The physiographic, economic and administrative factors have played an important role in the distribution of railway networks 1. The Northern Plains with vast level land, high population density and rich agricultural resources have provided the most favourable conditions for the growth of railways with only some obstacles in construction of bridges over rivers. 2. In the hilly terrains, there are a set of problems faced. For example - The conditions in the Himalayan mountainous regions are unfavourable due to high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities. Similarly, difficulties are faced in regions such as sandy plains of western Rajasthan, swamps of Gujarat, forested tracks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand- the stretch of Sahyadri could be crossed only through gaps or passes. 3. The development of Konkan Railways along the west coast has helped in facilitating the movement of passengers and goods but at the same time has faced problems such as sinking of track in some stretches and landslides.