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Lifelines of National Economy
"Transport plays an important role in the economy. Because of transport raw materials reach the factory and finished products reach to the consumer. The pace of development of a country depends upon the production of goods and services as well as their movement over space."
1.0Introduction
The movement of goods and services from their supply locations to demand locations necessitates the need for transport. Some people are engaged in facilitating these movements. These are known to be traders who make the products come to the consumers by transportation.
Thus, the pace of development of a country depends upon the production of goods and services as well as their movement over space. Therefore, efficient means of transport are prerequisites for fast development.
2.0Means of transport
Movement of these goods and services can be over three important domains of our earth i.e. land, water and air. Based on these, transport can also be classified into land, water and air transport. expanded far and wide. Today, the world has been converted into a large village with the help of efficient and fast-moving transport. Transport has been able to achieve this with the help of equally developed communication system. Therefore, transport, communication and trade are complementary to each other. Today, India is well-linked with the rest of the world despite its vast size, diversity and linguistic and socio-cultural plurality. Railways, airways, waterways, newspapers, radio, television, cinema and internet, etc. have been contributing to its socioeconomic progress in many ways. The trades from local to international levels have added to the vitality of its economy. It has enriched our life and added substantially to growing amenities and facilities for the comforts of life.
3.0Roadways
India has one of the largest road networks in the world, aggregating to about 62.16 lakh km . In India, roadways have preceded railways. They still have an edge over railways in view of the ease with which they can be built and maintained. The growing importance of road transport vis-à-vis rail transport is rooted in the following reasons -
Advantages of roadways over railways
- Roads can traverse comparatively more dissected and undulating topography.
- Roads can negotiate higher gradients of slopes and as such can traverse mountains such as the Himalayas.
- Road transport is economical in transportation of few persons and relatively smaller amount of goods over short distances.
- Roads require less investment as compared to railway.
- These can be built at higher altitudes and at any place.
- Maintenance cost is also low.
- It also provides door to door services. The cost of loading and unloading is much lower.
- Road transport is also used as a feeder to other modes of transport such as they provide a link between railway stations, air and seaports.
4.0Classification of roads - according to their capacity
In India, roads are classified in the following six classes according to their capacity.
(a) Golden Quadrilateral Superhighways:
The superhighways have been planned to meet the requirement of fast movement of traffic. The government has launched a major road development project linking Delhi-Kolkata-Chennai-Mumbai and Delhi by six lane Superhighways. The North-South corridors linking Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) and Kanyakumari (Tamil-Nadu), and East-West corridors connecting Silcher (Assam) and Porbandar (Gujarat) are part of this project. Major objective: To reduce the time and distance between the mega cities. Implemented by - "National Highway Authority of India" (NHAI).(b) National Highways:
National Highways link extreme parts of the country. These are the primary road systems and are laid and maintained by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). Several major National Highways run in NorthSouth and East-West directions. The historical Sher-Shah Suri Marg is called National Highway No.1, between Delhi and Amritsar.(c) State Highways:
Roads linking a state capital with different district headquarters are known as State Highways. These roads are constructed and maintained by the State Public Works Department (PWD) in State and Union Territories.(d) District Roads:
These roads connect the district headquarters with other places of the district. These roads are maintained by the Zila Parishad.(e) Other Roads:
Rural roads, which link rural areas and villages with towns, are classified under this category. These roads received special impetus under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana. Under this scheme special provisions are made so that every village in the country is linked to a major town in the country by an all-season motorable road.(f) Border Roads:
Roads in the border area of the country are called Border roads. The Border Roads Organisation was established in 1960 for the development of roads of strategic importance in the northern and north-eastern border areas. These roads have improved transport facilities in terrain and have helped in the economic development of these area.On the basis of Construction Material
Roads can also be classified based on the type of material used for their construction such as metalled and unmetalled roads.
- Metalled roads may be made of cement, concrete or even bitumen of coal, therefore, these are all weather roads.
- Unmetalled roads go out of use in the rainy season.
The World's longest Highway tunnel-Atal Tunnel ( 9.02 Km ) has been built by Border Road Organisation. This tunnel connects Manali to Lahul-Spiti valley throughout the year. Earlier the valley was cut off for about 6 months each year owing to heavy snowfall. The tunnel is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 metres from the Mean Sea Level (MSL)
5.0Railways
Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India. Railways have been a great integrating force for more than 150 years. Railways in India bind the economic life of the country as well as accelerate the development of the industry and agriculture. The Indian Railway is now reorganised into 16 zones. The Indian Railways is the largest public sector undertaking in the country. The first train steamed off from Mumbai to Thane in 1853, covering a distance of 34 km .
The Indian Railway network runs on multiple gauge operations extending over 67,956 km.
Main factors which influence the Railway Network
(a) Physiographic factors (b) Economic and Administrative factors
Physiographic Factors
The level land of the great plains has favoured the development of Railways. The sandy desert of Rajasthan and hilly tracts of Sahyadri are unfavourable for the development of Railways.A large number of rivers requiring construction of bridges across their wide beds posed some obstacles. In the hilly terrains of the peninsular region, railway tracts are laid through low hills, gaps or tunnels. The Himalayan mountainous regions too are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines due to high relief, sparse population, and lack of economic opportunities. Likewise, it was difficult to lay railway lines on the sandy plain of western Rajasthan, swamps of Gujarat, forested tracks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand. The contiguous stretch of Sahyadri could be crossed only through gaps or passes (Ghats). In recent times, the development of the Konkan railway along the west coast has facilitated the movement of passengers and goods in this most important economic region of India. It has also faced several problems such as sinking of track in some stretches and landslides.
Economic Factors
Today, the railways have become more important in our national economy than all other means of transport put together. Rich agriculture and greater industrial activity on the great plains have favoured the development of Railways.Importance of Railways
It plays significant role in the integration of the country by bringing different peoples and regions together.Major problems of Indian Railways
- Many passengers travel without tickets.
- Theft and damaging of railway property has not yet stopped completely.
- People pull chains unnecessarily which cause heavy loss to the railways.
- Frequent accidents also cause great loss to the railway.
6.0Pipelines
(a) Advantages of pipeline transportation
- Transportation through pipelines rules out trans-shipment losses or delays.
- Though initial cost of laying pipelines is high but running cost is very low.
- These are used for transporting crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas from oil and natural gas fields to refineries, fertilizer factories and big thermal power plants.
- Solids can also be transported through a pipeline when converted into slurry.
- Initial cost of laying pipelines is high but subsequent running costs are minimal. It rules out trans-shipment losses or delays.
- The far inland locations of refineries like Barauni, Mathura, Panipat and gas-based fertilizer plants could be thought of only because of pipelines.
(b) Three important networks of pipelines There are three important networks of pipeline transportation in the country.
- From oil field in upper Assam to Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), via Guwahati, Barauni and Allahabad. It has branches from Barauni to Haldia, via Rajbandh, Rajbandh to Maurigram and Guwahati to Siliguri.
- From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab, via Viramgam, Mathura, Delhi and Sonipat. It has branches to connect Koyali (near Vadodara, Gujarat) Chakshu and other places.
- Gas pipeline from Hazira in Gujarat connects Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh, via Vijaipur in Madhya Pradesh.
7.0Waterways
Since the ancient period, India was one of the seafaring countries. Its seamen sailed far and near, thus, carrying and spreading Indian commerce and culture. Waterways are the cheapest means of transport. They are most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky goods. It is a fuel-efficient and environment friendly mode of transport. India has inland navigation waterways of in length. Out of these only 5685 km are navigable by mechanised vessels. The following waterways have been declared as the National Waterways by the Government.
(a) Importance of Waterways
- Cheapest means of transport.
- It is most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky goods.
- It is a fuel efficient and environment friendly mode of transport.
- With the development of National water ways, it has become main source of transportation for the natural trade.
(b) Inland waterways and National waterways as declared by the Government
- The Ganga River, between Allahabad and Haldia (1620 km) - N.W. No. 1
- The Brahmaputra River, between Sadiya and Dhubri. (891 km) - N.W. No. 2
- The West-Coast canal, in Kerala (Kottapuram, Kollam, Udyogmandal and Champakkara canals-205 km) - N.W. No. 3
- Specified stretches of Godavari and Krishna rivers along with Kakinada, Puducherry stretch of canals (1078 km) - N.W. No. 4
- Specified stretches of river Brahmani along with Matai River, delta channels of Mahanadi, and Brahmani, rivers and East Coast Canal (588 km) - N.W. No. 5
- There are some other inland water ways on which substantial transportation takes place. These are Mandavi, Zuari and Cumberjua, Sundarbans, Barak and backwaters of Kerala. Apart from these, India's trade with foreign countries is carried from the ports located along the coast. 95 per cent of the country's trade volume (68 per cent in terms of value) is moved by sea.
Inland waterways widely used in north-eastern states
8.0Major sea ports of India
With a long coastline of , India is dotted with 12 major and 200 notified non-majors (minor/intermediate) ports. These major ports handle 95 per cent of India's foreign trade.
- Kandla: Kandla in Kachchh was the first port developed soon after Independence to ease the volume of trade on the Mumbai port, in the wake of loss of Karachi port to Pakistan after the Partition. Kandla also known as the Deendayal Port, is a tidal port. It caters to the convenient handling of exports and imports of highly productive granary and industrial belt stretching across the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- Mumbai: It is the biggest port with a spacious natural and well sheltered harbour.
- Jawaharlal Nehru Port: The port was planned with a view to decongest Mumbai port and serve as hub port for this region.
- Marmagao Port (Goa): It is the premier iron ore exporting port of the country. This port accounts for about of India's iron ore export.
- New Mangalore: The port is located in Karnataka. It caters to the export of iron ore concentrates from Kudremukh mines.
- Kochi: It is the extreme south-western port, located at the entrance of lagoon with a natural harbour.
- Tuticorin: The port is in Tamil Nadu. This port has a natural harbour and rich hinterland. It has a flourishing trade handling of a large variety of cargoes to Srilanka & Maldives.
- Chennai: It is one of the oldest artificial ports of the country. It is ranked next to Mumbai in terms of the volume of trade and cargo.
- Vishakhapatnam: It is the deepest land locked and well protected port. This port was originally, conceived as an outlet for iron ore exports.
- Paradwip: The port is located in Odisha, specialises in the export of iron ore.
- Kolkata: It is an inland riverine port. This port serves a very large and rich hinterland of Ganga Brahmaputra basin. It is a tidal port. So, it requires constant dredging of Hooghly.
- Haldia: It is in West Bengal. It was development as a subsidiary port, in order to relieve growing pressure on the Kolkata port.
9.0Airways
The air travel, today, is the fastest, most comfortable and prestigious mode of transport. It can cover very difficult terrains like high mountains, dreary deserts, dense forests and also long oceanic stretches with great ease.
Advantages of Airways
- It is the fastest means of transport and saves time.
- It can cover very difficult terrains like high mountains, desert, thick forests and long stretches of seas with great ease.
- The north-eastern part of the country, marked with the presence of big rivers, dissected relief, dense forests and frequent floods and international frontiers, etc. in the absence of air transport. Air travel has made access easier.
Air India provides international air services. Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. provides helicopter services to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in its offshore operations, to inaccessible areas and difficult terrains like the north-eastern states and the interior parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Air travel is not within the reach of the common people. It is only in the north-eastern states that special provisions are made to extend the services to the common people.
10.0Communication
Ever since humans appeared on the earth, they have used different means of communication. But, the pace of change, has been rapid in modern times. Long distance communication is far easier without physical movement of the communicator or receiver.
- There are basically two types of means of communication (a) Personal communication. (b) Mass communication.
(a) Personal communication
- Personal messages are exchanged.
- These can be used by individual for his personal activity.
- Telephone, Mobile, Postal services, post cards, etc are the main sources of personal communication.
(b) Mass communication
- One person can communicate with several people at the same time.
- They can be used by the government to create awareness among the people about various national programmes.
- Radio, T.V., Newspaper, etc are the main source of mass communication.
All India Radio (Akashwani) broadcasts a variety of programmes in national, regional and local languages for various categories of people, Door darshan, the national television channel of India, is one of the largest terrestrial networks in the world. It broadcasts a variety of programmes from entertainment, educational to sports, etc. for people of different age groups.
India publishes a large number of newspapers and periodicals annually. They are of different types depending upon their periodicity. Newspapers are published in about 100 languages and dialects. The largest number of newspapers published in the country are in Hindi, followed by English and Urdu. India is the largest producer of feature films in the world. It produces short films, video feature films and video short films. The Central Board of Film Certification is the authority to certify both Indian and foreign films.
11.0Indian Postal System
- It is the largest in the world.
- It handles parcels as well as personal written communication.
- Cards and envelopes are considered first class mail and are airlifted between stations covering both land and air.
- The second-class mail includes the book packets, registered newspaper and periodicals. They are carried by surface mail covering land and water transport. Mail channels: To facilitate quick services six mail channels have been introduced recently. They are called Rajdhani Channel, Metro Channel, Green Channel, Business Channel, Bulk Mail Channel and Periodical Channel.
12.0Telecommunication
India has one of the largest Telecom networks in Asia. Excluding urban places more than twothirds of the villages in India have already been covered with Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) telephone facility. Uniform rate of STD facilities all over India has been made possible by integrating the development in space technology with communication technology.
Digital India is an umbrella programme to prepare India for a knowledge-based transformation. The focus of Digital India Programme is on being transformative to realise- IT (Indian Talent) + IT (Information Technology)=IT (India Tomorrow) and is on making technology central to enabling change.
13.0International Trade
The exchange of goods among people, states and countries is referred to as trade. The market is the place where such exchanges take place. Trade between two countries is called international trade. It may take place through sea, air or land routes.
While local trade is carried in cities, towns and villages, state level trade is carried between two or more states. Advancement of international trade of a country is an index to its economic prosperity. It is, therefore, considered the economic barometer for a country.
Importance of Trade
As the resources are space bound, no country can survive without international trade. Export and import are the components of trade. The balance of trade of a country is the difference between its export and import. When the value of export exceeds the value of imports, it is called a favourable balance of trade. On the contrary, if the value of imports exceeds the value of exports, it is termed as unfavourable balance of trade.Favourable balance of trade
If the value of exports of any country is more than the value of imports. It is called a favourable balance of trade.Unfavourable balance of trade
The value of imports is more than the value of exports, it is called an unfavourable balance of trade.Imports and exports of India
India has trade relations with all the major trading blocks and all geographical regions of the world. The commodities exported from India to other countries include gems and jewellery, chemicals and related products, agriculture and allied products, etc. The commodities imported to India include petroleum crude and products, gems and jewellery, chemicals and related products, base metals, electronic items, machinery, agriculture and allied products. India has emerged as a software giant at the international level, and it is earning large foreign exchange through the export of information technology.
14.0Tourism as a Trade
Tourism in India has grown substantially over the last three decades. More than 15 million people are directly engaged in the tourism industry. Tourism also promotes national integration, provides support to local handicrafts and cultural pursuits. It also helps in the development of international understanding about our culture and heritage. Foreign tourists visit India for heritage tourism, eco-tourism adventure tourism, cultural tourism, medical tourism and business tourism.
There is a vast potential for development of tourism in all parts of the country. Efforts are being made to promote different types of tourism for this upcoming industry.
15.0Glossary
- Harbour - A deep coast of sea where ships are anchored safely.
- Hinterland - An area served by a port.
- Port - A commercial part of a harbour where loading and unloading of goods takes place in ships.
- Trans-shipment - Transhipment is the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination, then to another destination.
- Land locked - An area which is encircled by land by all the sides and the passage of water is towards the ocean or any water body is known as a land locked.
16.0MIND MAP