Our country has a well developed network of roadways, railways, waterways and airways.

The Means of Transport depends on the distance, time and money.

1. MEANS OF TRANSPORT

2. What is Transport? Transport means carrying people or goods from one place to another. It helps us to travel and send things.

3. Means of Transport

4. There are four main types of transport. Roadways Railways Waterways Airways Our country India has a well-developed network of roadways , railways, waterways and airways.

5. Roadways Roads are an important means of land transport. Roads are the most common way of transport. Vehicles like cars, buses, scooters, trucks move on roads. Roads connect states, cities, towns and villages. Roads are very important for us as they carry food grains, fruits, vegetables and many other items of daily use to different parts of our country. Roads are of great help in emergencies such as floods, famines and earthquakes. People and goods can be transported quickly over roads.

6. Roads can be of two types: 1 .Metalled Roads 2.Unmettaled Roads

7. Metalled (surfaced roads) : Metalled roads are made of stones, cement and tar. They are also known as pucca roads. They can be used in any weather. Therefore, these roads are all-weather roads.

8. Unmetalled (unsurfaced) roads: Unmetalled roads are kuchcha roads. These roads are found in villages. These roads cannot be used during rains. Therefore these roads are fair-weather roads.

9. Highways Roads connecting towns and cities are called highways. The Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) is one of South Asia's oldest and longest highways. It was built by Emperor Sher Shah Suri. One of the highest roads in the world is in our country. It runs from Himachal Pradesh to Leh in Ladakh.

10. National Highways National Highways connect big cities, towns, ports and state capitals They are maintained by the central government.

11. State Highways Different states also have highways. They are called state highways. State Highways are maintained by the state governments.

12. Railways Trains run on railway tracks. Railways are used for long-distance travel. India has a large network of railways that connects almost all towns and cities of our country. They carry many people and heavy goods. It is quicker and cheaper than other means of land transport. Railways are also referred to as lifeline of our country .

13. The British introduced the railways in India. The first train ran in 1853 between Mumbai and Thane. Earlier, trains ran on steam engines. Nowadays, they have diesel or electric engines. This has increased their speed. Trains such as Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express can travel over 140 km per hour. The newly introduced Vande Bharat Express is the fastest train in India. It has a top speed of 180 km/h. Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Chennai, Lucknow and Mumbai have metro train systems. The use of means of transport depends on the distance, time and money.

14. Waterways Water transport is the cheapest means of transport. It is slower compared to the other means of transport. Boats and ships are used in the countries to cross rivers or for fishing in the sea Ships are used to carry people and goods in very large quantities from one place to another.

15. Types of waterways 1.Inland waterways 2.Coastal waterways

16. Inland waterways Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Godavari rivers in India are important inland waterways. They cause less pollution compared to road or rail transport. It depends on the water level and condition of rivers or canals Best for transporting goods and people over short or medium distances.

17. Coastal waterways Coastal waterways are water routes that run along the sea coast or shoreline. These waterways are used to carry heavy or bulky items at a cheap cost like coal, iron ore. They are cheaper and more eco-friendly than road or rail transport. India has many coastal waterways along the eastern and western coast. Famous coastal waterways in India include those in Kerala and West Bengal. Coastal waterways help in fishing, tourism, and trade.

18. Sea Port 1.Sea ports connect countries through water routes. 2. They help in importing and exporting goods. 3. Sea ports are used for trade and travel. Passenger ships carry people, tankers carry petroleum and oil and cargo ships transport goods. 4. Big ships come to sea ports to carry goods across the world. 5. Sea ports have cranes, warehouses, and workers to help with cargo. 6.India has 12 major ports. 7. India has many important sea ports like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. 8. Mumbai is the oldest and the most important sea port in our country.

19. Airways Airways are the fastest way of transport. Airports are places where aeroplans take off and land. Major towns and cities in our country are connected by air. It is mostly used for covering long distances. Air travel is expensive. It costs more than travelling by road or train. Aeroplanes and helicopters are used to carry people and cerishable goods such as fruits and vegetables. They are also used to carry mail from big cities. Therefore, letters from far away places reach quickly.

20. Helicopters A helicopter is a useful means of transport during floods, earthquakes, droughts, famines, epidemics and wars. Helicopters are often used to drop food and medicines in areas that are difficult to reach in an emergency They are also used to rescue people from such areas.

21. Airlines Airlines run by private companies such as SpiceJet, Air India, Jet Airways, Sahara, Indigo, Vistara etc. operate within India and from India to other countries. Introduction of private airlines and low-cost airlines made air travel more affordable. Helicopter operators like Pawan Hans have helicopters for private charter as well as to help the government when needed.

22. PRIVATE HELICOPTERS Pawan Hans