Key Concepts
- 1Why are means of transport and communication called 'lifelines' of a nation?
Important Formulas & Facts
Called lifelines because: (1) Transport carries goods from production to consumption centres — enables trade. (2) Connects remote areas to mainstream economy. (3) Communication enables information flow for governance and business. (4) Railways — largest employer in India (1.4 million). (5) Roads reach areas railways cannot. (6) Ports handle 95% of India's trade by volume. (7) Without transport and communication, economic development is impossible — they are the arteries of the economy.
Must-Know Questions
Q1The Golden Quadrilateral connects:
The Golden Quadrilateral is a superhighway network connecting Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata. It was launched by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and is one of the largest highway projects in the world.
Q2Which of the following is the largest port of India?
Mumbai is the largest port of India in terms of volume of trade. It has a natural harbour and handles a large share of India's maritime trade. India has 13 major ports and about 200 minor/intermediate ports.
Q3The pipeline that transports natural gas from HBJ stands for:
HBJ pipeline stands for Hazira-Bijaipur-Jagdishpur pipeline. It is one of India's most important cross-country pipelines, transporting natural gas from Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh, connecting several fertiliser and power plants.
Q4The North-South corridor connects:
The North-South corridor connects Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Along with the East-West corridor (Silchar to Porbandar), these are super-highway projects under NHAI.
Q5Which waterway connects Allahabad to Haldia?
National Waterway No. 1 (NW-1) connects Allahabad to Haldia along the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system, covering a distance of 1,620 km. It is the longest national waterway in India.
Practice Lifelines of National Economy
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