<P> Headrick argues that both the Raj lines and the private companies hired only European supervisors, civil engineers, and even operating personnel, such as locomotive engineers . The government's Stores Policy required that bids on railway contracts be made to the India Office in London, shutting out most Indian firms . The railway companies purchased most of their hardware and parts in Britain . There were railway maintenance workshops in India, but they were rarely allowed to manufacture or repair locomotives . TISCO could not obtain orders for rails until the 1920s . </P> <P> Christensen (1996) looks at of colonial purpose, local needs, capital, service, and private - versus - public interests . He concludes that making the railways a creature of the state hindered success because railway expenses had to go through the same time - consuming and political budgeting process as did all other state expenses . Railway costs could therefore not be tailored to the timely needs of the railways or their passengers . </P> <P> In 1951, forty - two separate railway systems, including thirty - two lines owned by the former Indian princely states, were amalgamated to form a single unit named Indian Railways . The existing rail systems were abandoned in favor of zones in 1951 and a total of six zones came into being in 1952 . </P> <P> The worldwide Great Depression of 1929 had little direct impact on India, with only slight impact on the modern secondary sector . The government did little to alleviate distress, and was focused mostly on shipping gold to Britain . The worst consequences involved deflation, which increased the burden of the debt on villagers while lowering the cost of living . In terms of volume of total economic output, there was no decline between 1929 and 1934 . Falling prices for jute (and also wheat) hurt larger growers . The worst hit sector was jute, based in Bengal, which was an important element in overseas trade; it had prospered in the 1920s but was hard hit in the 1930s . In terms of employment, there was some decline, while agriculture and small - scale industry exhibited gains . The most successful new industry was sugar, which had meteoric growth in the 1930s . </P>

How was economy of india transformed by the british