Meet Alice Tredwell: The Woman Who Built the Mumbai–Pune Railway in 1863

A Forgotten Heroine of Mumbai’s Railways

When you hop on a train from Mumbai to Pune, have you ever wondered who first made this journey possible?
It wasn’t just British engineers or contractors. It was a woman, Alice Tredwell, who, back in 1863, broke every rule of her time to build one of India’s toughest railway lines. 

Who Was Alice Tredwell?

Alice wasn’t born into railways. In fact, she started out as a photographer, which was already unusual for women in the 19th century. Later, she married Solomon Tredwell, a railway contractor working on the ambitious Mumbai-Pune line. 

Alice came to India in 1859 with her husband, Solomon Tredwell, but when Solomon passed away, Alice faced a choice: walk away from the project, or finish what he had started. Against all odds, she chose the second option. 

This rare photograph captures Khandala railway station during the Bombay Presidency era (now in Maharashtra) and is credited to Alice Tredwell, a remarkable 19th-century railway contractor and photographer.

 who was overseeing the completion of the Bhor Ghat section of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway.

Building Through the Mountains

The Mumbai-Pune line wasn’t an easy one. The route cut through the steep Bhor Ghat in the Western Ghats, a dangerous stretch of mountains, landslides, and heavy rain.

To complete it, engineers had to carve out 25 tunnels, build 8 massive viaducts, and construct several bridges. It was dangerous, expensive, and many thought it was impossible.

Yet Alice, in a world where women were rarely seen outside homes, managed teams of workers, dealt with engineers, and pushed the project forward. Finally, in 1863, the railway line was completed.

Why Her Story Matters

Alice wasn’t just finishing her husband’s work. She was proving that women could take charge in fields dominated by men long before women’s rights became a global movement.

Her efforts connected Mumbai and Pune in a way never seen before. Travel became faster, trade grew, and Mumbai’s rise as a major city was cemented.  Her lens not only documented history but also offered a glimpse into the life and work behind India’s early railway construction.

The Legacy We Forgot

Sadly, Alice Tredwell’s name is barely remembered today. Most history books focus on the railway system as a whole, not on the people who made it possible.

But her courage deserves to be told because she was more than a contractor. She was a trailblazer, a problem-solver, and an inspiration.

So, next time you take the train from Mumbai to Pune, think of Alice Tredwell  the woman who cut through mountains, faced storms, and changed India’s railway history forever.