It is observed that other than in very few World cultures who have long histories like Europe, most other countries have woken up to the preservation of their heritage only after much of it has been destroyed. In the "New Worlds" of the American and Australian continents however, the communities of European origin, who emigrated there, have succeeded in preserving their legacy, but not that of the indigeous peoples.
In India, our heritage consciousness has had a rather dismal record. Intentional descecration on the basis of religion and of so called "foreign" cultural relics have taken a toll over the ages. Indian Railways is unique, as it displays a wide range of industrial heritage spanning over 150 years or more, rarely available in any othe single organisation in the world, except perhaps in the armed forces. In 1970's we began a movement of preservation. Museums were created. But most of it were through individual initiatives of railwymen. But even then, we started off rather late in the day. While over the years, a significant effort has been made to collect and preserve built heritage, IR is fast losing out its cultural & archival heritage due to rapid modernisation.
Therefore the questions before us are the following:
1. Is the Ministry of Railways doing enough to preserve our railway legacy? If not, what more is needed as part of public policy, including funding mechanism?
2. Does India need a focussed National Movement with a supporting organisation encompassing all railway stakeholders, government and private, to preserve railway heritage and make it popular and self sustaining?
3. How can the community help?
SANJOY MOOKERJEE