question_answer

How were forests cleared to expand the railway network in India in the early 19th century?

Answer:

(i) The spread of the railways from the 1850s created a new demand for timber.

(ii) Railway was needed for the spread of trade in India. To run locomotives, wood was needed as fuel and to lay railway lines, sleepers were required to hold the tracks together.

(iii) As the railway tracks spread, a large number of trees were felled. The government gave contracts to individuals to supply timber.

These contractors began cutting trees indiscriminately.