<h3 style="color: #222222; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; line-height: 19.9333px; break-after: avoid; font-size: 13pt; font-family: cambria, serif;"><br />''</h3>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 29.3333px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 37.3333px; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; color: #383636;">Ministry of Railways has decided to preserve five narrow gauge rail lines in Gujarat, built by the erstwhile princely state of Baroda. The five railway lines, which are collectively 204-kms long, were originally owned by the princely state's Gaekwad Baroda State Railway, are now operated by the Western Railway. </span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 29.3333px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 37.3333px; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; color: #383636;"><br />''</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 29.3333px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 37.3333px; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; color: #383636;">An official yesterday said the Railway Board has recently written a letter to the Western Railway informing it that a decision has been taken to preserve the five narrow gauge lines to promote tourism in the state.<br />''<br />''</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 29.3333px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 37.3333px; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; color: #383636;">These five narrow gauge lines were laid down in the 19th century. One of these lines, Dabhoi-Miyagam line, which is 33-kms long was the nation's first narrow gauge line. Subrata Nath, Executive Director (Heritage) of the Railway Board informed that in 1862, it started functioning when coaches were pulled by oxen. Steam engines came a year later. <br />''<br />''</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 29.3333px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 37.3333px; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; color: #383636;">The old narrow gauge lines are part of Asia's largest narrow-gauge light railway system. Mr Nath said, at present, commercially working narrow gauge lines have almost become non-existent in the world, except for some hill railways in India.</span></p>