Transportation and Communication in India.pptx

Transportation

1. By, Mr. Piyush R. Telang Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, S. P. College (Autonomous), Pune Email: [email protected] Mob: [phone] Transportation and Communications in India

2. Transport is a system in which passengers and goods are carried from one place to another. Development of cheap and efficient means of transport is necessary for the progress of a large and developing country like India. Transport routes are the basic  economic arteries  of the country and hence, the amount of traffic moving in a country is a measure of its progress. India is a vast country with  long distances  from Kashmir in North to Kanniyakumari in the south; Kandla in the west to Kohima in the East. In addition, India has  great diversity  in economic, social, cultural and ethnic structure. Hence, a  well-knit transport system  is essential to bring about unity in diversity. Transportation in India

3. The modes of transport on which the countries depend for connecting people, growth and development are as under: THE MODES OF TRANSPORT

4. Roads play an important role in connecting people and also in ensuring socio-economic growth of a country as under: Roads provide door to door service by means of a rickshaw, car, bicycle, bus, scooter or a truck. The construction, repair and maintenance cost is less than other means of transport. It is the cheapest and the most convenient mode of transportation for a few people and relatively smaller amount of goods over shorter distances. It is through roads that we reach railway stations, airports and seaports. Perishable goods like milk, fruits and vegetables are quickly carried from nearby villages to the cities or metropolis or to other destinations. Roads connect rural areas to the urban areas and can be constructed in all types of terrains like hills, deserts, mountain and plateaus. Importance of Roads

5. Road Transportation in India With a total length of about 42.3 lakh km, India has one of the largest road networks in the world. About 85% of passenger and 70% of freight traffic are carried by roads. Sher Shah Suri built the  Shahi  (Royal) road to strengthen and consolidate his empire from the Indus Valley to the Sonar Valley in Bengal. This road was later renamed as the Grand Trunk (GT) Road during the British period, connecting Calcutta and Peshawar. At present, GT Road extends from Amritsar to Kolkata. It is bifurcated into 2 segments − (a) National Highway (NH)-1 from Delhi to Amritsar, and (b) NH- 2 from Delhi to Kolkata. Roads have been classified as National Highways (NH), State Highways (SH), Major District Roads, and Rural Roads. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Surface Transport was operationalized in 1995.

6. The main roads connecting two or more states are constructed and maintained by the Central Government. These roads are known as the National Highways. The NHAI is responsible for the development, maintenance, and operation of National Highways. The National Highways constitute only 1.67 per cent of the total road length, but carry about 40 per cent of the road traffic.

7. With 4,076 km long road,  North-South Corridor  aims at connecting Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir with Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. With 3,640 km of road length, the  East-West Corridor  has been planned to connect Silchar in Assam with the port town of Porbandar in Gujarat. Golden Quadrilateral  is 5,846 km long 4/6 lane, high density traffic corridor that connects India’s four big metro cities : Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata.

8. Other roads include Border Roads and International Highways. The  Border Road Organization  (BRO) was established in May 1960 for the acceleration of economic development and strengthening defense preparedness through rapid and coordinated improvement of strategically important roads along the northern and north-eastern boundary of the country. BRO has constructed roads in high altitude mountainous terrain joining Chandigarh with Manali (Himachal Pradesh) and Leh ( Ladakh ), which runs at an average altitude of 4,270 meters above the mean sea level.

9. The  Asian Highway Network (AH), also known as the Great Asian Highway, is a cooperative project among countries in Asia and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to improve their connectivity via highway systems.

10. Salient Features of Indian Road Network and Highways About 65% of freight and 80% passenger traffic is carried by the roads. The road density is only 12.14 km in Jammu and Kashmir, whereas in Kerala it is 517.77 km. Number of vehicles has been growing at an average pace of 10.16% per annum over the last five years. State Highways are constructed and maintained by the state governments. The State Highways join the state capitals with district headquarters and other important towns. All State Highways collectively constitute about 4 per cent of the total road length in the country. District roads are the roads connecting the District Headquarters and the other important nodes in the district. District roads account about 60.83 per cent of the total road length of the country. Further, about 80 per cent of the total road length in India come under rural roads.

11. Railway Transportation in India The first railway line was opened for public traffic in 1853, between Mumbai and Thane At present, Indian Railway network is the largest in Asia and the fourth largest in the world with the length of more than 64000 kms . It is the largest government undertaking employing 1.6 million people and a separate budget is presented for it. It has been divided into 17 zones for better administration and management of work. after USA, Russia and China. But , India tops  world’s leading countries with regard to passenger/ kilometre carried. ‘Indian Railways’ is the largest public sector undertaking of the country, comprising vast network stations and route length with fleet of locomotives, passenger vehicles etc. Since its inception in 1853, Indian Railways has played a vital role in the economic, Industrial and social development of the country.

12. India has three system of railways broad gauge (the distance between rails is 1.676 meter); meter gauge (the distance between rails is one meter); and narrow gauge (the distance between the rails is 0.762 meter or 0.610 meter). Konkan Railway constructed along the western coast in 1998, is a landmark achievement of dian Railway. Konkan Railway is 760 km long rail route connecting Roha in Maharashtra to Mangalore in Karnataka. Konkan Railway crosses 146 rivers, streams, nearly 2000 bridges, and 91 tunnels. Asia's largest tunnel which is about 6.5 km long, is constructed on the Konkan railway route near Ratnagiri in Maharashtra.

13. Distribution of Indian Railways The North Indian Plain This region has a dense network of railways from Amritsar to Haora Dense population, development of Industry & Agriculture, large scale Urbanisation have helped in development of Railways The peninsular plateau The whole of peninsular plateau has hilly and plateau terrain, which hinders the development of railways. The population density is also moderate here. For such reasons, except, Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu, a relatively open and more lose network has developed here. The Himalayan region The rugged terrain, hill and valley topography, backward economy and sparse population are factors responsible for the sparse rail network in the region Also, there are practically no railway line in North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland These areas have rough terrain with thick forests Hence, construction of railways under these condition is a difficult and costly affair  4. The coastal plains There is distinct contrast in rail network between eastern and western coastal plains The Eastern Coastal plain is quite wide and permits the construction of railways But, such network has been eluded in the Western coastal plain, due to the structure and relief of the area

14. Significance of the Indian Railways Railways provide the cheapest and most convenient mode of passenger transport both for long distance and suburban traffic Railways have played a significant role in the development and growth of Industries. Growth of textile Industry in Mumbai, Jute Industries around Kolkata are largely due to development of railway network in these areas. Agriculture also owes its growth to railways to a great extent. Now farmers can sell their agricultural produce to distant places. Railways have been helpful in removing isolation between cities and countryside; and have played a significant role in dissemination innovations and new ideas. Railways are particularly suited for long distance journey; and hence provide a strong medium of national integration. Railways carry relief and rescue teams to the affected areas, during times of natural calamities. Hence, they play a part in mitigating the sufferings of the people. Railways help in facing man-made calamities like social, political, religious disturbances, insurgency, etc. It facilitates easy movement of police, troops, defence equipment etc , during times of emergency.

15. METRO RAIL Metro Rail offers fast, cheap and comfortable journey in metropolitan cities of India. It helps in reducing pressure on the existing road transport and provides clean and eco-friendly transport at the local level. It is a part of rapid mass transport; and first rapid transit system in India was the Kolkata Metro, which started operations in 1984. The Delhi Metro was India’s first Modern Metro and third rapid transit system in India, which started its operations in 2002. After the success of Metro Rail in Delhi, other cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, have planned to ease the public transit system. At present there are 18 operational metro across Indian cities covering a network of 996 kms .

16. Government Initiatives to improve Railways Sector in India In June 2021, the Central Government approved the implementation of a 235 km semi high-speed rail corridor between Pune and Nashik in Maharashtra. The cost of building this project will be Rs . 16,039 crore . In April 2021, Indian Railways completed the arch closure of the under-construction Chenab Bridge which is the world’s highest railway bridge. Chenab Bridge is 1315 m long and will be 35 meters higher than Eiffel Tower in Paris. In July 2020, the Ministry of Railways has invited Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for private participation in operating passenger train services across 109 Origin Destination (OD) routes On September 22, 2020, Indian Railways sanctioned a feasibility study for seven bullet train projects – all open to PPP investments. The Indian Railway launched the National Rail Plan, Vision 2024, to accelerate implementation of critical projects, such as multitrack congested routes, achieve 100% electrification, upgrade the speed to 160 kmph on Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai routes, upgrade the speed to 130 kmph on all other golden quadrilateral-golden diagonal (GQ/GD) routes and eliminate all level crossings on the GQ/GD route, by 2024.

17. Water Transport Waterways are the  cheapest means  of transport and are most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky materials having low specific cost. Water transport is  a fuel efficient  and  environmental friendly  mode of transportation which has vast employment generation potential. However, it suffered a great deal at the hands of roadways and Railways, because it could not compete with the speed of road and rail transport. Currently, coastal and inland waterways contribute  6% of the country’s freight  modal mix, while adjacent developing economies, such as Bangladesh (16%) and Thailand (12%) have a higher share of water-based transport, highlighting the scope for improvement for India.

18. Inland Water Transport in India India is endowed with various Inland Water Transport (IWT) options that comprise rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks, and tidal inlets. India has over 5,000 km of navigable inland waterways under development. These not only form a competitive alternative mode of transportation with lower operating cost (30% lower than the railways and 60% lower than road) but also a sustainable mode in freight logistics and passenger transport. To harness the potential of IWT,  Inland Waterways Authority of India  (IWAI) was established in 1986, and since has been working towards development and regulation of inland waterways. In order to increase the significance of Inland Waterways and to improve their efficiency, the Government has identified few important Waterways, which are given the status of  National Waterways. From only five waterways recognised as National Waterways (NWs), the government of India notified 106 additional waterways as National Waterways, by the  National Waterways Act, 2016.

19. T he M ajor W aterways I dentified I n I ndia

20. Rivers in south India are seasonal and are not much suited for navigation However, the  deltaic areas  of the Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, lower reaches of the Narmada, Tapi serve as waterways There are some  navigable canals  also, which serve as inland waterways Buckingham Canal in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu is one such canal, which provides water transport for a distance of 413km The other navigable canals are Son Canal, Odisha Canal, Damodar Canal Advantages of Inland Waterways A well-coordinated inland waterways network could bring a fundamental alteration in the logistics scenario of the country. Waterways can decongest roads, including highways by moving cargo away. Waterways do not involve challenges associated with land acquisition, which has always been a sensitive issue, causing time and cost overruns of numerous projects. Waterways are a cheaper mode of transportation vis-à-vis the available alternatives, significantly reducing the point-to-point cost of goods. Inland Water Transport in India

21. SHIPPING India has had a glorious past with respect to shipping. Indian maritime trade flourished in ancient times. Indian boats and ships have been sailing in the Indian ocean for the last 4,000 years taking merchandise to the Middle East. Currently, shipping plays a significant role in the transport sector of the country’s economy. Nearly  90% of India’s trade Volume (77% in terms of value), is moved by sea making shipping the backbone of trade and economic growth. Today, India has the largest merchant shipping fleet among the developing countries.

22. Coastal Shipping This involves movement of goods and passengers from one port to another port within a country. India’s long coastline, array of ports on the east & west coast; and a large & resilient domestic economy provides a  perfect ecosystem  for the country to develop a substantial coastal shipping industry. In India, domestic movement happens primarily through road, followed by railways and a meagre share is through waterways. Hence, Coastal shipping can be a  great enabler  to develop economy and  reduce logistics costs  as evident from the experiences in other developed regions. The European Union experience has demonstrated that cost of coastal movement of cargoes was about 20 percent and 40 percent that of road and rail movement, respectively. Hence, the need to capitalize when there is a long coastline resource at hand, for India. Currently, in India, the coastal shipping primarily handles POL, coal, and iron ore, which account approximately 80 percent of the total coastal movement

23. Ports in India There are 13 major and 200 medium and small ports in India. The  major ports  are under the supervision of the  Central Government , while the  minor ones  are managed by the concerned  state Governments. The 13 major ports handle about 90% of our foreign trade. The major ports on the west coast are Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru, Kandla , Marmagao , Mangalore and Kochi. The ports on the east coast are Kolkatta / Haldia , Paradwip , Vishakapatnam , Chennai, Ennore and Tuticorin .

24. Challenges Faced By Shipping Industry in India Institutional Challenges The rigidity of the Indian bureaucracy and its reluctance to give up control adds to the delay. Multiple involvements of the central, state and local governments with overlapping powers add to the chaos. Lack of a  single window clearance system  has made it challenging for shipping companies in India Infrastructural Challenges Capacities of all major and minor ports in India need to be increased urgently. When compared to transhipment points in other countries, the cycle time of Indian cargoes has been rendered as  uncompetitive  on a global scale. Besides this development of road network, electricity and overall infrastructural development is also the need of the hour. Financial Challenges The burden of taxes like Customs Duty on Bunkers, Landing Fees, Income Tax etc. without negligible exemptions have made it difficult for shipping industry to thrive. Vessel Size The sizes of vessels are getting bigger owing to the rise in demand for shipping services. While it might sound like an improved trend, many ports in India are still struggling to keep up, and many of these large vessels cannot be called on into most of the ports

25. Measures taken Recently, the Union Cabinet approved a scheme to provide Rs 1,624 crore over five years as subsidy to Indian shipping companies in global tenders floated by ministries and CPSEs for import of government cargo. Sagarmala Project The Sagarmala is a series of projects to leverage the country’s  coastline and inland waterways  to drive industrial development. Sagarmala , integrated with the development of inland waterways, is expected to reduce cost and time for transporting goods, benefiting industries and export/import trade. The  initiatives  under this project include: modernizing port infrastructure improving port connectivity through rail corridors, freight-friendly expressways and inland waterways create 14 coastal economic zones or CEZs and a special economic zone at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai with manufacturing clusters to enable port-led industrialisation develop skills of fishermen and other coastal and island communities. Sagarmala could boost India’s merchandise exports to $110 billion by 2025 and create an estimated 10 million new jobs

26. Air transport Air Transport is the fastest mode of transport which has reduced distances and has led to drastic shrinking of the world. This mode of transport is indispensable when speed and time are the main constraints. Air transport is very  essential  for a vast country like India, where distances are so long and the terrain and climatic conditions so diverse. Air transportation in India made a humble beginning in 1911, when mail operation commenced over a very short distance of 10km between Allahabad and Naini . Indian national airways was formed in 1933 and it introduced air services between Karachi and Lahore. At the time of independence, there were four companies namely Tata Sons limited/Air India, Indian National Airways, Air services of India and Deccan Airways.

27. India Aviation Industry India had the world’s third-largest civil aviation market in 2017. India is expected to overtake China and the United States by 2030, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA ). Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages a total of 137 Airports, which includes 103 Domestic Airports, 24 International Airports, and 10 Customs Airports . IndiGo , Air India,  SpiceJet  and  GoAir  are the major carriers in order of their market share. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is responsible for civilian aviation, through regulatory oversight by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA ).

28. Domestic and International services are provided by government and private provider . Pawanhans Helicopter Ltd. (government undertaking) – This Company provides air transport to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Indian Oil and in the North-Eastern part of the country.

29. Airport Authority of India This authority is responsible for providing safe and efficient air traffic services, along with aeronautical communication services for effective control of air traffic in the entire Indian air space. It controls and manages the entire Indian space even beyond the territorial limits of the country, in accordance with the norms set by  International Civil Aviation Organisation . The International Airports division of AAI, operates and develops international Airports. It has undertaken construction of terminal complexes at various international airports and improvement/ upgradation of runways and terminal buildings. However, the improvement of infrastructure at the airports needs heavy capital investment which the government cannot afford of its own. Therefore, private domestic and foreign investors including NRIs have been encouraged to participate in the process of improvement.

30. Challenges Faced by Indian Aviation Industry Shortage of trained employee There is a shortage of trained and skilled manpower in the aviation sector because of which there is cut-throat competition for employees; thereby driving wages to unsustainable levels Regional connectivity Though there are a large number of airlines operating, still there is lack of regional connectivity Providing regional connectivity is one of the greatest challenges for the Aviation sector in India. This is due to lack of airports and other associated infrastructure Rising fuel prices The jet fuel cost accounted for nearly 45% to 50% of the total costs in 2018; thereby presenting more operational challenges Declining yields Pricing and yield are the key elements for an airline to operate Commercial liberalization has led to intense competition and reduction in real yields for Airline companies Gaps in Infrastructure Airport infrastructure and Air Traffic Control (ATC) foundation are insufficient to help development While a beginning has been made to redesign the infrastructure, the outcomes will be visible after some years . Technical Challenges The maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) industry is not well developed in India; to provide for cost-effective maintenance of Aircrafts The lack of native Aircraft manufacturing base, results in more imports of Aircrafts, thereby making the operations more Capital Intensive.

31. UDAN Scheme The scheme is aimed at enhancing connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country and making air travel affordable. It is a key component of Centre’s  National Civil Aviation Policy,  launched in 2016. Under the scheme, nearly half of the seats in Udan flights are offered at subsidised fares, and the participating carriers are provided a certain amount of  viability gap funding (VGF) – an amount shared between the Centre and the concerned states Aviation sector under Make in India Aviation sector is one of the 25 sectors which has been identified under the Make in India scheme. 100% FDI  has been allowed under automatic route for both Greenfield as well as brownfield projects.

32. Pipelines Pipelines are used extensively to transport liquids and gases such as water, petroleum and natural gas for an uninterrupted flow. Water supplied through pipelines is familiar to all. Cooking gas or LPG is supplied through pipelines in many parts of the world. Pipelines can also be used to transport liquidified coal . The country is constructing 1,630 km of oil transmission pipelines, ranking second globally in ongoing pipeline projects. Proposed an additional 1,194 km, securing the 10th spot internationally . Leading Companies in Oil Pipeline Development: include both government-owned and private firms: Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum, China National Petroleum Corporation, Iraq’s Ministry of Oil, India’s Numaligarh Refinery Limited (India), and France’s Total Energies .

33. Key Pipeline Networks in India There are   three important networks   of pipeline transportation in the country:  Asia’s First Cross-Country Pipeline:  It was constructed for OIL from the  Naharkatiya oilfield (Assam) to the Barauni refinery (Bihar)   via Guwahati.  It was further  extended up to Kanpur  in 1966. Salaya to Jalandhar:  From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab, via Viramgam , Mathura, Delhi and Sonipat . Hazira (Gujarat )- Vijaipur-Jagdishpur ( UP) HVJ:  First interstate natural gas pipeline, constructed by GAIL, linked  Mumbai High  and  Bassein gas fields  with various fertiliser, power and industrial complexes in western and northern India. 

34. Some major pipelines in India include: Naharkatia-Nunmati-Barauni Pipeline : India's first crude oil pipeline, built to transport oil from Assam to the Barauni refinery.  Mumbai High-Mumbai Pipeline : A double pipeline connecting offshore oil fields in the Arabian Sea to Mumbai.  Ankleshwar-Koyali Pipeline : Built in 1965 to transport crude oil to Koyali refinery.  Salaya - Koyali -Mathura Pipeline : A 2,314 km long pipeline owned and operated by Indian Oil.  Koyali -Jaipur- Panipat Pipeline : A 1664 km long pipeline that delivers Koyali refinery products to various cities in Gujarat and Rajasthan.  Kandla-Bhatinda Oil Pipeline : A 1443 km long oil pipeline with a capacity of 6.0 million tonnes per year.  Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) Gas Pipeline : A 1750 km long pipeline that transports natural gas from Hazira to Vijaipur and Jagdishpur . 

35. Communication is a system of carrying messages to exchange thoughts, ideas and Information. The communication system of a country includes post and telegraph services, telecommunication systems, television and broadcasting, and also information services, etc. Communication

36. Means of Personal Communication Postal Service: Postal service is a very old means of communication. Though letter writing is not that popular any longer, it is still important even today . Indian Postal Network is the largest in the world. In 2001, India had 1,55,000 post offices providing different services like – letters, money orders , parcels , postal saving schemes , etc . (ii) Telephone Service: It has emerged as one of the most important and widely used means of communication in today’s world. It is quick and affordable , serving our need seamlessly .

37. Post and Telegraph The postal system started way back in 1854 with around 700 post offices and the creation of the Department of Posts. Currently, there are more than 1.5 lakh post offices across the country. Also, India has the largest postal network in the world. In recent years, the Government has emphasized on the tribal, hilly, and rural areas, further expanding the reach of our postal network. Some initiatives of the postal department include: A computerized services program of postal operations like mail processing, savings bank, and also material management. Introduced Metro Channel Service which linked the six metro cities. Introduced the Rajdhani Channel which linked Delhi with most State capitals. Started a Business Channel for exclusive treatment to pin-coded business mail. A Hybrid Mail Service through electronic devices. Also, Satellite Money Order Services.

38. Means of Mass Communication The means by which information can be communicated to a very large number of people are called Media or Mass Communication , such as radio, television, newspaper, cinema, books, magazines, traditional folk modes and satellite communication. ( i ) Radio: Radio transmission in India started in 1927 from Mumbai and Kolkata to entertain, educate and apparise the people of the country with important information. Today the program of All India Radio (AIR) are available to 90% parts of the country to 98.8% of our people. (ii) Television: The national television transmission service of India started in 1959 is one of the biggest ground transmission organizations of the world . Today, 87% of population can watch it. Television program telecast by National, Regional and local Doordarshan and a large number of private channels are available for education, information and recreation. (iii) Computer (Information Technology): Today, computer has become the basis of communication and economic development as it is used everywhere from homes, offices to shops, hospitals, railways, airports, banks, educational institutions , etc.

39. Telecommunications In 1851, telecommunication services were introduced in India and the first telegraph message was sent between Kolkata (erstwhile Calcutta) and Diamond Harbor. In 1881-82, telephone services were launched too. Over the years, telecommunications services have undergone phenomenal growth and change . Also, after 1995, post-liberalization of the telecoms operational system in India, the telecommunications sector experienced exponential growth. The National Telecommunications Policy of 1994, divided the country into 20 circles for basic telephones and 18 circles for mobile-related services. Further, it allowed two private service providers per circle for a 15-year license period. Additionally, the Government set up Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for better control over tariffs and to help in policy-making and regulation of the sector. The two important goals of the telecom sector are: Provide a cost-efficient (low-cost) voice telephony to as many individuals as possible and Provide a low-cost and high-speed computer networking service to as many businesses as possible The Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) are the two public sector telecom giants in India.

40. Radio and Television Radio services in India are less than a century old. In fact, radio broadcasting started in 1927 and commercial broadcasting started in 1967. Television, on the other hand, started regularly from 1965. In 1976, it was delinked from the All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan was formed. Currently, the television industry is a huge industry offering employment to thousands of Indians. It has also given rise to the Media and Entertainment Industry which is estimated at INR 1436 billion in the financial year 2017-18.

41. Newer communication Technology (a) Internet: It provides access to several kinds of information.It connects all types of computers across the world to obtain information at the click of a button. (b) Video Conferencing: People sitting at far off places can talk and express their views with the help of telecommunication and computer. (c) E-Commerce: Facility available for sale and purchase of goods through internet and fax. (d) Internet Telephony: It is a software programme which makes a computer to work like telephone. This facility has reduced the call rates drastically. (e) E-Mail: It is a method of sending letters or information through internet to anyone in the world in the blink of an eye. (f) Tele-Medicine: Using this technology, doctors can advise his patients sitting at a distance of thousands of kilometers from them.