Seminar Topic : "Influence of transportation on the life of the people of India."
Transport routes are considered as the lifeline of a nation. They connect different comers of the country and bring people together.
Efficient mode of transport is essential for ensuring the infrastructure in the areas of production and to bring the products to the consumers.The role played by transportation routes in the process of urbanization, in addition to industrialisation is decisive.
Transportation helped in linking rural and urban areas and expediting the process of urbanization. Modes of transport are selected in accordance with the physical characteristics of each region. The various means of transportation in India are discussed below.
Road transport : Road transport is the most important means to link the rural and urban centres scattered throughout the country. India is one of the countries of the world with a broad network of roads. The influence of topography is decisive in the building and development of roads. Road networks are mainly found in the Northern Plains, the coastal plains and in the Deccan Plateau. But road network is comparatively less in the Himalay an region and in the North-Eastern states. In India roads are classified based on the construction and management.
- National Highways : The major roads in the country that link state capitals, major cities and ports. Construction and management of these roads are done by the Union Ministry.
- State Highways : They are the major roads in a state and link state capitals with district headquarters.The construction and maintenance are done by the State Governments.
- District Roads : These link district headquarters with important places within a district. The construction and maintenance are done by District Panchayats.
- Rural Roads : Village roads ensure domestic movement. These are constructed and maintained by local self government.
Golden Quadrangle Super Highway is the six lane superhighways, connecting the metropolitan, cities of Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. The National Highway Authority oflndia is responsible for such roads.
Railways : India has the largest network of railways in Asia. It is the suitable means of transport for both the passenger and heavy’ cargo transport. Railway network is seen more in Great Plains, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. For administrative convenience, the Indian Railway is divided into 16 zones. Metro rail projects are being established in cities.
Water transport : The cost of construction and maintenance of water transport routes is less compared to that of road and railway networks. Moreover, this does not cause environmental pollution. It is suitable for large scale cargo transport. Rivers, canals and long coastline increase the possibility of water transport in India. Water transport is divided into marine transport and inland water transport. Transportation through the rivers and lakes inside the land is known as inland water transport.
India’s inland water transport is concentrated in the river Ganga, Brahmaputra and in their tributaries, river Godavari-Krishna and in tributaries, in Buckingham canals of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, river Mandovi and river Suvari in Goa and in the backwaters of Kerala. India has a long coastline. The west and east coasts of India have immense potential for marine transport. The 12 major ports and 185 minor ports on the east and west coasts of India play a decisive role in international trade and in the country’s economy.
Airways : Airways are the most speedy and the most expensive mode of transportation. In rug¬ged terrain and in places which cannot be reached by roads and railways, airways are the only means of transportation. The air traffic in India is under the control of the Airport Authority of India. There are 126 airports including 11 international airports under this establishment. The international services are handled by Air India and domestic flights by Indian Airlines. A number of private companies also operate flight service. Means of transport thus play a decisive role in the economic progress, cultural unity and national integration.
