<P> In 1957, after successful trials in France, SNCF proposed 25 kV AC electrification for India's railways . Indian Railways decided to adopt 25 kV AC electrification, choosing SNCF as a technical consultant . The Main Line Electrification Project (which later became the Railway Electrification Project and, still later, the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification) was established that year . In 1958, the Northeast Frontier Railway zone split off from the North Eastern zone . In 1959, Raj Kharswan to Dongoposi was the first section electrified with 25 kV AC traction . The first scheduled train using 25 kV AC traction ran on the Raj Kharswan - Dongoposi section on 11 August 1960 . The first containerized freight service began between Bombay and Ahmedabad in 1966, and 25 kV AC electrification of several suburban tracks around Delhi, Madras and Calcutta was completed . In 1979, the Main Line Electrification Project became the Central Organization for Railway Electrification (CORE). </P> <P> India's first metro train ran from Esplanade to Bhowanipur (now the Netaji Bhawan station) in Calcutta on 24 October 1984, and the Calcutta Metro was the country's first rapid - transit line . </P> <P> In 1986, computerized ticketing and reservations were introduced in New Delhi . The Shatabdi Express, India's fastest train, was introduced between New Delhi and Jhansi in 1988; the line was later extended to Bhopal . In 1990, the first self - printing ticket machine (SPTM) was introduced in New Delhi . Air - conditioned, three - tier coaches and a sleeper class (separate from Second Class) were introduced in 1993 . </P> <P> On 16 January 1995, the first regularly - scheduled service with 2 x 25 kV traction began on the Bina - Katni line . In September 1996, the CONCERT system of computerized reservations began in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai . In 1998, coupon - validating machines (CVMs) were introduced at Mumbai CST . The CONCERT system became operational nationwide on 18 April 1999; the South East Central Railway zone was established and credit cards were accepted for tickets and reservations at some stations that year . In February 2000, the Indian Railways website went online . On 6 July 2002, the East Coast, South Western, South East Central, North Central and West Central Railway zones were created . Indian Railways (IR) began online train reservations and ticketing on 3 August of that year, with Internet ticketing extended to many cities on 1 December . On 5 February 2012, The Western Railway zone (WR) ended its use of 1,500 V DC traction, switching to 25 kV AC traction . The Tatkal system of ticketing was extended to all trains on 26 September 2013 . </P>

Development of railways in india during british period