Class 12 Geography

India – People and Economy

Chapter 7: Transport and Communication

Introduction

Transport and communication plays a crucial role in:

Did you know?

India has the second-largest road network in the world, spanning over 5.89 million kilometers.

Modes of Transport in India

1. Road Transport

Road transport is the most commonly used mode in India, accounting for about 85% of passenger traffic and 70% of freight traffic.

National Highways (NH)
  • Constructed and maintained by Central Government
  • Total length: ~142,126 km (as of 2023)
  • Golden Quadrilateral (5,846 km) connects Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata
  • North-South & East-West Corridors (7,300 km)
State Highways (SH)
  • Constructed and maintained by State Governments
  • Total length: ~176,166 km
  • Connect state capitals with district headquarters
Rural Roads
  • Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) launched in 2000
  • Over 700,000 km of rural roads built
  • Aims to connect all villages with population >500
Expressways
  • Access-controlled highways
  • Mumbai-Pune Expressway (India's first)
  • Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (1,350 km, world's longest)

2. Rail Transport

Indian Railways is Asia's largest and the world's second-largest railway network under single management.

Indian Railways categorizes its tracks into three types based on their width:
  • Broad gauge, with a rail distance of 1.676 meters and a total length of 63,950 km (2019–20)
  • Metre gauge, featuring a rail distance of one meter and a total length of 2,402 km (2019–20)
  • Narrow gauge, with rail distances of 0.762 meters or 0.610 meters, spanning 1,604 km (2019–20), primarily found in hilly regions.
    Key Statistics
    • Total route length: ~68,043 km
    • Operates ~13,523 passenger trains daily
    • Carries ~8.4 billion passengers annually
    • Transports ~1.2 billion tonnes of freight annually
    Important Projects
    • Konkan Railway (760 km along western coast)
    • Metro Rail systems in 15+ cities
    • Dedicated Freight Corridors (Eastern & Western)
    • High-speed rail (Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train)

    • 3. Air Transport

    India has the third-largest civil aviation market globally, with rapid growth in recent years.

    Airport Infrastructure
    • Total airports: ~148 (including 34 international)
    • Major hubs: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad
    • New airports: Navi Mumbai, Jewar (Noida)
    • UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme for regional connectivity

    4. Water Transport

    India has a long coastline of 7,517 km, with 14,500 km of navigable waterways.

    Major Ports
    • West Coast: Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Mangalore, Kochi
    • East Coast: Kolkata-Haldia, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Tuticorin
    • Handles ~95% of India's foreign trade by volume
    • Sagarmala Project for port modernization
    Inland Waterways
    • National Waterway 1: Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly(Prayagraj–Haldia stretch) (1620 km)
    • National Waterway 2: Brahmaputra(Sadiya-Dhubri stretch) (891 km)
    • National Waterway 3: West Coast Canal(Kottapuram-Kollamstretch) (205 km)
    • 111 waterways declared as National Waterways

    5. Pipeline Transport

    Pipelines are crucial for transporting liquids and gases over long distances.

    Major Pipelines
    • Naharkatiya-Barauni pipeline (1st in India)
    • HBJ pipeline (Hazira-Bijapur-Jagdishpur)
    • Salaya-Mathura pipeline
    • Jamnagar-Loni LPG pipeline
    Advantages
    • Most economical for large volumes
    • Safe and environment-friendly
    • Operates 24/7 in all weather conditions
    • Low maintenance cost

    Communication Networks in India

    Personal Communication System

    Internet Communication

    • Most effective and advanced personal communication system
    • Widely used in urban areas
    • Enables direct contact via email and access to global knowledge
    • Used for e-commerce and financial transactions
    • Acts as a central data warehouse with detailed information
    • Provides efficient, low-cost access to information

    Mass Communication System

    Radio Broadcasting

    • Began in 1923 with Radio Club of Bombay
    • Gained immense popularity quickly
    • Government control established in 1930 (Indian Broadcasting System)
    • Renamed All India Radio (1936) and Akashwani (1957)
    • Broadcasts information, education, and entertainment programs
    • Special news bulletins for parliamentary sessions

    Television (Doordarshan)

    • Most effective audio-visual medium for mass communication
    • Began in Delhi (1959), expanded after 1972
    • Separated from AIR in 1976 as Doordarshan (DD)
    • INSAT-IA enabled Common National Programmes (CNP)
    • Extended services to remote rural areas

    Satellite Communication

    • Provides continuous synoptic view of large areas
    • Vital for economic and strategic purposes
    • Used for weather forecasting, disaster monitoring, border surveillance

    Indian Satellite Systems:

    INSAT
    • Indian National Satellite System (established 1983)
    • Multi-purpose system for telecom, meteorology
    • Transmits various data and programs
    IRS
    • Indian Remote Sensing Satellite System
    • Became operational with IRS-IA (1988)
    • Uses PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)
    • Data used for natural resource management

    NRSC (Hyderabad) processes satellite data

    Key Facts

    • Internet revolutionized personal communication with global connectivity
    • Radio remains important in rural areas despite TV growth
    • Satellite communication crucial for India's development and security
    • India developed indigenous satellite launch capability (PSLV)

    4. Digital India

    Internet Penetration
    • Over 900 million internet users
    • 2nd largest online market
    • Rural internet growth at 45%
    • Mobile data cheapest globally
    Key Initiatives
    • BharatNet: Fiber to all gram panchayats
    • Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
    • DigiLocker for document storage
    • MyGov for citizen engagement

    International Trade and Connectivity

    Major Exports

    • Petroleum products
    • Gems and jewelry
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Textiles and garments
    • Engineering goods
    • Software services

    Major Imports

    • Crude oil
    • Gold
    • Electronic goods
    • Machinery
    • Pearls and precious stones
    • Fertilizers

    Trade Agreements

    • India has FTAs with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, etc.
    • Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
    • South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)

    Recent Developments

    • Sagarmala Project for port-led development
    • Bharatmala Project for road connectivity
    • International North-South Transport Corridor
    • Chabahar Port development in Iran

    Conclusion

    The transport and communication network in India has undergone tremendous transformation since independence. From bullock carts to bullet trains, from postcards to instant messaging, the progress has been remarkable.

    However, challenges remain in terms of:

    • Last-mile connectivity in rural areas
    • Modernization of infrastructure
    • Sustainability and environmental concerns
    • Digital divide between urban and rural populations

    The future lies in developing smart cities, green transportation, 5G connectivity, and integrated multimodal transport systems that can support India's ambition to become a $5 trillion economy.