Chapter 7 – Transport and Communication

1. INTRODUCTION

• Transport and communication together form the lifeline of modern economies.
• Transport enables movement of people, goods, raw materials and finished products.
• Communication enables flow of ideas, messages, and information across distances.
• Both systems help integrate local, regional, national, and global economies.
• Rapid technological progress—highways, high-speed rail, air routes, fibre-optic networks—has transformed how people interact and trade.
• Development of transport and communication is a key indicator of economic progress and modernization.

TRANSPORT

2. MODES OF TRANSPORTATION

Transport is classified into three major modes:

1. Land Transport
2. Water Transport
3. Air Transport

Each mode has its own specialized infrastructure, advantages and limitations.

A. LAND TRANSPORT

Land transport is the oldest and most widely used means of transportation. It includes:

• Highways
• Roads
• Railways
• Border Roads
• Trans-continental railways

3. HIGHWAYS

• Highways are major roadways built for fast, long-distance travel.
• They connect important cities, ports, industrial towns, markets and regions.
• Usually multi-lane, wide, well-paved and designed for high-speed movement.

Characteristics

• Provide uninterrupted flow of traffic.
• Include bridges, flyovers, tunnels, service lanes.
• Ensure safe movement with road markings, signs and dividers.

Types of Highways

1. National Highways – connect major cities and form the backbone of national road transport.
2. State Highways – link state capitals with districts.
3. District Roads – connect district headquarters to towns and villages.
4. Rural Roads – provide village connectivity; vital for rural development.
5. Expressways – controlled-access, high-speed multi-lane roads for rapid movement.

Importance

• Facilitate trade and commerce.
• Connect remote regions to developed areas.
• Enable movement of raw materials to industries.
• Support tourism and emergency mobility.

4. ROADS

Roads are the most flexible and widely used transport system.

Features

• Provide door-to-door connectivity, unlike rail or air transport.
• Can be built almost anywhere—mountains, forests, deserts, plains.
• Support short, medium and long-distance travel.

Types of Roads

1. Metalled (Pakka) Roads – made of asphalt, cement or concrete.
2. Unmetalled (Kaccha) Roads – made of mud or gravel; used mainly in rural areas.
3. Urban Roads – city streets, flyovers, bridges.
4. Rural Roads – village connectivity under schemes like PMGSY.

Advantages

• Quick construction and lower cost.
• Ideal for moving perishable goods like vegetables, milk, fruits.
• Provide last-mile connectivity.
• Support both passenger and freight transport.

Limitations

• Not suitable for heavy loads over long distances.
• Affected by weather conditions—floods, landslides, snowfall.

5. RAILWAYS

• Railways are the most efficient mode for transporting heavy and bulky goods.
• They connect major cities, ports, industrial centers and agricultural regions.
• Facilitate long-distance travel at relatively low cost.

Key Characteristics

• Fixed routes and schedules.
• Capable of carrying large numbers of passengers and large volumes of cargo.
• Electrification improves efficiency and reduces pollution.

Factors Affecting Railway Development

1. Relief and Topography – plains ideal; mountains difficult and expensive.
2. Population Density – dense regions have more rail networks.
3. Economic Activity – industrial and mining regions have heavy rail traffic.
4. Government Policies – major investments decide expansion.
5. Technology – signalling, high-speed trains, freight corridors.

Importance of Railways

• Integrate markets by linking production areas to consumption centres.
• Carry raw materials such as coal, iron, cement and agricultural produce.
• Promote national unity by connecting distant regions.

6. BORDER ROADS

• Border roads are constructed in geographically challenging and strategically important regions.
• Provide essential connectivity to mountainous, desert and frontier areas.

Features

• Built in difficult terrain—Himalayas, deserts, dense forests.
• Important for defence purposes.
• Constructed and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

Importance

• Enable rapid movement of troops and military equipment.
• Connect border settlements and promote local development.
• Boost tourism in regions like Ladakh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

7. TRANS–CONTINENTAL RAILWAYS

These are very long railway routes that cross entire continents.

Characteristics

• Thousands of kilometres long.
• Connect two ends—east to west or north to south.
• Reduce travel time across vast landmasses.
• Support economic integration and trade.

Famous Examples

1. Trans-Siberian Railway (Russia) – Longest in the world.
2. Canadian Pacific Railway (Canada)
3. Australian Trans-Continental Railway
4. U.S.A. Trans-American Railways

Importance

• Connect resource-rich interiors with ports.
• Support settlement in sparsely populated areas.
• Enable bulk transport across continents.

B. WATER TRANSPORT

Water transport is the cheapest and most energy-efficient mode for large volumes of goods.

Two types:

1. Sea Routes
2. Inland Waterways

8. SEA ROUTES

• Sea routes are major paths across oceans used for international trade.
• They handle most of the world’s bulk cargo—oil, coal, grain, ores, manufactured goods.

Features

• Slow but extremely cost-effective.
• Ideal for long-distance, heavy and bulky cargo.
• Require natural harbours and modern port facilities.

Major Sea Routes

1. North Atlantic Sea Route – busiest in the world; connects North America and Europe.
2. Mediterranean–Suez–Indian Ocean Route – connects Europe with Asia.
3. Cape of Good Hope Route – around Africa; used for trade with West, South and East Africa.
4. Trans-Pacific Route – links North America with East Asia and Australia.

Importance

• Backbone of global trade.
• Increases economic interdependence.
• Transporting goods by sea reduces freight costs.

9. INLAND WATERWAYS

• Rivers, lakes and canals used for transportation are called inland waterways.

Advantages

• Cheapest mode for internal regions.
• Environment-friendly and fuel-efficient.
• Good for bulky items like coal, timber, grains.

Limitations

• Seasonal variation in water levels.
• Slow movement compared to road or rail.
• Limited to regions with navigable rivers.

Examples

• Rhine River (Europe)
• Mississippi–Missouri River System (USA)
• Ganga–Brahmaputra System (India)
• Volga River (Russia)

C. AIR TRANSPORT

10. AIR TRANSPORT

• Fastest mode of transportation.
• Connects remote, hostile and inaccessible regions.

Characteristics

• High speed, high efficiency.
• Suitable for long-distance passenger movement.
• Ideal for emergency supplies—medicines, organs, relief materials.

Advantages

• Saves time, especially for business and international travel.
• Connects isolated areas—mountains, deserts, islands.
• Essential for disaster management.

Limitations

• Most expensive mode.
• Weather-sensitive—fog, storms, winds.
• Limited capacity for heavy goods.

Types

1. Domestic Air Transport – within a country.
2. International Air Transport – connects countries globally.

COMMUNICATIONS

11. COMMUNICATIONS

Communication refers to the exchange of ideas, messages, and information through various media.

Types of Communication

1. Personal Communication
   • Telephone, mobile, letters, email.
2. Mass Communication
   • Television, radio, newspapers, internet, cinema.
3. Digital Communication
   • Social media, online platforms, apps, video conferencing.

Role of Communication in Development

• Supports business by enabling quick decision-making.
• Enhances education and access to information.
• Connects people across countries and cultures.
• Strengthens political participation and governance.

Modern Communication Technologies

• Satellite communication
• Fibre-optic networks
• Wireless technology
• High-speed internet
• GPS and navigation systems

Importance of Communication

• Builds knowledge-based societies.
• Enables e-commerce and digital banking.
• Bridges distances in the global economy.

12. Conclusion

• Transport and communication systems are crucial for economic, social and cultural development.
• Land, water and air transport together ensure movement across regions and continents.
• Modern communication has transformed the world into a global village, making information instantly accessible.
• Efficient transport reduces cost and time, while communication strengthens connectivity.
• Both systems must be continuously expanded and modernized to sustain national growth, global trade and human progress.