Question.
Which are the chief means of transportation in India? Discuss the factors affecting their development.
(NCERT class 12 geography, India People and Economy, Chapter-10: Transport and Communication)
Answer.
There are three main means of transport in India which are as follows:
- Roadway
- Railroad track
- Airway
Road network is preferred for short-distance movement while railways are preferred for long-distance and cheap sources.
Rich people generally prefer airways for quick access.
In general, the following factors influence the development of various transport systems:
- Geographical factor
- Economic and technical feasibility
- Government policy
Geographical factors such as relief and topography influence the development of transport in the following ways:
It is easy to build roads and railway networks in plain areas whereas it is very difficult to build roads and railway networks in hilly areas.
In hilly areas, the air transport system is best suited as compared to road and railways. This is the reason why the air transport system is well developed in the North Eastern states.
The hill states such as the Himalayan states, the northeastern states, and the central hill states lack road and railway networks.
The railway is a cheap mode of transport as compared to the road but it is very costly to lay railway lines, construction of a railway requires a lot of time and technology which is why there is no more railway network than a road network.
An economically developed region has a more developed transport network than a less developed region.
For example,
Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra have a well-developed road network as compared to Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
The density of roads is high in plain areas and urban areas.
Government policy also affects the development of specialized transportation systems.
For example,
In 1960, the "Border Roads Organization (BRO)" was established to develop roads in the border areas of the country.
In 1961, a twenty-year road plan was launched to improve the condition of roads in India. However, even after this project, the rural and remote areas were far from road connectivity.
Under the Prime minister gram Sadka yojana, all the villages of India are connected to urban areas.
Roads are classified into National Highways, State Highways, Major District Highways, and Rural Roads for the purpose of construction and maintenance.
Promotion of air transport system in northeastern states leads to the good development of cheap air transport in northeastern states.
To increase the speed of the train, attention was given to the use of diesel and electric-based engines, replacing the steam engine.
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