NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS CLASS – 12 | FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS | CHAPTER- 8 | TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION | EDUGROWN |

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 8 TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ON TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION

Question 1.
Describe any three advantages of pipelines as a means of transport in India.
Answer:
(i) Pipelines are used to transport liquids and gases.
(ii) It is environmental-friendly means of transport.
(iii) Pipelines can be laid through difficult terrain and also under water.

Question 2.
Define the term ‘communication.’ Describe the importance of telecommunication.
Answer:
Communication is an activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages or information by speech, visual, writing or behaviour.
Importance of Telecommunication:

• Telecommunication is an important tool for busines. This device is used to receive and send messages, access data etc.
• This refers to the exchange of information with electronic and electrical means over a long distance.
• Telecommunication also useful for students.
• Telecommunication is helpful for people living in areas that do not have special care facility. With this they get in touch with a healthcare provider.
• Telecommunication play a vital role in transport sector.

Question 3.
Describe the distribution of railways in India.
Answer:
Distribution of Railways. A close look at the railway map of India in any atlas would reveal the following pattern of the railway network:
(1) Northern plains. A dense network of railways has been developed in the Northern Indian Plain from Amritsar to Howrah with a few focal points like Delhi- Kanpur-Mughal Sarai, Lucknow, Agra and Patna.

The whole of Northern Plain is very well connected. While connectivity is more efficient in east-west direction, it is not so efficient in the north and south direction from the trunk routes. The rail network in this plain is highly correlated to the level of agricultural and industrial development. Delhi is the focal point from where railway lines radiate in all directions. It is connected with ports through superfast trains.

Many favourable factors have led to development of a dense network of railways in Northern Plains.
Favourable factors. A dense network of railways is developed in the north Indian plains. About 50% of the total length of railways in India is found in northern India. The northern railways is the longest railway with a length of 10,977 kms. Many physical and economic factors are responsible for it.

• Northern plain is a level plain with low altitude. It is best suited for construction of railway.
• Due to dense population, big towns have developed which have led to high density of railway.
• The intensive development of agriculture and industries h as promoted the construction of railway lines.
• It is essential to connect Mumbai and Kolkata with their hinterlands of northern plain.

(2) Peninsular plateau. The peninsular region, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have a denser rail network as compared to other parts. The whole of the peninsular region has a hilly and plateau terrain. The concentration of population is moderate. Therefore, the rail network is also sparse. Trunk routes are aligned in such a way that there are efficient connections between Mumbai-Chennai, Chennai-Cochin, Chennai- Delhi and Chennai-Hyderabad.

(3) Coastal plains. There is a distinct contrast in the rail network between eastern coastal plains and western coastal plains. There exists a long trunk route all along the east coast. Such a rail track is the Konkan Railway of 837 km. long which has been built along the western coast from Mumbai to Cochin.

The outcrops of the Western Ghats being very close to the coast, restrict the extent of the coastal plain while the eastern coast is wider and the Ghats lie away from the coast.

(4) Areas with sparse Rail network. Himalayas, west Rajasthan, Brahmaputra valley, North East hilly region have sparse rail-network.

(a) Himalayan Region. The mountainous terrain of the Himalayas is such a noteworthy region. The rugged terrain, hill and valley topography, backward economy and sparse population are the factors responsible for the sparse rail network in this region.

(b) Western Rajasthan. In western Rajasthan a few metre gauge railway lines have penetrated the arid tract.

(c) Brahmaputra valley. The Brahmaputra Valley has two parallel lines but no railway line has been constructed on the Meghalaya plateau.

(d) N.E. Region. In Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland, no railways have been constructed. The main reasons for the absence of a railway network are the hilly terrain and forested tracts. The cost involved in providing railway tracks in these regions is too high. The sparse population is another important aspect which has not encouraged this investment.

Question 4.
Describe the major oil and gas pipelines of India.
Answer:
(1) Naharkatiya Barauni pipeline. Oil India Limited constructed the first pipeline of 1,152 km from Naharkatiya oilfield in Assam to Barauni refinery in Bihar via Noonmati (1962-68).

2. Haldia-Kanpur pipeline. To transport refined petroleum products. Barauni-Kanpur pipeline was laid down in 1966. Haldia-Maurigram-Rajbandh pipeline was constructed later.

3. Ankleshwar-Koyali pipeline. Extensive network of pipelines has been constructed in the Gujarat region. First pipeline connected the Ankleshwar oilfield to Koyali refinery (1965). Later, Kalol-Sabarmati crude pipeline, the Navagaon-Kalol-Koyali pipeline and the Mumbai High-Koyali pipeline were laid.

4. Ahmedabad-Koyali pipeline. Ahmedabad has been linked with Koyali by pipeline for transport of petroleum products.

5. Ankleshwar-Vadodara pipeline. Gas pipelines have also been laid down between Khambhat and Dhuvaran, Ankleshwar and Uttaran, and Ankleshwar and Vadodara. Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) operates over 4,200 km of pipeline in the country and supplies gas to power plants.

6. HBJ gas pipeline. Construction of a cross country 1,750 km long Hazira-Bijapur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) pipeline has already been completed. This pipeline has now been extended from Bijapur to Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.

7. Kandla-Delhi pipeline. GAIL is also implementing a 1,246 km long LPG pipeline project from Kandla/Jamnagar in Gujarat to Luni in Uttar Pradesh via Delhi.

8. Mathura-Jalandhar pipeline. The Mathura refinery gets its crude from the Mumbai High through pipeline, which extends from Salaya on the Gulf of Kachchh to Mathura, Petroleum product supply pipeline exists between Mathura and Jalandhar via Delhi and Ambala, and between Mumbai and Pune for the transport of petroleum products.

Question 5.
Describe the main features of development of roads in India.
Answer:
The history of roads construction in India is very old. Sher Shah Suri constructed Grand Trunk Road. After independence, a 10 year road development scheme known as the Nagpur Plan, was prepared. Four types of roads are found in India:
(i) National Highways (79,243 km)
(ii) State Highways (1,31,899 km)
(iii) District Roads (4,67,763 km)
(iv) Village Roads (26,50,000 km)

Main features of Roads in India:

(1) India has 13,94,000 kms of metalled roads.
(2) India has 8,73,500 kms of unmetalled roads.
(3) India has just 41 km. road length for every
100 sq. km. area. It has a road length of 251 km for every 1 lakh people.
(4) India has 79,243 kms of National highways.
(5) About 26 lakh automobiles move on roads of India.
(6) Annual income from roads is about 1500 crore rupees.
(7) Indian roads carry about 30% of total freight of the country.
(8) The important National highways are:

• Sher Shah Suri Marg (G.T. Road) Kolkata to Jammu.
• Delhi-Mumbai Road
• Kolkata-Mumbai Road
• Mumbai-Chennai Road
• Great Deccan Road (Varanasi to Kanyakumari)
• Kolkata-Chennai Road.
• Pathankot-Srinagar Road.
• The Border Road Development Board was established in 1960.

It has got constructed about 38,028 km. long metalled roads in border areas. It has constructed the world’s highest road from Manali (H.P.) to Leh (Ladakh). The average height of this road is 4,270 metres.

Question 6.
Describe the main features of develop¬ment of railways in India.
Answer:
Railways in India. The first railway line was constructed between Mumbai and Thane in the year 1853. It was only 34 km. long. Railways are the chief means of transport in India.

Main Characteristics:

• Indian Railways have a total length of 62,759 kms.
• It is the largest railway system in Asia and the fourth largest in the world.
• More than 18 lakh workers are engaged in Indian railways.
• Indian railways have about 12,670 trains which operate over 6,867 stations for a distance of 13 lakh kms.
• These railways carry 130 lakh passengers and 13 lakh tons freight daily.
• Railways have an investment of a capital of 8.0 crore rupees and yield an annual income of ? 21,000 crore.
• Indian railways have about 11,000 locomotives,38.0 coaches and 4 lakh wagons.
• Most of the railways are found in the level Gangetic plain.
• Railways have not been extensively developed in Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh N.E. India, Western ghats, Chhotta Nagpur Plateau and Thar Desert (Rajasthan).
• In Southern India, construction of railways is retarded due to hilly areas and rivers.
• India has 4,259 diesel locomotives, 2,302 electric locomotives and 347 steam locomotives. The electric trains run over a distance of 11,772 kms.

Indian railways run of three gauges:

• Broad gauge—1.67 metres wide (49%)
• Metre gauge—1 metre wide (44%)
• Narrow gauge—0.76 metre wide (7%)

During year 1996-97, seven new rail zones have been created out of existing ones. The four following zones have been started:

• North-Central with headquarters at Allahabad.
• Central-Eastern with headquarters at Hajipur (Bihar).
• North-Western with headquarters at Jaipur.
• West-Southern with headquarters at Bangalore.
• Central with headquarters at Jabalpur.
• Eastern with headquarters at Bhubneshwar.
• S.E. Central Railway at Bilaspur.

Question 7.
Describe the inland waterways of India.
Answer :
For the development, maintenance and regulation of natural waterways in India, the inland waterways authority was set up in 1986. It has identified 13 inland waterways which could be upgraded.

Inland Waterways: Water transport is a cheaper means of transport and is suitable for carrying heavy and bulky materials. India is endowed with many navigable rivers and inland water bodies but the share of inland waterways is only one per cent in the country’s transport system.

(1) A total river length of 3,700 km. of major rivers is navigable by mechanised boats but only 1,700 km. of this length is utilised.

(2) We also have a network of about 4,300 km. of canals, of which a stretch of 485 km. is navigable by mechanised crafts but only 3.5 km. is actually utilised. It shows that the inland waterways are greatly underutilised.

(3) Ganga, Brahmaputra and their tributaries are navigable. The deltaic areas of Godawari, Krishna and Mahanadi, lower reaches of Narmada and Tapti, backwaters of Kera, Mondoai and Juari rivers of Goa are some of the major inland waterways.

(4) Buckingham canal in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and the Cumberjua Canal are also important navigable canals. The policy for the development of inland waterways is formulated by Central Inland Water Transport Board, New Delhi. The national waterways are developed, maintained and managed by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) which was set up in 1986. The national waterways

(Prayagraj-Haldia stretch of Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hugli River system) Act, 1982 has the provision that the regulation and development of this waterway is the responsibility of the Central Government. The river navigation services are operated for carrying goods between Kolkata and Assam, Kolkata and Farakka and Kolkata and Cachar, by Central Inland Water Transport Corporation, which is a Government of India undertaking.

Question 8.
Transport plays an important role in strengthening the social, political and economic unity of India. Explain the statement by giving five examples.
Or
“The triple transport system plays an important role in strengthening the social, political economic unity of India.” Explain.
Answer:
Integrating role of transport. Means of transport are the lifeline of a country. A developed and efficient system of transport is vital for maintaining the sovereignty and economic unity of the country. Under the 20 years Nagpur Plan, a balanced and integrated transport system of rail, road and waterways has been aimed at. The different means of transport have played an integrating role in the political and economic unity of India.

(i) These have connected far flung areas with one another. Leh has been connected with Kanniyakumari, while Assam has been connected with Kutch.

(ii) Means of transport distribute foodgrains, manufactured goods, raw materials and minerals to different parts of the country.

(iii) Pipelines supply petroleum and gas to different areas.

(iv) The commercialisation of agriculture, manufacturing growth of towns and cities have been achieved due to means of transport.

(v) The new road, railway lines have integrated the border areas with the rest of the country. Jawahar tunnel connects Kashmir valley with India.

(vi) Railways line through gaps in the Vindhyan- Satpura hills and in Western Ghats have provided easy connection between the North and South.

(vii) Ganga as a waterway has acted as a unifying agent right from U.P. to West Bengal. Thus, each means of transport has played its own role in a unified system of transport.

Question 9.
Why is air transport important for India ? Describe the different types of Air trans¬port in India.
Answer:
Importance of Air Transport
Air transport is the fastest but costliest mode of transport. It is an important mode for a country of the size of India where the terrain and the climatic conditions are so diverse and important commercial and industrial centres are located at great distances. It is vital for our internal transport system as well as for the links with other countries. India occupies a central location between western Europe and Africa on the one hand and South-East and East Asia, on the other.

Types of Air transport: The air transport in India has two sectors.
(i) Air India : The Air India handles the foreign traffic, both passengers and cargo from four focal points, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata. It connects all the continents through its services. The Air India carried 21.33 lakh passengers in 1997-98.

(ii) Indian Airlines. The domestic traffic is handled by the Indian Airlines Corporation. It carries passengers, cargo and mail to different destinations within the country as well as to eight neighbouring countries.

(iii) Vayudoot. To augment the air transport in the country the Vayudoot airlines was set up in 1981. It generally provides links with remote and inaccessible areas which are not covered by the Indian Airlines.

(iv) Pawan Hans. In 1985, the Pawan Hans Limited was established to provide helicopter services in order to link far-flung and inaccessible areas in hilly and forested regions.

Question 10.
Describe the different type of Roads.
Or
Evaluate the utility of ‘Golden Quadrilateral.’
Answer :
Six types of Roads are formed in India :
(i) Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways. A major road development project linking Delhi-Kolkata- Chennai-Mumbai by six-lane super highways. North South corridor links Srinagar with Kanya Kumari and The East-West corridor links Silchar with Porbandar. It is 5,846 km. long.

(ii) National Highways. They connect capitals and main towns. These are maintained by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), are known as the National Highways. There was a road length of National Highways 79,243km in 2010-11.

(iii) State Highways : The States and Union territories also construct and maintain roads. The state capital is linked with the district headquarters by state highways. It has a total length of 1,31,899km. and is 20% of the total length of roads.

(iv) District Roads. These connect district headquarters of a state. It has a total length of 6 lakh kms. 4,67,763 km is the total length of district road.

(v) Rural Roads. The rural areas are inter-linked by rural roads, which are generally dusty tracks. It can safely be said that the lower the level of roads in its type-hierarchy the poorer the quality of the road.26,50,000 km is the total length.

(vi) Border Roads. The border roads organisation was set up in 1960 for the development of roads of strategic importance in Northern and North-eastern borders. It has completed 30,028 kms. roads inaccessible areas of difficult terrain.