CH 20 transport class 10

 

CH-20 TRANSPORT CLASS 10

I. Choose the correct option:

(b) Controlled access through absence of multiple roads on an expressway.

(c) Waterways

(b) Both A and R are true but R does not explain A.

(c) Srinagar to Kanyakumari

(a) Porbandar and Silchar

(b) Jhansi

(b) Both A and R are true but R does not explain A.

(c) Roadways

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

(a) Width of the track

(c) Broad Gauge

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

(b) 1 m

(a) Ease of crossing difficult terrain

(a) Inland waterways

(b) Both were constructed with the aim to reduce pressure on major ports.

(b) Waterfalls

(c) A is true but R is false.

(b) Cheap; environment friendly

(c) Ennore

 

Short Answer Questions Solutions

Q.1 Solutions

(a) Name the types of roads used in India. Which agency is responsible for maintenance of each category separately?

Types of roads in India:

National Highways - maintained by Central Government/NHAI

State Highways - maintained by State governments

District Roads - maintained by District authorities

Rural Roads - maintained by local authorities

Other Roads (Border Roads) - maintained by Border Road Organisation (BRO)

(b) Name the two major projects developed by NHAI.

Golden Quadrilateral Project

North-South and East-West Corridors

(c) Transport is the backbone of a country's economy. Give reasons to support your answer.

Facilitates movement of raw materials, fuel, machinery to production points

Enables movement of finished goods to markets and consumption points

Helps better utilization of resources in backward areas by linking them with advanced areas

Aids in industrialization and urbanization process

Removes scarcity of goods during crisis situations

(d) Why is road transport in India considered more useful than rail transport? Give reasons to support your answer.

Roads can reach every village and hamlet

Lower construction cost compared to railway lines

Can be constructed in difficult terrain where railways cannot reach

Provides door-to-door service reducing loading/unloading costs

Helps farmers move perishable products quickly to markets

More flexible routes compared to fixed railway tracks

Q.2 Solutions

(a) What is an expressway? Name one expressway.

An expressway is a highway planned for high-speed traffic, having few intersections, limited points of access or exit and a divider between lanes for traffic moving in opposite directions. They usually have six to eight lanes with controlled access.

Example: Yamuna Expressway (connects Greater Noida with Agra)

(b) Give two points of difference between highways and expressways.

Access Control: Expressways have controlled access with limited entry/exit points; highways have multiple roads merging at various places

Intersections: Expressways have few intersections; highways have multiple intersections

(c) Give two advantages and one disadvantage of railways.

Advantages:

Most efficient and cost-effective form of transportation

Can transport bulky goods and perishable commodities to distant places

Disadvantage:
Rail transport lacks flexibility of routes - tracks cannot be laid everywhere

(d) Mention any three problems being faced by the Indian Railways.

Cannot be laid in hilly areas or remote forested areas

Train travel can be very long and tedious compared to air travel

Trains running on coal produce air and noise pollution

Q.3 Solutions

(a) What are National Highways?

National Highways are main roads constructed and maintained by the Central Government. They run through the length and breadth of the country connecting every major city and form the backbone of road infrastructure.

(b) What is the Golden Quadrilateral Project?

The Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) is the largest express highway project in India that connects India's four largest metros: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, forming a quadrilateral shape.

(c) Give three economic benefits of the Golden Quadrilateral Project.

Interconnects many major cities and ports

Provides impetus to truck transport throughout India

Enables industrial growth of small towns through which it passes

(d) Give three points to explain the role of roads in the economic development of the country.

Enable movement of raw materials to production centers and finished goods to markets

Connect backward areas with advanced areas for better resource utilization

Support agricultural sector by helping farmers transport perishable products quickly

Q.4 Solutions

(a) What is the significance of an efficient transport system?

An efficient transport system acts like arteries and veins in the human body, connecting different parts of the country, facilitating movement of materials and goods, supporting industrialization, and promoting national integration.

(b) Name the types of gauges of railways used in India.

Broad Gauge - 1.676m distance between rails (85% of total route)

Metre Gauge - 1m distance between rails (11% of total route)

Narrow Gauge - 0.762m and 0.610m distance between rails (4% of total route)

(c) Give geographical reasons:

(i) Railways bind the economic and cultural life of the country:
Railways connect people from farthest corners for business, education, pilgrimage, bringing national integration and cultural exchange.

(ii) Railways are not common in North-East India:
Difficult terrain with hills, forests, and geographical barriers make railway construction challenging and expensive.

(iii) North India is better suited for railways and roadways:
Plains topography, gentle slopes, and absence of major geographical barriers facilitate easy construction of transport networks.

(d) How is the Indian rail network one of the largest and busiest networks in the world?

Indian Railways transports over 18 million passengers and more than 2 million tonnes of freight daily, covers 7,137 stations over 66,030 kilometers route length, and employs more than 1.4 million people, making it the world's largest employer.

Q.5 Solutions

(a) Name the regulatory body looking after air transport in India. State any two of its functions.

Regulatory Body: Airports Authority of India (AAI)

Functions:

Creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure

Providing safe, efficient Air Traffic Services and aeronautical communication services

(b) Discuss the contribution of Air India in the air transport of India.

Air India is India's flag carrier and premier full-service airline. After merger with Indian Airlines in 2007, it became the 16th largest airline in Asia, serving 100 domestic destinations and 70 international routes. The Tata group took control in January 2022 to make it more affordable and efficient.

(c) List two advantages and one disadvantage of air transport in India.

Advantages:

Fastest and most comfortable mode of transport

Particularly important during natural calamities for rescue operations

Disadvantage:
Air transport is costly with high freight charges

(d) Give two advantages and one disadvantage of helicopter services over aeroplane services.

Advantages:

Can operate in hilly and inaccessible areas

Suitable for oil sector offshore exploration

Disadvantage:
Limited passenger and cargo capacity compared to aeroplanes

Q.6 Solutions

(a) Explain why India has an extensive network of waterways.

India is endowed with extensive waterways due to its geographical features: numerous rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks, and a long coastline of 7,517km accessible through seas and oceans.

(b) Explain the role of oceanic waterways in the transport sector of India's economy.

Oceanic waterways handle 95% of India's foreign trade by volume and 70% by value. They connect 12 major ports and 187 minor ports, facilitating international trade and transportation between islands and mainland.

(c) Give geographical reasons:

(i) The Ganga is navigable from its mouth right up to Allahabad:

Ganga is a perennial river fed by monsoons and snow melt

Joined by major tributaries increasing water depth (>10m up to Allahabad)

Gradual slope with river bed free from stones and silt

(ii) The Peninsular rivers are not ideal for inland water transport:

Seasonal rivers (rain-fed) with irregular water flow

Comparatively shorter than northern rivers

Marked by numerous waterfalls creating navigation barriers

(iii) Mumbai is a harbour and a port:
Mumbai is a natural harbour surrounded by land with sea entrance, and also serves as a port with all facilities for loading/unloading cargo ships.

(d) Inland waterways factors and disadvantages:

(i) Growth factors:

Regular flow of water and appropriate depth

Freedom from barriers like waterfalls and rapids

Suitable infrastructure development

(ii) Disadvantages:

Seasonal fluctuation of water levels

Shallow depth and silting problems

Reduction of water due to irrigation diversions

Q.7 Solutions

(a) What are the two prerequisites of waterways to be navigable?

Must be deep enough to allow ships and boats to navigate safely

Must be free of barriers such as waterfalls and rapids

(b) Give two points of difference between Inland Waterways and Oceanic Waterways.

Inland Waterways	Oceanic Waterways
Include rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks	Include seas and oceanic routes
Limited to domestic transport	Handle international trade (95% by volume)

(c) Give geographical reasons:

(i) Inland waterways are more economical than other modes of transport:
One litre of fuel moves 24 tonne-km on road, 95 tonne-km on rail, and 215 tonne-km on inland water transportation.

(ii) A well-developed transport network is important for industrial progress:
Transport facilitates movement of raw materials to industries and finished goods to markets, enabling industrial growth.

(iii) Airways are quite useful during natural calamity:
Air transport can air-lift people from affected areas and air-drop food, medicines and supplies to disaster-affected people.

(d) Port vs Harbour and National Waterway No.2:

(i) Differences:

Port	Harbour
Man-made commercial places	Natural or created places
Main purpose: loading/unloading cargo	Main purpose: safe parking for ships

(ii) National Waterway No.2: River Brahmaputra between Dhubri and Sadiya (891km)

Q.8 Solutions

(a) Reasons for constructing airports in towns, tourist destinations, pilgrimage points:

Connects remote and far-flung areas with major cities

Boosts tourism industry development

Facilitates quick transportation for pilgrims and tourists

Promotes economic development of these regions

(b) Example of waterways giving impetus to industry:

National Waterway No.5 transports coal from Talcher to Dhamra and Paradip Port, supporting the coal industry and power generation sector by providing cost-effective bulk cargo transportation.

(c) North-South corridor cities and NHAI reasons:

(i) Four cities connected by North-South corridor:
Srinagar, Delhi, Agra, Kanyakumari

(ii) Two reasons supporting NHAI projects:

Provide hindrance-free traffic movement using latest technologies

Improve arterial routes to international standards

(d) How Yamuna Expressway helps sugar industry:

The Yamuna Expressway enables farmers in Western UP to quickly transport their agricultural products (including sugarcane) to major cities and processing centers, supporting the sugar industry supply chain.

Thinking Skills Solutions

Q.1 Should we halt road construction to check vehicular pollution?

Answer: No, we should not halt road construction. Instead, we should focus on sustainable solutions:

Reasons supporting continued development:

Better roads reduce traffic congestion and fuel consumption

Modern expressways have traffic management systems reducing accidents

Roads are essential for economic development and connectivity

Alternative approaches like promoting electric vehicles, better public transport, and emission controls are more effective

Q.2 Should India focus more on Metro rail development than road transport?

Answer: India should develop both Metro rail and road transport simultaneously:

Supporting Metro development:

Reduces urban traffic congestion and pollution

More efficient for high-density urban areas

Environmentally friendly mass transit

Why roads remain important:

Roads provide door-to-door connectivity that Metro cannot

Essential for rural connectivity and agricultural transport

More flexible and can reach areas where Metro is not feasible

Both systems complement each other for comprehensive transport network