This is India's last privately-owned railway line
As of recent reports, there's a railway line in Maharashtra—stretching 190km between Yavatmal and Achalpur—that's still owned by the same British company that built it over a century ago.
The Shakuntala Railway, started in the early 1900s to ship cotton out of Vidarbha, is a rare example of a colonial-era line under foreign ownership.
The line's history and current status
It's surprising how this piece of history is still remembered today: until recently, the Shakuntala ran just one slow daily train, operated by only seven staff, but services have been suspended in recent years due to planned upgrades.
Despite Indian Railways's size, efforts to take over or modernize the line have dragged on for years—locals are waiting for upgrades and hoping service resumes soon.
It's a rare reminder that some colonial legacies really do stick around.