States. On the same date the mileage under construction was 2,446, of which 1,806 was being constructed by the Government of India, 535 direct and 1.271 through the agency of companies. The hon. Member will find fully detailed information in the Report by the Railway Board on Indian Railways for 1925–26, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of this House.