Geography

Q.7.What are the major problems of Indian roads?

Ans.

i). The road network is inadequate in India as compared to the demand and volume of traffic.
ii). The condition of most of the roads is very poor, as these become muddy during the rainy season.
iii). They are usually highly congested in cities.
iv) . Most of the highways lack the essential side amenities like telephone booths, emergency health services, police stations, etc.

Q.8.What is the importance of ports for the Indian economy?

Ans.

i). The major ports of India handle about 15,000 cargo vessels per annum.
ii). 70% of the cargo handled at these ports is for overseas trade.
iii). These ports are the main source of trade.
iv). The trade helps the economy in earning foreign exchange.

Q.9.Mention any four features of the telecom network of India.

Ans.

i) . India has one of the largest telecom network in Asia.
ii). Excluding urban places, more than two-third of the villages in India has already been covered with Subscriber Trunk Dialing (STD).
iii). In order to strengthen the flow of information from the grassroots to the higher level, the government has made special provisions.
iv). India has one of the cheapest telecom networks in the world.

Q.10.What are the advantages of roads over the railways?

Ans.

i). Roads require less investment as compared to the railways.
ii). These can be built at higher altitudes and at any place.
iii). Road transportation is easy and is within the reach of the common man. Moreover, it is available for 24 hours.
iv). Maintenance cost is also low.
v). Road transportation has the merit of offering door to door service.

Q.11.Why are the means of transport and communication called the lifelines of a nation and its economy? Radio, television, telephone, e-mail, telegraph, etc. are the main means of communication whereas the railways, airways, buses, trucks, cars, etc are the main means of transportation.

Ans.

i). To provide link: Transportation is the lifeline of the country. This connects one part of the country with another part, and helps in providing essential products to all the places and the people.
ii). Development of Economy: The means of transport and communication help the industries to get raw materials, and its finished products are transported by the railways, and roadways. Agriculture also depends greatly on transportation.
iii). National and cultural integration: India is a very vast country. Transport network brings people of different castes, creed, colours, religions, languages, and regions near to each other.
iv). Nervour system: The means of communication together act like nervous system in the human body. We can know what is happening in other parts of the nation and the world only through this media.

Q.12.Why are the railways so important today?

Ans.

i). Indian railway carries most of the long distance passengers’ traffic and 80% o f the total freight of the country.
ii). Iron and steel industry solely depends upon the railways as they need it to transport raw materials and finished goods of the industry from one place to another.
iii). The Indian railways provide employment to a huge number of people in the country.
iv). Railways play a significant role in the integration of the country by bringing different people and regions together.
v). They carry big chunks to goods from the place of production to the ports and, vice versa.