Transport, Trade, and Communication in India

Learning Outcomes:

1. Understanding of India’s road and rail network development.
2. Awareness of various road classifications and their characteristics.
3. Insights into key national infrastructure projects like NHDP and Bharatmala.
4. Knowledge of India’s railway zones, manufacturing units, and transport innovations.
5. Overview of Indian water transport systems, pipelines, and air transport evolution.

India has an extensive transport network supporting its socio-economic activities, encompassing roadways, railways, waterways, airways, and pipelines. This comprehensive network is crucial for facilitating trade, communication, and connectivity across the country.

Roadways in India

Road transport is a cost-effective and flexible mode of transportation, offering direct access between farms, factories, and markets. India boasts the second-largest road network in the world, handling about 65% of freight and 80% of passenger traffic. The road network is categorized into various types, each serving specific purposes.

Classification of Roads:

1. National Highways: Built and maintained by the NHAI, these highways cover 122,432 km (2017-18). The NH-44 is the longest, stretching 3,745 km from Srinagar to Kanyakumari. Key developmental activities include the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), launched in 1998.
2. State Highways: Constructed and maintained by state governments, they link cities, towns, and district headquarters. Total length exceeds 176,166 km, with Maharashtra having the longest state highways (33,000 km). They also connect with national highways and neighboring states.
3. Major District Roads: Managed by Zila Parishads, these roads connect district headquarters with other locations, totaling around 467,763 km.
4. Rural Roads: The responsibility of Village Panchayats, these roads interlink villages with towns, totaling over 2,650,000 km. The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (2000) aimed to enhance rural connectivity.
5. Expressways: Spanning approximately 1,455 km, these four-to-six-lane toll roads facilitate high-speed travel.
6. Border Roads: Managed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) since 1960, they promote economic growth and defense preparedness in border regions.
7. International Highways: These highways, established under agreements with ESCAP, connect India with neighboring countries, like Lahore-Amritsar and Imphal-Mandalay routes.

Important Notes:

• Golden Quadrilateral (GQ): A 5,846 km network linking Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, completed in 2012.
• Bharatmala Project: Second-largest highway construction project aiming to connect economic corridors, borders, and remote areas.

Railways in India

India’s railway network, introduced in 1853, is one of the largest globally. The Indian Railways were nationalized in 1951 and cover 114,500 km of track over 65,000 km of routes, divided into 17 zones.

Railway Zones:

1. Northern Railway: Based in Delhi, the largest network.
2. Eastern Railway: Headquartered in Kolkata, the smallest network.
3. Other Zones: Include Central Railway (Mumbai), South-Eastern Railway (Kolkata), West Central Railway (Jabalpur), and more.

Manufacturing Units:

1. Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW): Produces steam and electric locomotives.
2. Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW): Located in Varanasi, manufactures diesel locomotives.
3. Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala: Specializes in coach production.

Gauge System:

1. Broad Gauge: 1.676 m, most widely used with 105,000 km of track.
2. Metre Gauge: 1.0 m, under conversion to broad gauge as part of the Unigauge Project.
3. Narrow Gauge: Found in hilly regions like Kalka-Shimla and Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

Major Infrastructure Projects

National Highways Development Project (NHDP):

1. Phase I: Golden Quadrilateral linking Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.
2. Phase II: North-South and East-West corridors, connecting Srinagar to Kanyakumari and Silchar to Porbandar.
3. Phase III: Upgradation of 12,109 km of highways on a BOT basis.
4. Phase IV: Widening 20,000 km of single-lane highways.
5. Phase V: Upgrading 5,000 km of four-lane roads to six lanes.
6. Phase VI: 400 km of Super Expressways in cities like Vadodara, Mumbai, and Kolkata.
7. Phase VII: Enhancing city road networks and adding ring roads.

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC):
A USD 90 billion project spanning 1,483 km, connecting Delhi with Mumbai, aimed at fostering economic growth in six states.

Water Transport

India’s water transport includes shipping and inland waterways, crucial for both domestic and international trade.

Shipping:

1. Ports: India has 13 major ports and around 200 minor ports. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai is the largest, while Visakhapatnam houses the largest natural port.
2. Cargo Mix: Includes petroleum (32%), containers (20%), and coal (13%).

Inland Waterways:

1. National Waterway 1: Covers 1,620 km on the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system.
2. National Waterway 2: Spans 891 km along the Brahmaputra.
3. National Waterway 3: Comprises the West Coast, Udyogmandal, and Champakara canals.
4. National Waterway 4 & 5: Connects Godavari and Krishna rivers and Brahmani and Mahanadi delta, respectively.

Air Transport

India’s air transport commenced in 1911. Post-independence, private air services were nationalized into Air India International and Indian Airlines. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages air infrastructure and operations.

Notable Airports:

• Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi)
• Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (Mumbai)
• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Hyderabad)

Private and Modern Metro Systems:
The Delhi Metro is the country’s first modern rapid transit system, launched in 2002. Other cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad also have independent metro networks.

Telecommunications

Telecommunication in India has grown exponentially since its inception in 1882, bridging the rural-urban divide. India’s telecom sector includes telephone, internet, radio, television, and satellite services.

Key Features:

1. Mobile Subscribers: Over 929 million (as of May 2012), with a teledensity of 79.38% (March 2015).
2. National Telecom Policy (2012): Aimed at creating a knowledge-based society, achieving 175 million broadband users by 2017 and 600 million by 2020.

Important Note:

Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF): Established to subsidize rural telecom development.

Comparison of Major Transport Systems

One MCQ

Which project aims to connect the four extreme points of India under the NHDP?

1. Bharatmala Project
2. Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor
3. North-South and East-West Corridor
4. Golden Quadrilateral

Correct Answer: 3. North-South and East-West Corridor