Transport And Communication

Transportation is the system by which persons and goods move from one place to the other using humans, animals or vehicles. Transportation is a medium to carry people and goods from one place to another place. In the earlier period the animals were used for the transportation purpose, but after the new inventions vehicles are used as a mode of transportation. Transportation can be through waterways, airways, roadways or through pipelines. Transport system establishes the links between producing centres and consuming centres. Transport provides the link through which trade takes place. Transport system also acts as an artery for communication within the nation and among the nations.

Transportation is the system by which persons and goods move from one place to the other using humans, animals or vehicles. It can be through the surface, water and airspace. The three main areas of surface transportation are the roadways, railways and the pipelines.

The mega-highway connecting the four metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata is the Golden Quadrilateral. It is the longest highway project in India. It connects other important cities like Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Surat, Varanasi, Agra, Mathura, and many others.

Rajasthan is a state having decent road connectivity. A total of nearly 20 National Highways pass through the state sketching a total length of 6373 km. Out of this NH-8 is the oldest highway in the country connecting Ajmer, Jaipur, Udaipur, and Chittorgarh.

The first electric train was inaugurated in India on 3 February 1925. It ran between Victoria Terminus (VT) – now Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus - in Mumbai to Kurla. The first long-distance electric passenger train was the Deccan Queen. It was inaugurated on 1 June 1930 and ran as a weekend train between Bombay to Pune.

The under-construction rail projects for goods train are the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and the Western Dedicated Fright Corridor (WDFC). The construction of EDFC was started in March 2013, and it links Ludhiana in Punjab to Kolkata. The WDFE started its construction on January 2016, and it links Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Mumbai to Dadri in the outskirts of Delhi. Both are expected to be completed by 2019. Both will be ultimately clubbed together to form the Golden Quadrilateral connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.

The cheapest means of transportation for long distances is railways or waterways. Both waterways and railways are the cheapest and easiest way of carrying bulky goods over long distances. Waterways is a major means of domestic and foreign trade. But, to establish as a major trading centre, the port must have a well-connected rail and road transit network.

Airways is the fastest mode of transport of the century. It is also the most expensive means. Aeroplanes and helicopters are the major air transport modes. Presently, airways are the only mode of transport to reach remote locations that have no road and rail connectivity. Helicopters play a major role during natural calamities or wars for rescuing people and distributing food and other essentials, especially in the inaccessible areas. It is essential in a country like India that has different terrains and long distances between places.

E-mail is the acronym used for electronic mail. It is the process of exchanging messages between electronic devices especially computers. It was invented by Ray Tomlinson in the 1960s. The major networks operating are Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail, etc.

Video calling is the process of visual communication between people through the internet. It was popularised by Skype. Today Google Duo and other social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook are also providing the service.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana is the nation-wide programme to provide all-weather road connectivity to the unconnected and isolated villages in the country. It was launched by Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2000. It comes under the Ministry of Rural Development.

The main objective of the mission is the following:

• To provide roads to all villages with a population of 1000 people and above by 2003.

• To provide roads to all villages with a population of 500 people and above by 2007.

• To provide roads in hill stations, tribal and desert areas with a population of 500 people and above by 2003.

• To provide roads in hill stations, tribal and desert areas with a population of 250 people and above by 2007.

The programme has covered 1, 78, 184 people since its inauguration. By March 2019 all the states and union territories are expected to complete the phase I of the scheme. The scheme is completed at the ratio of 60:40 between centre and states except in the North Eastern states and Himalayan states where the ratio is 90:10. The scheme is supported by the World Bank from its commencement. The scheme also encourages the use of green technologies and non-conventional materials for construction.

The most preferred means of transportation, especially for short distances, are roadways. Road transportation has huge importance as it provides direct connectivity to all the places. Not only through plains, but even difficult terrains like deserts, forests, and mountains are also accessible through roads. India has a well-connected system of road networks. It can be classified as follows:

• Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways: It is a major road project linking Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata by six-lane Super Highways. The North-South corridors linking Srinagar and Kanyakumari and the East-West Corridor connecting Silcher and Porbandar are also a part of the project. It reduces the time and distance between these mega cities of India. These projects are undertaken and implemented by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

• National Highways: National Highways link the extreme parts of the country. These are the chief road system of the country. These road networks are laid and maintained by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). A large number of major National Highways run in North-South and East-West directions.

• State Highways: These are the roads linking the state capital with different parts to the cities, towns and district and different district headquarters. They also connect the state with the national highways and highways of the neighbouring states. These roads are constructed and maintained by the State Public Works Department (PWD).

• District Roads: These roads connect the district headquarters with other places of the district, main cities, and industrial areas. These roads are maintained by the Zila Parishad.

• Other Roads: It includes rural roads, which link rural areas and villages with towns. These roads received a special incentive under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana.

• Border Roads: These roads are of strategic importance in the northern and north-eastern border areas. It is constructed and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation.

These roads are of strategic importance in the northern and north-eastern border areas. It is constructed and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation. These roads connect the frontiers of the country. The main significance of border roads are:

• Security- It helps in maintaining the security of the country. In case of an emergency, forces can be immediately deployed along the roads. It also helps in the easy transfer of arms and equipment to conflict-affected areas.

• Accessibility- Borders of the country would be mostly located in the remote areas of the country. Thus the construction of border roads would be beneficial for getting better access to all the regions in the country. It is beneficial not just for the people, but also for the transportation of essentials to these areas.

• Economic development- The integration of an area using the transportation network promotes the development of the area. It helps in the development of other allied services in the area further resulting in rapid growth of the region.

Waterways have been the most common means of transport from earlier days. Waterways are the cheapest and easiest way of carrying bulky goods over long distances. One of its greatest benefits is that it does not require any route construction or maintenance.

Waterways can be inland waterways or sea routes. Navigable rivers, canals, backwaters, and lakes are used as inland waterways. It was the major means of transportation before the advent of railways and roadways. Inland waterways are the only means of transportation through dense, impenetrable forests and areas defined by certain tribal groups. Sea routes and oceanic routes are mostly used for transporting bulky goods from one country to another. Waterways is a major means of domestic and foreign trade. But, to establish as a major trading centre, the port must have a well-connected rail and road transit network.

• Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport

Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport is the second busiest airport in India according to the arrival of the passengers. It is the primary airport of Maharashtra situated in Mumbai. It was formerly known as Sahar International airport.

• Pune Airport

Pune is the second most civil airport in Maharashtra. The airport is functioned by the Airport Authority of India and Indian Air Force. This airport handles both domestic and international flights.

• Cochin Airport

It is located in Kochi, Kerala. It is the first airport developed under a public-private partnership. It was sponsored by almost 10, 000 NRIs from 30 countries. It was inaugurated in 1999. It handles both passenger and cargo traffic in the domestic and the international market.

• Indira Gandhi International Airport

It is the artery hub for the capital city, Delhi. It is the busiest airport in the country both in terms of passenger and cargo traffic. It was earlier operated by the Indian Air Force, and later the responsibility was transferred to the Airport Authority of India.

• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

It serves the Deccan city of Hyderabad. It was opened in 2008 to replace Begumpet Airport. It is operated in a public-private partnership by the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.

Pipeline transportation is a new initiative in the transportation network. In the initial stage, they were used to transport water to cities and industries. Today, these are also used for the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas. Solids are also transported through a pipeline by converting it into a slurry. Even though the initial cost of laying pipelines is high, it has many advantages. Some of them are:

• Large volumes- Large volumes of commodities can be transferred through pipeline uninterruptedly. Without any delays or problems, large volumes can be transported from one place to another.

• Safe and reliable- The transportation of inflammable like oil and gas can be done more safely through pipelines. It is safer and also reduces problems like leakage and pollution.

• Terrains- Pipelines transportation can be laid down in most difficult terrains. It can cover mountains, hills, deserts, and rivers. Thus it helps in the effective delivery of commodities.

• Low cost- The occurrences of leakage and spilling is very less while transporting commodities by pipelines. It also reduces the cost of transportation even though the initial cost incurred is high.

The transport system is a service by which persons and goods move from one place to the other using humans, animals or vehicles. Transport system establishes the links between producing centres and consuming centres. Transport provides the link through which trade takes place. Transport system also acts as an artery for communication within the nation and among the nations.

The principal modes of transportation are land ways, waterways, airways and through pipelines. But today the road transport system is largely being replaced by the rail transport system.

Railways are the most economical means of transportation, especially for long distances. In the colonial era, rail transport was developed to exploit the resources in inaccessible areas and to ensure connectivity to ports. Even today, major ports will be well-connected with railways resulting in the faster transport of bulkier goods to other places. With the advancement of technology, India has been well-connected by the rail network. Thus, railways ensure the connectivity of different regions and economical transportation of goods from place to place.

But the preferred means of transportation, especially for short distances are the roadways. India has a well-connected system of road networks including National highways, the Golden Quadrilateral connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, many rural roads and district roads. Thus roadways are largely preferred by the people in contrast to railways because of the following factors:

• Cost of construction- The cost of construction and maintenance of roadways is relatively lesser than the construction of railways. It does not require the rigorous checking and maintenance like in railways.

• Door-to-door connection- Roadways provide door-to-door connection to all the places. It provides direct connectivity to all the places.

• Terrains- Railways are the only means of transport to have access to the difficult terrains. Not only through plains, but even difficult terrains like deserts, forests, and mountains are also accessible through roads. It is the only means to reach the hilly, mountainous and rugged terrains. It is the only means of transportation through dense, impenetrable forests and areas defined by certain tribal groups.

• Transporting goods- Roadways are the important means of transporting bulky goods. It is the most economical means of transportation of goods over short distances.

• Link for other transports- Roadways are the primary means of transport that connects the other means of transportation. It provides direct connectivity to airways, waterways, and railways.

The transport system is the service by which persons and goods move from one place to the other using humans, animals or vehicles. Transport system establishes the links between producing centres and consuming centres. Transport provides the link through which trade takes place. Transport system also acts as an artery for communication within the nation and among the nations. The principal modes of transportation are land ways, waterways, airways and through pipelines. To be established as a major trading centre, the country must have a well-connected transit network. The integrated operation of all the means of transportation is essential for its effective functioning. Thus the development of transport is very important for a country’s progress.

The most preferred means of transportation, especially for short distances, are roadways. Road transportation has huge importance as it provides direct connectivity to all the places. Not only through plains, but even difficult terrains like deserts, forests, and mountains are also accessible through roads. India has a well-connected system of road networks including National highways, the Golden Quadrilateral connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, many rural roads and district roads. Even today, many rural areas are connected through roadways only.

Internet and satellites are the harbingers of today's fast-expanding digital communication network. Information and Communication Technology (IT) is an important driving force for the success of today's communication. Telecommunication facilities, especially the internet has significantly contributed to the development of communication between countries in different continents. The development of services like e-banking has increased the pace in which transactions are carried out around the world. Today, the world is just a click away. Information is being transmitted in seconds, and the world has shrunk inside our hands. Any information can be accessed via the internet and communication has become highly centralised though satellites. Information revolution through digital means like mobile phones and social media has also expanded the communication network between counties.

Thus, both transportation and communication facilities can be considered as the lifelines of the economy.

Rajasthan Road Vision 2025 was inaugurated to improve the conditions of the road system in the state. The road conditions in Rajasthan are highly variable. The hotspots like Jodhpur and Jaipur have highly sophisticated road while in the interior parts of the states the quality of roads is very poor. The project aims at improving the quality of roads in these areas.

The project was inaugurated by the Public Works Department of the state for the development and maintenance of roads during the first 25 years of the 21^st century. It focuses not only on the development of the roads but also on its quality, maintenance, and repair. The project is implemented in two stages:

• During the first 15 years of the project, all the villages will be connected with accessible roads.

• During the next 10 years, importance would be given on the development of fly-overs, highways, four lanes and other facilities towards the development of tourism, mining, and industries.

The project has been a success in many regions of the state. Many villages that were previously inaccessible are now connected with the other parts of the states. The expansion of the road network has also resulted in the development of other facilities like health care, education, and other industries. The villages that were inundated and had only kuchcha roads are now well-connected with other parts. The development of national highways and fly-overs is also progressing well in the state.

This will ultimately result in the development of the state in all the perspectives.

The principal modes of transportation are land ways, waterways, airways and through pipelines. To be established as a major trading centre, the country must have a well-connected transit network. The integrated operation of all the means of transportation is essential for its effective functioning. Thus the development of transport is very important for a country’s progress.

1. Road transportation has huge importance as it provides direct connectivity to all the places. Not only through plains, but even difficult terrains like deserts, forests, and mountains are also accessible through roads.

2. Railways are the most economical means of transportation, especially for long distances. With the advancement of technology, India has been well-connected by the rail network.

3. Pipeline transportation is the most convenient means to transport oil and gases is liquefied form over long distances. It reduces the risk of transit and spillage during road and rail transport. The gas pipeline connecting Jagadispur in Uttar Pradesh to Hajira of Gujarat passes through Kota in Rajasthan. Rail and roadways are still used in places where pipelines are not effectively developed.

4. Waterways are the cheapest and easiest way of carrying bulky goods over long distances. Waterways can be inland waterways or sea routes. The use of waterways as a medium of transportation in Rajasthan is very limited.

5. Airways is the fastest mode of transport of the century. It is also the most expensive means. Aeroplanes and helicopters are the major air transport modes. Presently, airways are the only mode of transport to reach remote locations that have no road and rail connectivity. Jaipur is a major category international airport in the state. Ratanada in Jodhpur and Dabok in Udaipur are domestic medium category airports in the state. In addition to this Kota and Kishangarh airport also operate in the state.

The integrated operation of all the means of transportation is essential for the effective functioning of the transit network.

Internet and satellites are the harbingers of today's fast-expanding digital communication network. Information and Communication Technology (IT) is an important driving force for the success of today's communication. Telecommunication facilities, especially the internet has significantly contributed to the development of communication between countries in different continents. The development of services like e-banking has increased the pace in which transactions are carried out around the world. Today, the world is just a click away. Information is being transmitted in seconds, and the world has shrunk inside our hands. Any information can be accessed via the internet and communication has become highly centralised though satellites. Information revolution through digital means like mobile phones and social media has also expanded the communication network between counties.

The major modern means of communication are:

• Phone- The development of telephones have been an important step in the improvement of communication facilities. Telephones have enabled the transmission messages from one place to another without any time lag. The technological revolution has also resulted in a mobile phone revolution from basic telephones to wireless and now to cellular phones and smartphones.

• E-mail- The development of internet services worldwide has resulted in the growth of e-mails for the transmission of messages. It is the fastest means of sending information. Within seconds, a bulk of information and messages can be communicated to different people in different parts of the world.

• Instant messages- It is an ad-hoc service of mobile phones. With this function, we can text the message that we want to convey to the person through the mobile. When we send the text message the message will be delivered within seconds. It is provided by all the social media platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram etc.

• Newspapers- Newspapers are used for communicating to a large volume of people at a time. Newspaper developed with the invention of the printing press. Even though the newspaper is the traditional means of communication, even now it has great relevance everywhere in the world. The local newspaper is the key sources that can be relied upon for the information of both the local area and the global arena. Before the advent of the internet, it had a major importance in society. Classified advertisement and important public notices are important materials of the newspaper.

• Television- TV has a wide range and influence on the public. It is one of the modern means of communication which has wider accessibility. Any message communicated through TV will reach to the mass audience within a short span of time. Big corporate companies promote their advertisement on TV. Advertisement through the TV is cost-effective because only one advertisement can be played multiple times which will influence the audience. Moreover, with the advent of digitalisation, many companies are providing cost fewer connections which have increased the accessibility of TV to the general public.

• Video calls- These were promoted after the development of the internet. Skype was the harbinger of video calls. It can be used by both individuals for their personal uses and corporates and firms for video conferences and meetings.

• Social media- It is an important means of communication in today's world. It has gained major importance in society through the popularisation of internet facilities. Any message communicated through social media platforms will reach to the mass audience within a short span of time. Twitter and Facebook are the major social media platforms.