Social Studies

(Geography)
Chapter 7: Lifelines of National Economy

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Lifelines of National Economy

The movement of these 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.
Transport plays a crucial role in the development of any economy. Modern means of
transport have become the lifelines of our nation.
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, animals and goods from one
location to another.

Roadways
India has one of the largest networks of roadways in the
world. The length of road per 100 sq km. of area is
known as the density of roads. Kerala has the highest
density of roads.
The network of roads in India is denser than the railways
because of the following reasons:
• construction cost of roads is much lower than that of railway lines,
• 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,
• it also provides door-to-door service, thus 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 sea ports.
Classification of Roads in India
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In India, roads are classified into six major categories.

Types of Roads Names/Projects Significance Maintenance
Authority
Golden The north–south corridors linking Link various important National Authority of
Quadrilateral Srinagar and Kanyakumari, and cities and reduce the India (NAI)
Superhighways the east–west corridors linking time of travel and
Silchar in Assam to Porbandar in distance between mega
Gujarat. A project is on to link cities.
Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and
Mumbai by six-lane
superhighways.
National National highways connect cities Connect various cities Central Public Works
Highways and states to one another. Sher across one or more Department (CPWD)
Shah Suri Marg is called National states.
Highway No. 1 and runs between
Delhi and Amritsar.
State Highways The state highways connect Connect various cities State Public Works
capital cities with district within a state. Department (PWD)
headquarters in a state.
District Roads They connect district Link various towns and Zilla Parishad
headquarters with other places in cities in a district.
a district.
Other Roads They connect various villages and Connect villages to one Local bodies and funds
towns. and other and to towns. are also allocated by
Crucial to the transport the Central and State
of agricultural products Governments.
to markets.
Border Roads They are built along the borders Strengthen defences of Border Road
of our country. the country. Organisation (works
under the Central
Government)

Roads can also be classified on the basis of 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, and narrow. Unmetalled roads go out of use in the rainy
season.
Problems faced by Roads in India:
• Road network is inadequate in India.
• About half of the roads are unmetalled and this limits their usage during the rainy
season.
• The roadways are highly congested in cities.
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• Most of the bridges are old and narrow.

• Disrespect to the traffic rules is the major problem. Citizen have casual attitude towards
traffic rules, which leads to accidents causing traffic jams.
Railways
Railways are an important means of transport for
carrying passengers and goods over a long distance.
They bind the entire country together. They have
contributed to the growth of the national economy by
transporting agricultural and industrial products all
over the country. The Indian Railways is organised into
16 zones.
Some problems faced by the railways in India are
• It is difficult to lay railway lines over rivers. It can be done by building bridges which is
costly.
• It is extremely difficult to lay railway lines in hilly regions because of rugged terrains and
steep slopes of the mountains.
• It is not easy to construct railway lines on the sandy plains of Rajasthan, swampy areas of
Gujarat and forested regions of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
• Many people travel without tickets causing loss to the Indian Railways. Damage and
theft of railway property has also harmed the Indian Railways.

However, despite all the above problems, the railways have immensely contributed to the
growth of our economy. More railway lines are being laid to link inaccessible parts of the
country. For example, the development of Konkan Railway along the west coast has made
the movement of people and goods easier in the region.
Waterways
Waterways are the most important means of
transporting bulky and heavy goods. It is a fuel-
efficient and environmental friendly means of
transport. Inland waterways connect rivers,
canals, backwater and creeks within the
country. The following waterways have been
declared as national waterways by the
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Government:
• N.W. No.1: The Ganga river between Allahabad and Haldia (1620 km).
• N.W. No.2: The Brahmaputra river between Sadiya and Dhubri (891 km).
• N.W. No.3: The West-Coast Canal in Kerala (Kottapurma-Kollam, Udyogamandal and
Champakkara canals-205 km).
• N.W. No.4: Specified stretches of Godavari and Krishna rivers along with Kakinada
Puducherry stretch of canals (1078 km).
• N.W. No.5: Specified stretches of river Brahmani along with Matai river, delta channels
of Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers and East Coast Canal (588 km)..
Sea Ports
India is a peninsular country and has a long coast line.
There are 12 major and 187 minor sea ports in the
country. Some famous sea ports are
• Mumbai is the biggest port. Jawaharlal Nehru Port
was built in order to decongest the Mumbai port.
• Mormugao Port in Goa is an important iron ore-
exporting port in the country.
• New Mangalore Port exports iron ore which is concentrated in the Kudremukh mines.
• Kochi Port is located in the extreme southwestern part of the country. It has been
developed alongside a natural harbour.
• Tuticorin Port in Tamil Nadu has a natural harbour and exports cargos to our
neighbouring countries.
• Chennai is one of the oldest artificial ports of our country. It is next to Mumbai in terms
of trading activities.
• Vishakhapatnam is the deepest landlocked port.
• Kolkata is an inland riverine port. Haldia Port was developed to reduce pressure of the
Kolkata Port.
Airways
The airways is a fast-developing means of transport in India.
Government-owned Indian Airlines and other private airlines
provide domestic air services. Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd.
provides helicopter services to Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation for its off shore operations.
Advantages of Airways
• It is the fastest means of communication. It has greatly reduced travelling time.
• It can easily travel across mountainous regions, deserts, dense forests and great oceanic
stretches.
• During natural calamities such as floods or landslides, it helps in providing relief to
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affected people who inhabit difficult terrains.

The greatest disadvantage of air travel is that it is an expensive means of transport and is
not within the reach of common people. Only in the northeastern parts of the country,
special provisions are provided to the people.
Pipelines
Pipeline network uses pipes, usually underground, to transport
and distribute fluids. These are used to transport water, crude
oil, petroleum products and natural gas, fertilizer factories and
big thermal power plants. Solids can also be transported
through a pipeline when converted into slurry.
There are 3 important networks of pipeline transportation in
the country.
• From oil field in upper Assam to Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
• From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab
• From Hazira in Gujarat to Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh
Communication
• Some important means of communication are television,
radio, press, newspapers and telecom. The Indian postal
network is the largest in the world. It handles parcels and
written communications.
• First class mail includes cards and envelopes and second
class mail includes books and newspapers. Six mail
channels have been opened to ensure quick transport of
mails. They are Rajdhani channel, Metro channel, Green channel, Business channel, Bulk
mail channel and Periodical channel.
• India has one of the largest telecom networks in Asia. STD facilities have now been
provided to even far-off villages.
• Mass communication such as radio, TV and newspapers creates awareness among
people about various policies of the state and country. Many programmes in local
languages are broadcasted across various regions of the country.
• Doordarshan is the national television channel of India and is one of the largest
terrestrial networks in the world.
• Several newspapers, magazines and periodicals are published in several local languages
across the country.
International Trade
• The exchange of goods across states and countries is known as trade. Trade between
two countries is known as international trade.
• International trade determines the economic prosperity of the country.

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• Balance of trade is the difference between the exports and imports of a country. When
exports are more than imports, it is known as favourable balance of trade. When
imports are more than exports, it is known as unfavourable balance of trade.
• Major exports of India include agriculture and allied products, minerals and ores, gems
and jewellery and coal. India mainly imports petroleum and petroleum products, pearls
and precious stones, coal, coke and machinery. The IT industry of India earns a large
amount of foreign exchange for the country.
• Tourism is also an important industry. More than 5.78 million foreign tourists visited
India in 2010. The tourism industry employs more than 15 million people in the country.
• It also provides support to the handicrafts sector and promotes our culture.
• Some important tourist states of India are Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttaranchal, Rajasthan and the temple towns of south India.
Tourism as a Trade
• Foreign tourist’s arrivals in the country witnessed an increase of 11.8 per cent during the
year 2010 as against the year 2009, contributing Rs 64,889 crore of foreign exchange in
2010.
• More than 15 million people are directly engaged in the tourism industry.
Importance of Tourism
• Tourism 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.
Tourism in India
• Indian is ranked worlds 4th best holiday haven.
• 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.
• Rajasthan, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir and temple towns of south India are important
destinations of foreign tourists in India. There is vast potential of tourism development
in the north-eastern states and the interior parts of Himalayas, but due to strategic
reasons these have not been encouraged so far.

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India: National Highways

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India: Major Ports and Some International Airport

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Important Questions
Multiple Choice questions-
Question 1. Which one of the following groups of cities is connected by the
National Highway No. 1?
(a) Kolkata-Amritsar
(b) Ranchi-Kolkata
(c) Delhi-Punjab
(d) Varanasi-Kanyakumari
Question 2. National Waterway No. 1 is navigable between which of the
following places?
(a) Sadiya and Dhubri
(b) Allahabad and Haldia
(c) Udyogamandal and Champakkara
(d) Kottapuram and Komman
Question 3. Which one of the following ports is the biggest with a spacious
natural and well-sheltered harbour?
(a) Kolkata
(b) Chennai
(c) Mumbai
(d) Vishakhapatnam
Question 4. port was developed as a subsidiary port in order to relieve growing
pressure on the Kolkata port.
(a) Haldia
(b) Kochi
(c) Kandla
(d) Vishakhapatnam
Question 5. Which one of the following is considered as the first-class mail by the
Indian postal network?
(a) Cards and envelopes
(b) Registered periodicals
(c) Book packets
(d) Registered newspapers
Question 6. Which one of the following is the southernmost international airport
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in India?
(a) Nedimbacherry
(b) Chhatrapati Shivaji
(c) Raja Sansi
(d) Meenam Bakkam
Question 7. Which one of the following is the oldest port of the eastern coast of
India?
(a) Kolkata (Haldia)
(b) Vishakhapatnam
(c) Tuticorin
(d) Chennai (Madras)
Question 8. Narrow Gauge railway line is found in
(a) the Northern Plains
(b) the hilly areas of Darjeeling, Shillong and Ooty
(c) deserts of Rajasthan
(d) the Central Highlands
Question 9. Which one of the following is not an advantage of pipeline
transportation?
(a) Pipelines are used for transporting crude oil and gas from fields to refineries.
(b) Solids can be transported in slurry form through pipelines.
(c) Pipelines rule out trans-shipment losses or delays.
(d) Initial cost of laying a pipeline is high.
Question 10. Which organisation constructs and maintains roads in the border
areas?
(a) NHAI
(b) BRO
(c) Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana
(d) BSF
Question 11. Which one of the following ports is a tidal port?
(a) Mumbai
(b) New Mangalore port
(c) Kandla
(d) Vishakhapatnam
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Question 12. Which one of the following ports was developed in order to relieve
the pressure of Kolkata port?
(a) Paradip port
(b) Tuticorin port
(c) Haldia port
(d) Chennai port
Question 13. Which two extreme locations are connected by the North-South
Corridor?
(a) Amritsar and Tuticorin
(b) Srinagar and Tiruvananthapuram
(c) Srinagar and Tuticorin
(d) Srinagar and Kanyakumari
Question 14. National Waterway No. 1 is navigable between which of the
following places?
(a) Between Sadiya and Dhubri
(b) Between Allahabad and Haldia
(c) Between Kottapuram and Komman
(d) Between Udyogamandal and Champakkara
Question 15. Which one of the following is the oldest artificial port of the
country?
(a) Tuticorin
(b) Vishakhapatnam
(c) Chennai
(d) Mumbai
Very Short -
1. Name the language in which the largest numbers of newspapers are published
in India?
2. Which is first port to be developed just after independence?
3. What is India’s position among the best tourist destinations of the world?
4. Name any two airlines that provide domestic air services.
5. Name the oldest artificial port and second most important port of the country?
6. Which mean of transportation carried 95 percent of India’s trade volume?
7. Which mean of transport is a new arrival on the map of India?
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8. Which is the longest National Highway of India?

9. Name the extreme cities which are connected by East-west Corridors?
10. Which department is responsible for the construction and maintenance of
the District Roads?
Short Questions-
1. What is international trade? What do you mean by Balance of trade‘? What is
the importance of trade?
2. Mention the different means of transport in India.
3. What are the means of mass communication? Explain features of any two
media.
4. What are the different types of roads in India?
5. What do you mean by pipeline transport?
6. Rich agriculture resources and Great Industrial activities in the Great Plains as
compared with Himalayan Mountains, further provides favourable conditions for
the development of Railway
7. India has one of the largest telecom networks in Asia. Explain?
8. Explain the important pipeline networks in India.
9. What is the work of NHAI, CPWD and SPWD? Explain.
10. Describe the main features of the Indian postal network.
Long Questions-
1. No countries can survive without international trade. Explain.
2. “Railways are the principal mode of transportation in India” Explain.
3. How do physiographic and economic factors influence the distribution pattern
of Indian railway network? Explain with example.
4. Explain the major sea ports of India situated on Western coastline.
5. Name any two navigational Rivers of India? In which part of India Inland Water
ways are widely used? Write two Merits and Demerits of Inland water Transport.
6. Efficient network of transport and communication is a pre-requisite for local,
national and global trade of today? Explain.
7. Explain the different reason for the growing importance of road transport vis-
à-vis rail transport.
8. Explain the features of any five western ports of India.
Assertion Reason Questions:

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1. Directions: - In the following questions, the Assertions (A) and Reason(s) (R)
have been put forward. Read both statements carefully and choose the
correct answer from the below:
a. If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct
explanation of assertion.
b. If both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct
explanation of assertion.
c. If assertion is true but reason is false.
d. If both assertion and reason are false.
Assertion (A): Mass communication promotes national integration and provides
entertainment
Reason (R): It strengthens democracy in the country by providing news to the
masses. they feel attached to the country and a feeling of nationalism arises in
them.
2. Directions: - In the following questions, the Assertions (A) and Reason(s) (R)
have been put forward. Read both statements carefully and choose the
correct answer from the below:
a. If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct
explanation of assertion.
b. If both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct
explanation of assertion.
c. If assertion is true but reason is false.
d. If both assertion and reason are false.
Assertion (A): Road transportation in India faces a number of problems.
Reason (R): Roads are unmetalled and their network is inadequate.
Case Study Questions:
1. Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers
in India. Railways also make it possible for people to conduct multifarious
activities like business, sightseeing, pilgrimage along with transportation of
goods over longer distances. Apart from being an important means of
transport, the Indian 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 industry and agriculture. The Indian Railway
is now reorganised into 16 zones. The distribution pattern of the Railway
network in the country has been largely influenced by physiographic,
economic, and administrative factors. The Northern plains with their vast
level, high population density, and rich agricultural resources provided the
most favorable condition for their growth. However, a large number of rivers
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requiring the 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
i. Which of the following factors are responsible for distribution
pattern of railways network in the country? Identify the correct
option:
(a) Topographical factors
(b) Economic and administrative factors
(c) Social factors
(d) Both (a) and (b)
ii. When was the first railway line opened in India?
(a) 1803
(b) 1823
(c) 1853
(d) 1854
iii. Why Indian railway network is mostly concentrated in Ganga Plains?
(a) Due to concentration of Industries.
(b) Due to topographical uniformity and high density of population.
(c) Due to high agricultural production.
(d) Due to lack of economic opportunities.
iv. Why are the Indian Railways called the lifeline of the country?
(a) Railways in India bind the economic life of the country.
(b) It is the largest public undertaking in the country.
(c) Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight
and passengers in India.
(d) All of the above
v. Why is it essential to develop a unigauge system of railways in our
country?
(a) It will lead to a reduction in trans-shipment.
(b) Because it has a larger capacity.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) It will bring administrative convenience.
Map Question:
1. Identify the national highways shown on an outline map of India and write
their names on the lines marked in the map.
MCQ Answers-
1. Answer: (c) Delhi-Punjab
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2. Answer: (b) Allahabad and Haldia

3. Answer: (c) Mumbai
4. Answer: (a) Haldia
5. Answer: (a) Cards and envelopes
6. Answer: (a) Nedimbacherry
7. Answer: (d) Chennai (Madras)
8. Answer: (b) the hilly areas of Darjeeling, Shillong and Ooty
9. Answer: (d) Initial cost of laying a pipeline is high.
10.Answer: (b) BRO
11.Answer: (c) Kandla
12.Answer: (c) Haldia port
13.Answer: (d) Srinagar and Kanyakumari
14.Answer: (b) Between Allahabad and Haldia
15.Answer: (c) Chennai
Very Short Answers -
1. Ans. Hindi
2. Ans. Kandla Port
3. Ans. Forth
4. Ans. Indian Airlines and Alliance Air
5. Ans. Chennai port
6. Ans. Water ways
7. Ans. Pipeline
8. Ans. National Highway-1
9. Ans. Silcher (Assam) and Porbander (Gujarat).
10.Ans. Zila Parishad
Short Answers-
1. Ans. Trade between two countries is called international trade. It includes
exchange of commodities, services, information and knowledge.
Relation or difference between nation‘s exports and imports is called balance of
trade. It is of two types:
(i) Surplus trade: when the value of exported goods and services is more than
the value of imported goods and services. It is called favorable trade balance.

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(ii) Trade Deficit: when the value of exported goods and services is less than the
value of imported goods and services. It is called unfavorable trade balance.
The importance of trade is:
1. No country can survive without international trade because resources are
space bound.
2. Advancement of international trade of a country leads to its economic
prosperity because such a trade providesso many jobs to workers as well as
business to traders.
3. It is through international trade that we earn much of our foreign exchange
which is required for importing many essential goods.
4. Foreign trade helps in transfer of technology.
2. Ans. Means of transport in India are:-
(i) Roadways
(ii) Waterways
(iii) Airways
(iv) Pipelines
(v) Railways
3. Ans. These are those means of communication through which one can
communicate with several people at the same time. For example- Radio,
newspaper and T.V.(Television):-
(i) It is one of the largest and essential networks in the world.
(ii) It provides entertainment and keeps the viewers well informed about the
world.
Radio:-
(i) It is the cheapest and the most effective means of communication.
(ii) Besides entertainment, it also provides information and promotes social
education.
4. Ans. There are six types of roads:-
1. Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways or Expressway National Highways
2. National Highways
3. State Highways
4. District Roads
5. Other Roads or Rural Roads or Village Roads
6. Border Roads

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5. Ans. Transportation of liquid, gases or slurries through pipes made of durable

metal or a plastic tube is called pipeline transport. It is the most convenient
mode of transport for crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas even solids
like iron ore in slurry form to refineries, fertilizer factories, industries and big
thermal power plants.
For example:. From oil field in 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. It has branches to Kota in Rajasthan, Shahajahanpur,
Babrala and other places in Uttar Pradesh (HVJ).
6. Ans. The northern plains with their vast level land, high population density and
rich agriculture resource provide the most favorable conditions for their growth.
Level land provides the favourable condition for the construction of railway
tracks. Due to dense population, people prefer railways for journey. It brings
huge capital for the railway department. Railways in plain are very helpful for the
development and industries.
The Himalayan region like Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Uttaranchal and other
hilly states too are unfavorable for the construction of railway lines due to high
relief, less density of population and lack of economic opportunities.
7. Ans. India has one of the largest telecom networks in Asia. Excluding urban
places more than two thirds of the villages in India have already been covered
with subscriber Trunk Dialing telephone facility. By the end of 2004-2005, India
was the 10th largest telecom network in the world measured in terms of number
of phones. Our Government has made the special provision to extend twenty-
four hour STD facility to every village in the country. There is uniform rate of STD
facility all over India. In India more than 45 million cellular subscribers and
cellular customer care bases are growing at very fast rate.
8. Ans.
1. From Oil field in upper Assam to Kanpur, via Guwati, Barauni and Allahabaad.
It has branches Baruni to Haldia via Rajbabdh, Rajbabdh to Maurigram and
Guwati to Silguri.
2. From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab, via Viramgam, Mathura, Delhi
and Sonipat. It has branches to connect Koyali (near Vadodra, Gujarat) Chakshu
and other places.
3. Gas pipeline fron Hazira in Gujarat connects Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh, via
Vijaypur in Madhya Pradesh. It has branches to Kota in Rajasthan,
Shahajahanpur, Babrala and other places in Uttar Paradesh.
9. Ans.

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1. NHAI: National Highway Authority of India laid and maintained the major
roads of India like Golden Quadrilateral and Super Highways.
2. CPWD: Central Public Works Department laid and maintained the primary
road system of India like National Highways.
3. SPWD: State Public Works Department laid and maintained the state
highways of Indian states and Union Territories.
10. Ans.
1. Indian postal network is the largest network of the in the world.
2. There are two types of mail-First class mail and Second class mail.
3. First class mail includes cards and envelop.
4. Second class mail includes book packets, registered newspapers and
periodicals.
5. For quick delivery of mails, six channels have been introduced. These are
Rajdhani, Channels, Metro Channel, Green Channel, Business Channel, Bulk Mail
Channel and Periodical channel.
Long Answers-
1. Ans. Yes, no countries in the world are self-sufficient in all its needs. Goods
produced by one nation are required in the other nation and vice versa. The
difference in needs, resources requirements and development among nations
create conditions for international trade. International trade helps in exchange of
surplus goods with those of deficit countries through foreign trade. India has
adopted the policy of Liberalization in 1991, because the economic development
growth rate was very slow and India lacks behind in the terms of technology.
International trade helps India to improve advanced technology of other
countries to improve its own production process. Foreign trade has helped India
to improve its productivity of manufactured goods. International trade
contributes to India’s economic growth and raised the income level of people. It
also increases the foreign exchange reserve.
2. Ans.
1. Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers
in India.
2. Railways also make it possible to conduct multifarious activities like business,
sightseeing, and pilgrimage along with transportation of goods over longer
distances.
3. Apart from an important means of transport the Indian Railway has been
great integrating force for more than 150 years.
4. Railways in India bind the economic life of the country as well as accelerate
the development of the industry and agriculture.
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5. The Indian Railways have a network of 7,031 stations spread over a rout
length of 63,221 km. with a fleet of 7817 locomotives, 5321 passenger services
vehicles, 4904 other coach vehicles and 228,170 wagons as on 31 March 2004.
3. Ans.
1. The level and extensive northern plains with high density of population, high
density of population, high industrial activity and rich agriculture, favour
development of railways. However the wide rivers that flow here cannot be
crossed without bridges which become an additional cost for railways.
2. The high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities in the
Himalayan region create unfavorable conditions for laying the railway lines.
Frequent landslides and rock fall are additional problem.
3. The peninsular regions with their hilly terrains also make it different to lay
railway tracks. In such areas, railway tracks have to be laid through low hills or
gaps or tunnels.
4. The low flood plains of Assam and Bihar, where floods are common, have
difficulty in maintaining railway lines.
5. Deserts of Rajasthan and the hilly tracks of the Sahayadris were unfavorable
for development of railways.
4. Ans.
1. Kandla Port: Kandla in Kuchchh was the first port developed soon after
independence to ease the volume of trade on Mumbai port in the wake of loss
of Karachi port to Pakistan after the Partition. Kandla is a tidal port.
2. Mumbai Port: Mumbai is the biggest port with a spacious natural and well
sheltered harbour.
3. Jawaharlal Nehru Port: Jawaharlal Nehru port was planned with a view to
decongest the Mumbai port and serve as a hub port for this region.
4. Marmagao Port (Goa): It is the premier iron exporting port of the country.
This port account for about fifty percent of India’s iron ore export.
5. New Mangalore Port: New Mangalore port located in Karnataka caters to the
export iron ore concentrates from kudermukh mines.
6. Kochi Port: Kochi is the extreme south-western port, located at the entrance
of a lagoon with a natural harbour.
5. Ans. Ganga and Brahmaputra are two navigational Rivers of India.
Inland waterways are widely used in North-Eastern States of India.
Merits:
1. It is cheapest mean of transport.
2. It is very beneficial for our internal trade and carrying of passengers is
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concerned.
Demerits:
1. Such a mean of transport is very limited in scope.
2. Very few rivers and too for short distance are navigable
6. Ans. We use different materials and services in our daily life. Some of these
are available in our immediate surroundings, while other requirements are met
by bringing things from other places. Goods and services do not move from
supply locales to demand locals on their own. The movement of these goods and
services from their supply locations to demand locations necessitates the need
for transport. Some people engaged in facilitating these movements. These are
known to be traders who make the products come to the consumers by
transportation. Thus, the place of development of a country depends upon the
production of goods and services as well as their movement over space.
Transport promotes internal as well as international trade. It helps to maintain
the defense of country, transport and communication contributes to the
promotion of tourism and it brings foreign exchange. Therefore, efficient means
of transport are pre-requisites for fast development.
7. Ans.
1. Construction of roads is much lower than that of railway lines.
2. Roads can traverse comparatively more dissected and undulating
topography.
3. Roads can negotiate higher gradients of slopes and as such can traverse
mountains such as the Himalayas.
4. Road transport is economical in transportation of few persons and relatively
smaller amount of goods over short distances.
5. It also provides door to door service, thus the cost of loading and unloading is
much lower.
6. Road transport is also used as a feeder to other modes transport such as they
provide a link between railway station, air and sea ports.
8. Ans. Tuticorin Port: Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, located at the south eastern
extremely of the country has a natural harbour and a rich hinterland and handles
cargoes to Sri Lanka and Maldives.
1. Chennai Port: Chennai is the one of the oldest ports of Tamil Nadu and has an
artificial harbour. It ranks next to Mumbai, in terms of volume of trade and
cargo.
2. Vishakhapatnam Port: Vishakhapatnam is the deepest; land locked and
protected port on the east coast.
3. Paradip Port: Pradip Port in Odisha, in mainly developed for export of iron
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Ore.
4. Kolkata Port: Kolkata, a major riverine port and a tidal port. It has a vast and
rich hunter land of Ganga and Brahmaputra basin.
Assertion Reason Answer:
1. (a) If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct
explanation of assertion.
2. (a) If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct
explanation of assertion.
Case Study Answer:
1. i (d) Both (a) and (b)
ii (c) 1853
iii (b) Due to topographical uniformity and high density of population.
Iv (d) All of the above
v (c) Both (a) and (b)
Map Answer:
1.

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