In ancient times,people travelled on foot.Then,they invented the Wheel.It led to the development of carts.People began using horse-carts and bullock-carts to ho from one place to another.These were,however,very slow means of transport.
Slow means of transport are now being replaced by faster ones.We use buses,cars,scooters,trains,ships and aeroplanes.They help us cover distances much faster than before.
India has a well-developed network of roads,railways,airways,and waterways.
1.An efficient and developed transport system maintains cultural coherence,socioeconomic development and sovereignty of the country.
2.It helps people to make a move from one place to another and thus enhances interaction among people and human settlement.
3.It helps better understanding of people of other nations and cultural and thereby promotes emotional integration.
4.It helps in the development of agricultural sector through effective distribution of food grains and goods from the producing areas to the marketing centres without interruption.
5.It helps in the development of mining and industry through the effective distribution of raw materials from different centres to the sites of industrial units and the distribution of manufactured goods from factory sites to marketing centres.
6.It promotes feasible and compatible marketing system and encourages internal and international trade.
7.It reduces the distance between villages,regions and even communities.
8.It helps the government during external aggression,internal disturbances and natural calamities like floods,famines,droughts etc.
9.It helps of the above advantages,the transport and communications are regarded as the "Lifelines"of a country.
The total length of railways in India is about 65,000kilometres.Our railway network is the second largest in Asia and the fourth largest in the world.
At the time of Independence,trains were run by steam engines.These have now been replaced by diesel and electric engines.This has increased the speed of trains.Trains such as the Rajdhani Express and the Shatabdi Express run at a speed of over 140 Kilometres per over.
Metro trains run in kolkata and Delhi.They run either no elevated tracks or under the ground.Soon,Mumbai and Banglore would also have a metro train network.
1. Central Railway mumbai
2. Eastern Railway Kolkatta
3. Northern Railway New delhi
4. Nothern-Eastern Railway Gorakhpur
5. Nothern-East Frontier Railway Maligaon(Gauhati)
6. Southern Railway Chennai
7. Southern -Central Railway Secundrabad
8. Southern -Eastern Railway Kolkatta
9. Western Railway Mumbai(Churchgate)
10. North-Central Railway Allahabad
11. East-Central Railway Hazipur(Bihar)
12. North-Western Railway Jaipur
13. East-Coast Railway Bhubaneswar
14. South-West Railway Banglore
15. West Central Railway Jabalpur
Source:-By pushpa jain
Air transport is the costilier but the fastest mode of modern transport.
Indian Airlines Limited provides domestic air services whereas Air India Limited provides international air services.
IAAI:-Manage six international air port at Mumbai,kolkata,Delhi,Chennai,Thirvanantapuram and Hyderabad.
Aeroplanes transport people and goods,especially perishable goods such as fresh fruits,flowers and vegetables,to far-off places.They also carry mail.
A helicaptor is a very useful means of air transport.They are used to drop food and medicines during floods,droughts,famines,earthquakes,epidemics and wars.They are also used to rescue people during times of natural disasters.
1.Mumbai AirportToday,there are government as well as private airlines operating in our country.Private airlines operating in our country.Private airlines such as jet Airways,kingfisher Airlines,Indigo and Spice jet offer tickets at low prices.So, air travel has now become affordable.
International Airports(IAAI)International Airports Authority Of India
2.Kolkota Airport
3.Delhi Airport
4.Chennai Airport
5.Hyderabad Airport
6.Thiruvanantapuram Airport
Obstacles in Airtransport
1.Bad weather and poor visibility affect the air transport.
2.It is costly and all people cannot afford to use facility.
Note:-Some private airlines in India offer air tickets for only rs.1.However,there are very few of such tickets.Also,these tickets have to be booked much in advance.
Water transport is one of the cheapest means of transport.It is most suitable for transporting heavy and buldy goods.
Passanger ships carry people.Cargo ships transport goods.Petroleum,Oil,ets.are carried by tanker ships.
India has a long coastline.There are 11 major and over 140 minor ports along this coastline.More than 15000 ships come to these ports every year.Mumbai is the largest port.
Water ways are 2 types:-
Inland waterways and Oceanic transport.
a)The Ganges and the Brahmaputra river systems are the potential sources of inland water navigation in the country.
b)Posts,telegraph,telephone,wireless,fax and electronic mail provide the network of communications in the country.
Major Sources of Waterways in the country:-
1.The Ganga and the Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries in the north,
2.The lower courses of the Mahanandi,the Krishna and the Godavari on the east coast,
3.The Narmada,the Tapati,the Zuari,the Mandavi and the creaks of the other rivers on the west coast,
4.The backwaters and lagoons in Kerala and
5.The Buckingham Canal between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Source:-http://www.fotosearch.com/bigcomp.asp?path=UNT/UNT211/u16277430.jpg