CHAPTER

10 Transport

" Transport system is like the arteries and veins in the human body. Give Reason.
Iransport helps in connccting oncpart of the country with the other. It helps in the movement of
raw materials, fucl,machinery, to the points of production and finished goods to the points of
marketing and consumption.

What are chief means of transportation in India?

Chicf mcans of transportation in ndia are roadways, railways, airways, &waterways.

e What is the significançe of an effictent transportsystem?

i. Ithelps inthe process óf industrialzaion &urbanization.
i. It helps in better utilization of resources of the backwärd areas by Tinking them with the more
advanced arcas.
iii. Itremoves scarcity of goods uring any crisis.
iv. Ithelps in reducing the effects of natural disasters.

+ ROADWAYSI4

Importance /role /advantages of roadwavs

i. Every village and hamlet can be feached thröugh roads.
i. Construction cost of roads is much lower than that of the railway line. Their construction can be
undertaken in the remote areas & difficult terrain.
ii. Roads prov door to door service. Thus cost of t
iv. Road transport helps the farmers to move their petishable products like fruits vegetables, milk,
etc, quickly to the markets.

Disadvantages of roadways
Most of the roads in the villages are unmetalled. Water logging is acommon problem during
rainy season.
ii. Roads are not properly maintained. Poor road surface cause heavy loss and wear &tear of
vehicles.

14 Sher Shah Suri built the famous Grant Trunk to consolidate his empire.
127
www.prolearningacademy.com 9029003320/ 5200 Changing Learning Experiences
 wastagcof
roads which causcs
points on the
iii. Therc arc many check posts and tolltax collcction
timc and irritation to thc commuters.

+ National HighwayS
connccting statc
of thc country
lcngth &brcadth
Thesc arc main long mctalled roads running along facilitate interstatc
transport &&
tourist centcr. They
capitals, major ports, large industrial and
India
movement of defence materials in stratcgicarcas. Highways Authority of
Government. The National n
Imanagement of
Thesc arc maintaincd by the Ccntral maintenance &
development, development
(NHAI) established in 1988 is responsible for the and BRO. carryout
Public Work department,
national highways. Bcsides NHAI, Statc
and maintenance of the National highways. Kanyakúmari. The shortest
between Varanasito
The largest national highway is NH7 which
runs
Ernakular to Kochiport.
NH is the NH 47A which spans 6km. to the
Importance of National Highways -
(i) All weather reliabilfty.
(ii) National Integration.

been groing. Give Reason.

The traffic on the National bighway has growing ue to industrialisation in the country. The
Highways has bcen
i. The trafYic on National technologies and improved management techniques
to utilise latest
ii. Government is taking steps
trafficmoyemegt
to provide hindrance-free constructionof bypasses, bridges, rail
widcning roads, grade separatidn,
ii. This is being donc by
road crossings, ctc.

+ Express Highways: high speed

highways are cemented six to cight lane roads, designed to provide smooth
Express point of
without any road trafric or speed breakers, having few intersections, limited
movement directiois,The specd is
trafüc moing in oppo[ie
access and exit and a divider betyecn lans fot
restricted to 120km/hr.

Some of the important expresSways are :

i) Agar- Lucknow Expressway:
6 lane expressway.
just 3.5 hours from the earlier 7
-Cut down the travel time between Agra and Lucknow to
hours.

ii) Yamuna Expressway :

connects Greater Noida with
-India's longest six laned controlled access expressway which
128

9029003320/ 5200 Changing Learning Experiences

www.prolearningacademy.com ...
 Agra.
-rcduccd travcl timc bctwcen Dclhi and Agra to two hours.
- It has tclephonc booths & CCTVcameras cvcry 5 kms.
- It has mobile radars to monitor spccd of the vchiclc.
move their agricultural, horticultureand dairy
- It has cnablcd farmers in wcstcrn UP to
products to major cities.

first cxpressway]:
ii) Ahmcdabad- Vadodara Expressway [India's
-4lanc and dual Carriagcway.
Ahmedabad and Vadodara to less than I hour.
- Reduccd the journey time from

Golden Quadrilateral Highway Project.] :

iv) Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway [is a part of
from 1 hour to approximately 20 minutes.
- rcduccd travel time between Gurgaon and Dclhi
- SOS telephones every 1.5kms and CCTV surveillançe.

v) Mumbai-Pune Expressway :
India's first 6 lancs, concrete, high speed, tolled expres$way.
2-3 hours from earlier 4-5 hours.
- Reduccd travel timc bctween Mumbai and Pune to
-Separate tunnels for trafic in cach irection.
No two wheelers and three wheelers allowed.
-Completc fencing to avoid humans or animals crossing the expressway.

vi) Panipat Expressway:

-6 lanc cxpressway.
-it has decongested traffic on the busy Delhi - Amritsar route.

"Difference between Highways and Expressways.

Highways Expressways
There are some trafic lights on highways There are no traffic lights on expressway
Two and three wheelers are allowed. No two wheelers or three wheelers are allowed.

Multiple roads are there which merge with or cross the No multiple roads are there. There is a controlled access
highways at many places. where avehicle can enter through a limited space and no
further.

What is the Golden Quadrilateral Project?

It is the largest express highway project in India. It is the first phase of National Highways
Development Project (NHDP) &it builds four / six lane express highways connecting four major
metropolies: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata &Chennai.
Bengaluu, Pune, Ahmedabad and Surat are also served by this network. The purpose of this project
129

www.prolearningacademy.com 9029003320/ 5200 Changing Learning Experiences ..

 is to reducc the timc & distancc betwecn mega citics of India.
Thc Mumbai
Phascl - It will conncct four major citics i.c Dclhi, Kolkata, Chennai & Mumbai.
Chennai is the shortcst and the Mumbai-Kolkata is the longest.
Phasc 2 - The North-South-East-West Corridor is the largest ongoing highway projcct in India. Tne
North-South Corridor - It would conncct Srinagar (J&K)to Kanyakurmari(TN)
The East-West Corridor - It would conncct Silchar (Assam) to Porbandar (Gujarat)

" Mention the economic benefit of golden quadrilateral project.

1. This highway will interconnect many major cities & ports and thereby reduce transport.
ii. It willhelp in the industrial growth of all small towns through which it pass.
ii. Itwill provide opportunities for transport of agriculture produce from the hinterland to major
cities & ports for export.
iv. Itprovides an impetus to trúck transport throughout India.

State Highways
State highways are the main arteries of commerce within the states. The are linked to the ncarest
national highways, district headquartcfs, inportant towns, tourist centes &minor ports within the
state. These are constructed and maintained by the State govcráment.

Border roads:
The Border Road Organization (BRO) was set up for strengthening defence preparcdness &
accelerating cconomic development through improvemçnt ofroads along the northern &north
castern boundary of the country. BRO has constructed the wÍrld's highest road from Manali
(Himachal Pradesh) to Leh (in Kashmir). BRO also undertakes snow clearance in high altitudes &
construction of airficlds &permanent bridges

Maximum roads are found in the Northern Plains. Give reason.

The land is flat and so it is casy and checaper to build roads here.
i. Du¢ to bigh density of population in this region there is grcat need totável.
iii. The landis fertile and the area is rich in agricultural products
which have to be transferred to
factories quickly.
It is difficult to build roads in North-East part of
India. Give reason.
i The land is hilly and steep and thus it is expensive to build roads.
ii. Asthere are thick forests, building roads by
cutting down trees will destroy the ecosystem.

130
www.prolearningacademy.com 9029003320/5200
Changing Learning Experiences
 + RAILWAYS

The Indian Railways arc thc nation's life linc & the most important mode of transportation for
country for
reight & passengers. It brings togcther pcople from the farthcst corners of the
conducting busincss, sightsccing. pilgrimage, cducationctc.
Railways were first introduced in india in 1853 whcn alinc was constructed from Mumbai to
Thanc.
Indian Railways cary a huge varictyof goods like mincral ores, fertilizers, petrochemicals, iron &
stccl, ctc. Thus railways hclp in accclerating the devclopment of industry & agriculture.
The entire Railways systcm is managed by Railway Board.
Types of Railway Gauges: Bascd on the width of the track, the Indian Railways are divided into
thrce categorics :
(1)Broad Gauge- the distance between rails is 1,676 meters. Almost all the routes in the country
are broad gauge. It is also called India Gauge. It links maiopoYts of India with interior towns and
handlcs maximum goods traffic. Broad raugé on the west coastal lowlandis called Konkan Railway
linc and is an engincering marvel as itcrosses many rivets. bridges and tinnels. It connects Roha
(Maharashtra) to Mangalore (Karnataka).

(i) Metre Gauge -the distance betwecn rails is one ietré. It is found mainly in Bihar, Assam.

(ii) Narrow Gaue- the distance between rails is;0.762 metrëand 0.610 m. It is mainly in hilly
regions because it is dificult to bufld railwaysasithas to go uphill (Kalka-Shimla, Siliguri
Darjeeling)

What are EMU?

Suburban trains that handle commuter traffic are Electric Multiple Units (EMU). They usually have
nine to twelve coaches to handle rush hour traffic.

" Advantages of railways

Railways help in the easy movement of bulky goods &perishable commodities to distance
places.
ii. Railwaysserve as the cheapest mode of transport of raw material to production units & finished
goods to the markets.
ii. Railtravel is safer & comfortable for families with babies &
elders.
iv. Railways help in reducing sufferings during natural calamities.

Disadvantage of railways:
i Train travel can be long & tedious, especially when
compared to air travel.
131

www.prolearningacademy.com 9029003320/ 5200 Changing Learning Experiences "..

. Train tracks cannot be laid in everv reoion ofthe country likc in the hilly arcas or remote
forcstcd arcas.
iii. Trains which run on coal produce lots of air & noisc pollution.
iv. Trains cannot cross the occans. Thcy arc limitcd to land travcl.

Eastern coastal strip has more railways than the westerncoastal strip. wny*
building railway
tastcm coastal strip is broadcr than the western coastal strip andthe land is flat. So
lines is casicr and the cost is less.

What is the role of railways in the economic development of India?

The railways have madc travelling between the far flung parts of the country casier.
agricultural goods.
I. It has helped Indian agriculture by bringing about a better distribution of
iii. They have heiped in the setting up of industries. Eg-the jute industry in Bengal, the coal
industry in Bihar, the cotton textile industry in Mumbai.
iv. The mobility of labour has increased,

O Which two places does the Udhampur Katra railway line connect? Why was it built?
- It connects Vaishno Devi Shrine and The Kast.mir valley
- It was built toconnect destinations that¥re located in closëproximity to Katra such as Shiv
Khori, Patnitop and Sanasar.

What is the disadvantage of usiagthree different gages? OR

Government of India has decitecd toconcr lgaugs to broad gauge. Why?
i. The existence of different gaugesis not very.conyenicnt since passcngers have to change trains
and the goods too have to be siifted to othettrins.
ii. Perishable goods cannot stand the delay.

Where are Diesel engines produçed in India?

1. Diesl
2. Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in West Bengal
3. Locomotive Works in Jamshedpur.

" Railways are more important in the Northern Plains compared to Northern India. Give
reason.

i. The flat level of Northern Ganga plain with high density of population and rich agricultural
output provides ideal conditions for development of railways. However due to the presence of
rivers, number of bridges have to be constructed.

132

www.prolearningacademy.com 9029003320/ 5200 Changing Learning Experiences ...

 railway
ii. In Northern parts of India, duc to hilly and ruggcd topography, it is difficult to dcvclop
lincs. Hencc, here the road transport is morc popular.

" The Indian Railways has decided to allow private participation for operation of passenger
train services. Why?
Thesc trains would run on the routcs wherc the demands for trains arc alrcady higher than the
existing capacity.
train of Indian
ii. The running timc taken by a train shall be comparablc to or fastcr than the fastest
Railways operating in the respcctive route.
iii. The objcctive of this initiative is to introduce modern technology rolling stock with reduced
maintenancc, reduccd transit timc, boost job crcation, provide enhanced safety, provide world
class travel experience to passengers, and also reduce demand supply deficit in the passenger
transportation scctor.

AIRWAYS

Air transport in India started with a 10km air mail operation between Allahabad &Naini in 1911.
The Airport Authority of India formed on April 1st, 1995 is the' nodal agency responsible for
providing safe, efficient air traffic services /n the country.
Director General of Civil Aviation is responsible forlicensing of pilots, aircraft maintenance
enginecrs and monitoring flight crew standards.
India has both domestic and international airlines, They cary þasscngers, freight and mail.

AirIndia(Govemment Airline) -operates 39 international and 50domestic routes flights.

Private Airlines: Jet Airways, Go Airlines, Spicejet Ltd., Blue Aviation Pvt Ltd, Deccan Cargo are
operating cargo services.

Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd(PHHL): It is the helicoper seryic operátingid hilly arcas &is
widely used by tourists in north eastern sector. It provides helicopter services to petroleum sector
including ONGC.

Cargo Ailines - Blue Aviation Pvt. Ltd, Deccan Cargo and Express Logistics Pvt. Ltd.

ADVANTAGES
i. It is the fastest and comfortable mode of transport. It connects far flung & remote areas of the
country.
ii. Air transport is significant in hilly regions, sandy deserts, expanses of water or forests.

133
www.prolearningacademy.com 9029003320/ 5200 Changing Learning Experiences ...
I11. It is an important during natural calamitics as it can airlift pcople from affcctcd arcas and alsO
air drop food, medicincs.

DISADVANTAGES
i. Air transport is very costly & normally beyond thc rcach of common man.
ii. It depends on wcather conditions. Flights arc often dclayed due to bad wcathcr.
ii. Air transport run on pctrolcum which is a non-rencwable source of encrgy.

WATERWAYS

Watcer transport can be divided into two categories:

i) Inland waterways (ii) Oceanic waterways.

(1) Inland waterways - It includestivers, canals, çreeks whichch are deep enough to allow ships and
boats to navigate safely. These waterways must be freefrom bàrriers like waterfalls and rapids.
Inland Waterways ATthority of Lndía ((WAn looks aier the developicnt, administration of
inland waterways in India Ithas declared five waterways as National Highways.

(I) Oceanic Waterways -India has á long coa_tline of7517,km. It has 12 major ports and 187
minor and intermediate ports, Oceanic waterways (coástal shipping) plays an important role in the
transport sector of India's economy. Occan routes handle 95% of India's trade by volume & 70% by
value, it is most economical, fucl saving &enyironmental frendly. It helps in movement of goods
&passengers between the islands hrest ofthecountr

" Why is the river Ganga navigible from its mouth rightapto
& Allahabad?
i. Ganga is a perennial river whiçh is rainfed as well as snowfed.
ii. It is joincd by Yamuna, Son, Gomti, Ghagra, Gandak and Kosi which incrcases the depth of
water in Ganga.
ii. The 'slopeof Gángais gradualánd th fivé bed is freefrom stones aDd sílt.

" Why are the rivers of peninsular India not navigable?

1. These rivers are seasonal as they are rainfed.

ii. These rivers are shorter than the rivers of northern India.
iii. These rivers have many waterfalls.

Why has the importance of inland waterways declined?

i. River water has been diverted for the purpose of irrigation.
ii. Roads and rail transport have developed
considerably.

134
www.prolearningacademy.com 9029003320/ 5200 Changing Learning Experiences ...
 Mention two advantage and disadvantages of Inland waterways.
Advantage:
i. Suitable for hcavy and bulky goods.
ii. No traffic congestion.

Disadvantage:
i. Slow mcans of transport.
ii. Depends on weather conditions.

" What are the advantages of waterways?

i. It is thc cheapcst mcans of transport.
ii. It is most suitable for carrying heavy & bulky materials.
ii. It is fuel efficient &eco-friendly mode of transport.

" What are the disadvantages of waterways?

i. It depends on weathet conditions.
ii. It needs long travelling hours which causes sea sickness.
iii. Water transport is limited to the arèas where rivers are nâvigable & oceanic route exist.

" What is the importance of ports for the Indian économy?

A port isa place on the coast with docks where cargo can be unloaded and
distributed through land
routes and vice-versa. These ports handle most of India's foreign trade. These ports are the
main
source of trade. The trade helps the cconomy ncaning foreign exchange.

" Problems of Indian Ports.

i. Not well planned, lack facilities and are very
congested.
ii. Not well connected with their hinterland.

" Advanta#es ofcoastal shípping.

( t iv
i Reduces the burden on roads and railways.
ii. It promotes tourism.

Name some major ports of India?

1. Kolkata(West Bengal)- (Not located on the sea coast]. It is a
riverine port on the bank of river
Hooghly. It is the largest terminal port in South Asia. It suffers from the problem of
silting as
tidal bores enter this port frequently. It handles
commodities from SE Asian countries, Australia
and New Zealand.

135

www.prolearningacademy.com 9029003320/ 5200 Changing Learning Experiences...

 2 ialdia (West Bengal- This port has been devcloped on the River Hooghly to relicve pressure
on Kolkata.

3. Paradip (Odisha)- locatcd on the coast of Orissa & handles

iron orc and c0a1.

4. Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) It is India's decpest landlockcd port handling crude and
petrolcum products. Often hit by cyclones during the month of November.

S. Chennai (Tamil Nadu)- It is the oldest artificial harbour on the cast coast. It is the second
largest port in tems of volume and traffic. It handles petrolcum products, crude oil, fertilizers,
iron ore and dry cargo.

6. Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu) - located on east coast of ndia. Hanales mainly oal,
salt, edible oil
and petroleum products.

7. Kandla (Gujarat) Itis atidal port and afree tr£de zone at the
castem end of Rann of Kutch.
It handies crude oil,pétrolum
products, edible oil, eo
8. Mumbai (Maharashtra)-It is anatural harbour and the biggest port in India. It handles
maximum traffic which incude mineraloil & drycargo.
9. Jawaharlal Nehru (Nava Sheya) near Mumbai - It
Mumbai. It is equipped with moderi facilities isthebiggest ultra-modern seaport off
developed to reduce pressure
of
haying.mechanized container berths. It was
Mumbai port.
10. Mormugao (Goa) - It is a natural harbour, sityated at the entrance of
the Zuari estuary in Goa.
11. Kochi (Kerala) -a natural
harbour which handles expoft.of tea, coffee and
spices.
12. New Mangalore
(Karnataka) located on the west coast of India and handles
ore of Kudremukh. export of iron
13. Ennore (uear Chennai) - It is the first port in
entity (Ennore Port Ltd.) and not a Port India which is a public
Trust like other major ports ofcompany. It is a corporate
meant to decongest and improve the India. It is a satellite port
environmental quality the busy
at Chennai Port.

www.pr 136
 Mumbai is a harbour anda port. Give reason.
all the facilitics of ports they scrve as
Mumbaiis a natural harbour. When natural harbours havc
ports. Hence Mumbaiis a harbour andaport.

Difference between a port and a harbour.

HARBOUR
PORT
Harbours arc natural or created placcs,
Ports arc man madc, commercial placcs built connecting a picce of land with a largc water
along thc coastline. body, which serves as a port.

Main purpose is loading and unloading of Mainly used for safe parking and providing
cargo
anchoragc to the ship.
surrounded by land on
For ports water should be navigable and close Natural harbours are
to land facilities and infrastructure. most sides but have an cntry point to the sca.

1. National Waterway No.l NW-1)Älähabad- Haldia t620 km]

Itcomprises Ganga -Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system, It is riavigable by mechanical boats upto
Patna and by ordinary boats upto Haridwar. It connects Haldia-Kolkata - Farakka- Munger -
Patna- Varanasi-Allahabad

2. National Waterways No.2.(NW-2) Sadiya- Dhabri [89 km]

It comprises of Bramhaputra connecting Dhubri- Pandu -Tezpur -Neamati-Dibrugarh- Sadiya.
N.W-2 connccts north- cast region with Kolkata& Haldia Ports through Bangladesh &
Sunderbans

3. National Waterways No.3 (NW.3) [Kottapuram- Kollam [205 km]

It runs from Kollam to Kotapuram. It stretches on the west coast canal along with Champakara
canaland Udyogmandal Canal. It is one of the most navigable &tourism potential area in India.
4. National Waierways Nò4 (NW4) [reentty påsséd by the Céntral goverinment)
It connects the states of Maharashtra to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of
Puducherry comprises of river Godavari and river Krishna.

5. National Waterways No.5 (NW.S)

It comprises Talcher- Dhamra stretch of river Brahmani, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East
coast canal along with Mahanadi delta river system

*****ND*****

137