COLONIAL RAILWAYS IN BALUCHISTAN: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF GEOPOLITICAL STRATEGY, ECONOMIC MODERNIZATION, AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

Abstract

This research article explores the historical significance and development of the British-Baluchistan Railway, a pivotal milestone in the economic growth, social transformation, and modernization of Balochistan. The study critically examines the origins, construction phases, geopolitical implications, and the railway’s role in fostering regional integration.Focusing primarily on social reforms and changes within the vicinity of the railway tracks, this research investigates Baluchistan's societal dynamics before the advent of the railway, the transformations during its construction, and the long-term repercussions that followed. The genesis of the British-Baluchistan Railway dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, driven by British colonial objectives to secure the northwestern frontier of the Indian subcontinent against German and Russian influence. Balochistan's strategic significance made it a central point for these imperial projects.The paper aims to provide a historical and thematic analysis of the phases of railway development in colonial India, with a particular emphasis on the construction in Balochistan and the key cities connected by these railways. Additionally, it engages with various perspectives on the railway’s impact, highlighting the geopolitical, economic, and social motivations underlying this infrastructure development.

Keywords: British-Baluchistan Railway, colonial infrastructure, social transformation, economic development, regional integration.