GEOGRAPHY – MODULE 3.

TRANSPORTATION IN INDIA
Includes – Rail transport, road transport, air transport, water transport, portal
connectivity.
India has one of the largest road networks in the world.
India has largest railway system in Asia.
Second largest railway system in the world.
Use of transportation and communication depends upon our needs.
Major means of transportation

ROAD TRANSPORTATION
Pathways and unmetalled roads used for transportation.
With economic and technological development – metaled roads and railways
emerged.
To move large volume of goods and people from one place to another.
Roads – popular mode of transportation.

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 India has one of the largest road networks in the world – 5, 897, 671 km –
march 2017.
For the proper construction and maintains, road is classified into four:
National Highways
State Highways
Major District Roads
Rural Roads
National Highways Roads that are constructed and maintained by the central
government.
Inert state transportation.
Connect state capitals, major cities, important ports,
railway junction.
Constitute 2% of the total road length.
Carry 40% of the road traffic.

Golden Quadrilateral comprises – construction of 5,846

km long, high density traffic corridor – connect India four
big metro cities of – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata.

North – South – East – West Corridor – north South

corridor aims at connecting Srinagar in Jammu the
megacities of India.

North – South and East – West Corridor – connecting

Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir with Kanyakumari in
Tamilnadu.
East west corridor – planned to connect Silchar in Assam
with the port town of Porbandar in Gujarat.

State Highways Constructed and maintained by state government –

PWDs.
Join the capital states with district headquarters and other
important towns.
Roads are connected to national highways.
Constitute 4% of total road length in the country.
Major District Roads Roads connecting between districts headquarters and
other important roads.
Constitute 14% of the total road length.

Rural Roads Connecting links in rural areas.

Constitute 80% of the total roads in the country.
Variation in the density of rural roads.
Border Roads BROs
Established in May 1960.
To accelerate the economic development and
strengthening defense preparedness through rapid and
coordinated improvement of strategically important roads
along northern and north eastern boundaries.
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 Premier multifaceted construction agency.
Constructed roads in high altitudes mountainous terrain
joining Chhattisgarh with Manali and Leh.
They undertake snow clearance in high altitude.
International To promote harmonious relationship with the neighboring
Highways countries by providing effective links with India.

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 INDIAN RAILWAYS
Length – 1,23,236 km with 13,452 passengers’ trains.
9,141 freight trains – 2 million travelers – 3 million tons MT of freight trains
daily from 7,349 stations.
Fourth largest railway network in the world.
Under single management.
Main artery of the country.
Lifeline of India.
Contributes to the national growth and economic integration.
First railway line in India – opened for public – 16 April 1853 – Mumbai to
Thane – 34 km.
First section of the east Indian Railway – Howrah to Hugli – 37km –
inaugurated on 15 August 1854.
Kanpur to Allahabad – opened in 1859.
Southern part – Royapuram to Arcot – 105km – 1856.
1870 – all rail route between Kolkata and Mumbai – started functioning.
Mainline from Mughal Sarai to Lahore was completed.
1871 – Mumbai to Chennai route – opened.
Within short span of 18 years – 1853 to 1871 – most important cities of India
were connected with rails.
Presently, India has second largest network in Asia.
India is at top with regard to passengers and kilometer earned.

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 WATERWAY TRANSPORTATION
Inland waterways
Transport by rivers, canals, lakes.
Utilization of rivers, canals, lakes, backwaters, creeks for transportation
purposes.
Cheapest mode of transportation.
Away from railways and roadways.
Inland water is easy for navigation.
1% water transportation of the total transportation.
2000 km is actually used.
Oceanic Transport
Indispensable for foreign trade.
Brought the world closer.
Nations into world market.
Operates on natural tracks.
No investment in maintains.
Includes coastal shipping and overseas shipping.

National Waterways
National Waterways Act – 2016.
Proposed 106 additional waterways and merges 5 existing waterways.
National Waterways 1 Allahabad to Haldia
1620 km.
Runs through Ganga, Bhagirathi, Hooghly.

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 River side of Kolkata, Bhagalpur, Varanasi,
Allahabad.
Longest national waterways in India.
National Waterways 2 Brahmaputra river
Sadiya to Dhubri in Assam.
Northeast India.
891 km.
National Waterways 3 West Coast Canal
Kerala
Runs from Kollam to Kottapuram.
205 km
India’s first waterways with all-time navigation facility.
West coast canal, Champakara canal,
Udyogamandal canal.
Kottapuram, Cherthala, Thrikkunnapuzha, kollam and
Allepey.
National Waterways 4 Kakinada to Pondicherry.
Canals, rivers, tanks, Godavari – Krishna River.
Second longest waterways of India.
1095 km long.
Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu.
National Waterways 5 Orissa to West Bengal
Brahmi River, east coast canal, Matai River,
Mahanadi River delta.
623 km.
Handle cargo system – coal, fertilizers, cement, iron.
National Waterways 6 Assam state.
Barak river
Connecting Lakhipur to Bhanga
121km.
Help I trade between town of Silchar to Mizoram
state.

OCEAN ROUTES AND PORTS

Coastline of India – 7517 km.
13 major ports
200 minor ports.
95% - India’ s foreign trade.
70% - value of trade takes place through seaways.
7500km – 13% major and 60 operational non major ports.
70% - maritime transportation.
Cargo handled at major port – bulk, liquid, containers.
Seven eastern coast and 6 western coast – 200 non-major port.
MAJOR PORTS
Kolkata Port Riverine major port in India.

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 Twin dock system.
Paradip Port Artificial deep-water port.
First major port in East Coast commissioned by
independent India.
New Mangalore Port Karnataka
Confluence with Arabian Sea.
Cochin Port Willington island.
South west coast of India.
East west oceanic trade.
Natural gateway.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Nhava Sheva
Largest container port in India.
East coast of Mumbai.
Vadhavan Port 13th major port in India.
Special Purpose Vehicle – SPV
Landlord model.
All weather all cargo satellite port.
Mumbai Port Oldest modern port of India.
Used by navies of Shivaji.
Kandla Port Built after partition of Karachi.
Karachi port.
Handling crude oil imports of India.
Vishakhapattanam Port Vizag port
Andhra Pradesh.
Handle bulk of cargo handling on the east coast.
Chennai Port Largest port in Bay of Bengal.
Second largest port of India.
Tuticorin Port Renamed as V. O. Chidambaranar Port.
Artificial port.
Only south Indian port – provide direct weekly
container service to United States.
Ennore Port Named as Kamarajar Port Limited.
First corporate port of India.
Registered as public company.
68% held by the government.
Mormugao Port Goa
Leading iron ore exporting port of India.

AVIATION SECTOR IN INDIA

1991 – air mail operation started between Allahabad and Naini.
1920 – 1930 – British, French, Dutch – carried aviation setup of India.
1933 – India National Airways formation.
By the end of world war – major cities were connected with airways.
After independence – there came lot of companies into this sector.
1953 – Indian Airline Corporation – started domestic aviation service.
1953 - Air India International was formed.
1981 – Vayudoot was set up.
1985 – Pawan Hans Limited was established.
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 Provided helicopter services to the petroleum sector – ONGC, Oil India Ltd,
Enron Oil and Gas, Mumbai High, etc.
1 April 1995 - International Airport Authority of India and National Airport
Authority of India merged – formed: Airport Authority of India AAI.
Responsible for safe, efficient, air traffic services and aeronautical
communication services.
Today – lot of private players – Spice Jet, Indigo, Jet Airways – entered the
aviation sector.
Ministry of Civil Aviation – nodal ministry that oversees the aviation sector in
India.
International Airports in India
34 operational international airports in India.
Indira Gandhi International Airport – largest airport- 5495 acres.
Busiest airport in India.
Cochin international Airport – first international airport in India.
Developed under PPP – Public Private Partnership Model.
Calicut International Airport - recently added to the list of International
Airports.
Juhu Aerodrome, Mumbai – first and oldest airport in India – 1928.
Airport of Trichy – smallest airport in India.
Kushok Bakula Rimpochee, Ladakh – 23rd highest commercial airport in the
world – 3256 meters.

POPULATION OF INDIA
20th century – world population – 1.6 billion.
Death rates decreased.
Developing countries – both the rates remained high.
Low death rates and high birth rates resulted in rapid growth of population.

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Migration to urban areas – birth rates and size of family declined.
World population growth varies in developing countries where as stable in
developed countries.
World population increases in continent of Asia.
China and India – most populated countries in the world.
Continent of Africa – higher fertility rate of population.
United States Census Bureau 2020 – world population is nearly – 7.65 billion.
If this rate increases by 2023 - world population reaches 8 billion and by 2055
nearly 10 billion.
Three most populated clusters in the world – eastern China, south Asia,
Europe.
Megalopolis – urbanized region – between Boston and Washington DC –
includes: New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, neighbouring metropolitan
areas.
Large populated clusters centered in the tropics – coastal country of Nigeria in
West Africa, islands of Java in Indonesia.

NATIONAL PARK
Classified as IUCN category II.
Any area notified by state government – constituted as National Park.
104 national parks in India.
First national Park – Jim Colbert National Park or Hailey National Park.
No human activity.
Only permitted for those who sanctioned by Chief Wildlife warden of the state.
1.23% - geographical area of India.
WILD LIFE SANCTUARIES
Classified as IUCN category II.
Any area notified by state government – constituted as wildlife sanctuaries.
Grazing rights are permitted.
543 wildlife sanctuaries in India.
Covers – 3.62% - geographical area of India.

PROJECT RELATED TO WILDLIFE AND NATIONAL PARK

Project Tiger – 1973
Operational Crocodile – 1975
Project Rhinoceros – 1987
Project Elephant – 1988
Project Snow Leopard - 2009

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Andaman and Nicobar Mahatma Gandhi Marine
Islands Middle button island NP
Mount Harriet NP
Northern button island NP
South button island NP
Galathea bay NP
West Bengal Sundarbans wildlife sanctuary
Buxa national park
Neora valley NP
Singilla national park
Uttar Pradesh Dudhwa national park
Tripura Clouded leopard NP
Baison NP
Tamilnadu Mudimalai NP
Mukurthi NP
Annamalai NP
Guindy NP
Gulf of mannar marine NP
Kerala Pampadum shola NP
Eravikulam NP
Mathikettan shola NP
Silent valley NP
Anamudi shola NP
Manipur Keibul Lamjao NP
Sirohi NP

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