India, Feb. 4 -- India's first electric locomotive known as 'Sir Leslie Wilson' and other railway heritage items have been lying around outside Lonavla railway station for the past over one-and-a-half years. While these historic engines and equipment lie covered with protective sheets, heritage experts and citizens warn that prolonged exposure, inadequate storage and the absence of proper conservation measures can lead to irreversible damage. The irony of the situation is stark given that the Indian Railways marks 101 years since the first electric train ran in the country on February 3, 1925, between Bombay Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus/CSMT) and Kurla.

Among the artefacts lying around, 'Sir Leslie Wilson' ...