Chapters
Introduction I Transport I Communication I Roadways I Railways I Pipelines
Introduction :
Our daily lives involve using various materials and services, some readily available nearby while others are sourced from distant places.
Goods and services don't move from supply to demand locations on their own; transportation is necessary for this movement.
Traders play a crucial role in facilitating the movement of products to consumers through transportation.
A country's development relies on both the production of goods and services and their efficient movement across space.
Efficient means of transport are essential for rapid development.
Transport can occur over land, water, and air, and thus can be classified into land, water, and air transport.
Trade and transport were historically limited, but with advancements in science and technology, their influence has expanded globally.
Transport and communication are complementary, contributing to the global integration of trade.
India is well-connected globally through various means of transport and communication, contributing to its socio-economic progress.
Modern transportation and communication serve as lifelines for the nation's economy.
A dense and efficient network of transport and communication is essential for local, national, and global trade.
NCERT Class 10 Geography | Chapter 7 | Lifelines of National Economy
Transport :
Roadways
India boasts the world's second-largest road network, totaling approximately 62.16 lakh km as of 2020–21.
Roadways in India preceded railways and still hold an advantage due to their ease of construction and maintenance.
The growing significance of road transport over rail transport is attributed to several factors:
Lower construction costs compared to railways.
Ability to traverse varied topographies and steep slopes, including mountainous regions like the Himalayas.
Economical transportation for small quantities of goods and fewer passengers over short distances.
Provision of door-to-door service, reducing loading and unloading costs.
Functioning as feeders to other modes of transport, such as linking railway stations, airports, and seaports.
India's road network is classified into six categories based on capacity, including:
Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways, connecting major cities and reducing travel time and distance.
National Highways, linking extreme parts of the country and serving as primary road systems.
State Highways, connecting state capitals with district headquarters.
District Roads, linking district headquarters with other places within the district.
Other Roads, such as rural roads connecting villages with towns, prioritized under government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana.
Border Roads, constructed and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation in strategic border areas to improve accessibility and foster economic development.
Roads can also be classified based on construction materials, such as metalled and unmetalled roads, with recent years witnessing rapid development in the road network across the country.
NCERT Class 10 Geography | Chapter 7 | Lifelines of National Economy
Railways
Railways serve as the primary mode of transportation for both freight and passengers in India, facilitating various activities like business, sightseeing, and pilgrimage over long distances.
Indian Railways have played a crucial role in integrating the country's economic life for over 150 years, accelerating industrial and agricultural development.
The distribution pattern of the railway network is influenced by physiographic, economic, and administrative factors, with challenges including river crossings, hilly terrains, and sparse populations in certain regions.
Recent developments like the Konkan railway along the west coast have improved connectivity and facilitated movement of passengers and goods, though challenges like sinking tracks and landslides persist.
Despite its importance, rail transport faces challenges such as ticketless travel, theft, and damage to railway property, highlighting the need for collective efforts to ensure timely and efficient railway operations.
Pipelines
Pipeline transport is a recent addition to India's transportation infrastructure, originally used for water transportation but now utilized for crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, and solids like slurry.
Pipelines play a crucial role in connecting oil and gas fields to refineries, fertilizer factories, and thermal power plants, enabling inland locations like Barauni, Mathura, and Panipat to be considered for such facilities.
While the initial cost of laying pipelines is high, subsequent running costs are minimal, reducing trans-shipment losses and delays.
India has three main pipeline networks:
From upper Assam's oil fields to Kanpur via Guwahati, Barauni, and Allahabad, with branches to Haldia, Rajbandh, and Siliguri.
From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab via Viramgam, Mathura, Delhi, and Sonipat, with branches to Koyali and Chakshu.
The 1,700 km Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur (HVJ) gas pipeline links Mumbai High and Bassein gas fields with various fertilizer, power, and industrial complexes in western and northern India.
India's gas pipeline infrastructure has grown from 1,700 km to 18,500 km of cross-country pipelines, facilitating the efficient transportation of gas across the country.
Waterways
India has a rich seafaring history, spreading commerce and culture far and wide.
Waterways are the cheapest and most suitable means for transporting heavy and bulky goods, being fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly.
India boasts inland navigation waterways spanning 14,500 km, with 5,685 km navigable by mechanized vessels.
The government has declared several waterways as National Waterways, including the Ganga, Brahmaputra, West-Coast Canal, specified stretches of Godavari, Krishna, Brahmani rivers, and others.
Additional inland waterways like Mandavi, Zuari, Cumberjua, Sunderbans, Barak, and Kerala's backwaters facilitate significant transportation.
India's foreign trade primarily relies on ports along the coast, with 95% of the country's trade volume (68% in value) transported by sea.
Major Sea Ports
India's vast coastline of 7,516.6 km hosts 12 major ports and 200 notified non-major ports, with major ports handling 95% of the country's foreign trade.
Kandla, also known as the Deendayal Port, was the first developed port post-independence to alleviate trade volume after the loss of Karachi port to Pakistan. It serves the productive granary and industrial belt spanning Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
Mumbai port, the largest with a spacious natural harbor, serves as a hub port, with the Jawaharlal Nehru port aimed at decongesting Mumbai.
Marmagao port in Goa is the primary iron ore exporting port, accounting for 50% of India's iron ore exports, while New Mangalore port in Karnataka caters to iron ore concentrates.
Kochchi, situated at the entrance of a lagoon, serves as the extreme southwestern port.
Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, located at the extreme southeast, boasts a natural harbor and handles a variety of cargoes, including trade with neighboring countries like Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Chennai, one of the oldest artificial ports, ranks next to Mumbai in terms of trade volume.
Vishakhapatnam is the deepest landlocked and well-protected port, initially conceived for iron ore exports.
Paradwip port in Odisha specializes in iron ore exports, while Kolkata serves as an inland riverine port catering to the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin.
Haldia port was developed as a subsidiary port to alleviate pressure on Kolkata port.
Airways
Air travel is the fastest, most comfortable, and prestigious mode of transportation, capable of traversing difficult terrains like mountains, deserts, forests, and oceans with ease.
It provides easier access to remote areas such as the northeastern part of India, characterized by rivers, rugged terrain, dense forests, and international borders.
Pawanhans Helicopters Ltd. offers helicopter services to inaccessible areas, including off-shore operations for Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and regions like northeastern states and interior parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
While air travel is not affordable for common people, special provisions are made in the northeastern states to extend air services to them.
Communication :
Throughout history, humans have utilized various communication methods, but modern advancements have accelerated the pace of change.
Personal and mass communication, including television, radio, press, and films, are major communication mediums in India.
The Indian postal network, the world's largest, handles parcels and written communications, with first-class mail airlifted and second-class mail transported by surface mail.
Six mail channels have been introduced for quick mail delivery in large towns and cities: Rajdhani Channel, Metro Channel, Green Channel, Business Channel, Bulk Mail Channel, and Periodical Channel.
India boasts one of the largest telecom networks in Asia, with over two-thirds of villages covered by Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) telephone facility.
Mass communication, through mediums like radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books, and films, provides entertainment and awareness about national programs and policies.
All India Radio broadcasts programs in national, regional, and local languages, while Doordarshan, the national television channel, offers diverse programming for different age groups.
India publishes a large number of newspapers and periodicals annually in various languages and dialects, with Hindi having the highest number of publications, followed by English and Urdu.
India is the largest producer of feature films globally, including short films and video feature films, certified by the Central Board of Film Certification.
International Trade :
Trade involves the exchange of goods among individuals, states, and countries, occurring in markets.
International trade occurs between countries through sea, air, or land routes, while local trade operates within cities, towns, and villages.
A country's economic prosperity is often gauged by the advancement of its international trade, making it an economic barometer.
No country can thrive without international trade due to limited resources, with export and import being integral components.
A favorable balance of trade occurs when a country's exports exceed imports, while an unfavorable balance occurs when imports surpass exports.
India maintains trade relations with major trading blocks and geographical regions worldwide, exporting commodities like gems, jewelry, chemicals, and agriculture products.
Commodities imported to India include petroleum, gems, jewelry, chemicals, base metals, electronics, machinery, and agriculture products.
India has become a significant player in the global software industry, earning substantial foreign exchange through the export of information technology.
Tourism as a Trade :
Tourism in India has experienced significant growth in the past three decades.
Over 15 million people are directly involved in the tourism industry, which also fosters national integration and supports local handicrafts and cultural activities.
Tourism aids in the development of international understanding about India's culture and heritage, attracting foreign tourists for various purposes including heritage, eco, adventure, cultural, medical, and business tourism.
There is vast potential for tourism development across all regions of India, with efforts underway to promote different types of tourism to bolster this emerging industry.