Last minute Revision Notes on Transport System in India for RRB(NTPC)- June 2025

Last minute Revision Notes on the Transport System in India for RRB(NTPC)- June 2025.Here are some likely one-liner notes suitable for competitive exams, focusing on key facts and figures about India’s transport and communication systems:

Transport System

• The movement of goods and services from supply to demand locations necessitates the need for transport.
• Efficient means of transport are prerequisites for fast development.
• Transport can be classified into land, water, and air transport.
• Air transport is the fastest means of movement.
• Air transport in India made a beginning in 1911 with airmail operation between Allahabad and Naini.
• The Airport Authority of India is responsible for providing safe, efficient air traffic and aeronautical communication services in Indian Air Space.
• Pawan Hans is a helicopter service operating in hilly areas, used by tourists in the north-eastern sector.
• The Veer Savarkar International Airport is located in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Island.
• The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is located in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• The Indira Gandhi International Airport is located in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport is located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• The Kempe Gowda International Airport is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport is located in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport is located in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• The Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport is located in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
• Waterways are the cheapest and most suitable means for carrying heavy and bulky material.
• Water transport is a fuel-efficient and eco-friendly mode.
• Water transport is of two types: inland waterways and oceanic waterways.
• The Inland Waterways Authority was set up in 1986 for the development, maintenance, and regulation of Inland national waterways.
• NW – 1 is on the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system, from Prayagraj to Haldia, with a length of 1620 km.
• NW – 2 is on the Brahmaputra river system, from Sadiya to Dhubri, with a length of 891 km.
• NW – 3 is on the West Coast Canal, Champakara Canal, and Udyogamandal Canal, from Kottapuram to Kollam, with a length of 205 km.
• The backwaters (Kadal) of Kerala have special significance in Inland Waterway and attract tourists.
• The famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race (VALLAMKALI) is held in the backwaters of Kerala.
• India has a vast coastline of approximate 7,517 km, including islands.
• Approximately 95 per cent of India’s foreign trade by volume moves through ocean routes.
• Approximately 70 per cent of India’s foreign trade by value moves through ocean routes.
• Kandla (Deendayal Port) in Kuchchh was the first port developed soon after Independence.
• Kandla port is a tidal port.
• Chennai is one of the oldest artificial ports of the country.
• Vishakhapatnam is the deepest landlocked and well-protected port.
• Paradwip port in Odisha specialises in the export of iron ore.
• Kolkata is an inland riverine port.
• Haldia port was developed as a subsidiary port to relieve pressure on Kolkata port.
• Mumbai is the biggest port with a spacious natural and well-sheltered harbour.
• The Jawaharlal Nehru port was planned to decongest the Mumbai port.
• Marmagao port (Goa) is the premier iron ore exporting port, accounting for about fifty per cent of India’s iron ore export.
• New Mangalore port (Karnataka) caters to the export of iron ore concentrates from Kudremukh mines.
• Kochchi is the extreme south-western port, located at the entrance of a lagoon with a natural harbor.
• Kolkata (Haldia) is India’s only major riverine port.
• Ennore (now Kamarajar Port Limited) in Tamil Nadu is the first corporate port of India.
• Chennai is the second busiest Port of India.
• Tuticorin Port (now V.O.Chidambaranar Port) is located in the Gulf of Mannar.
• Jawaharlal Nehru Port is the Largest Artificial Port and the largest containers port in India, also known as Nhava Sheva port.
• Mumbai Port is the Biggest and Busiest port and the biggest hinterland port in India.
• Kandla port is known as Child of Partition.
• Port Blair is the 13th and youngest major port of India.
• India has 13 major ports.
• India has one of the second largest road networks in the world with a total length of about 58.98 lakh km.
• The first serious attempt to improve roads in India was the ‘Nagpur Plan’ drawn in 1943.
• Roads in India are classified as NH, SH, Major District Roads, and Rural Roads.
• Sher Shah Suri built the Shahi (Royal) road, renamed the Grand Trunk (GT) road by the British.
• The GT road presently extends from Amritsar to Kolkata.
• NH-1 runs from Delhi to Amritsar, and NH-2 runs from Delhi to Kolkata.
• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was operationalised in 1995.
• National Highways constitute only 2.7 per cent of total road length but carry about 40 per cent of road traffic.
• Golden Quadrilateral connects Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata with a total length of 5846 km.
• The North-South corridor connects Srinagar to Kanniyakumari (including Kochchi-Salem Spur).
• The East-West Corridor connects Silchar in Assam with Porbandar in Gujarat.
• State Highways link a state capital with different district headquarters.
• District Roads connect district headquarters with other places in the district and are maintained by the Zila Parishad.
• Rural roads received special impetus under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana.
• The Border Road Organisation (BRO) was established in May 1960.
• The World’s longest Highway tunnel-Atal Tunnel (9.02 Km) has been built by the BRO.
• Atal Tunnel connects Manali to Lahul-Spiti valley throughout the year.
• NH-44 is the longest National Highway, running from Srinagar to Kanyakumari (3,745 km).
• NH-27 runs from Porbandar in Gujarat to Silchar in Assam (3507 km).
• Indian Railways is the largest public sector undertaking in the country.
• The first train ran in India from Mumbai to Thane in 1853, covering 34 km.
• The first railway line was constructed during the rule of Lord Dalhousie.
• The total length of the Indian Railways network is 67368 km.
• The distance between rails in broad gauge is 1.676 metre.
• The distance between rails in metre gauge is one metre.
• The Konkan Railways line runs parallel to the Arabian Sea.
• The Konkan Railway connects Roha in Maharashtra to Mangalore in Karnataka.
• Gorakhpur railway station has the world’s longest railway platform.
• Mumbai is the busiest suburban railway network in India.
• Vivek Express (Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari) is the longest train route in the Indian Subcontinent.
• Ahmedabad Mumbai Central Double Decker Express is India’s first double Decker train.
• The first female loco pilot of the Indian Railways in India is Surekha Shankar Yadav.
• The Railway network is divided into 17 zones.
• The headquarters of Central Railway is Mumbai CST.
• The headquarters of Northern Railway is New Delhi.
• The headquarters of Southern Railway is Chennai.
• The headquarters of Western Railway is Mumbai.
• The headquarters of Kolkata Metro Railway is Kolkata.
• Diesel Locomotive Works (Varanasi) produces Diesel Locomotives.
• Chittaranjan Locomotive Works produces Electric Locomotives.
• Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Perambur produces Coaches.
• Pipelines are the most convenient and efficient mode for transporting liquids and gases.
• Oil India Limited (OIL) is engaged in the exploration, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas.
• OIL was incorporated in 1959.
• Asia’s first cross country pipeline was constructed by OIL from Naharkatiya (Assam) to Barauni (Bihar).
• Radio broadcasting started in India in 1923 by the Radio Club of Bombay.
• Radio broadcasting was changed to All India Radio in 1936.
• All India Radio was changed to Akashwani in 1957.
• Television (T.V.) services in India began in 1959 in the National Capital.
• In 1976, TV was delinked from All India Radio and got a separate identity as Doordarshan (DD).
• Digital India is an umbrella programme to prepare India for a knowledge-based transformation.
• International trade is trade between two countries.
• Advancement of international trade is an index to a country’s economic prosperity.
• Trade is considered the economic barometer for a country.
• Export and import are the components of trade.
• A favourable balance of trade occurs when the value of export exceeds the value of imports.
• An unfavourable balance of trade occurs when the value of imports exceeds the value of exports.
• Air India provides International Air Services for both passengers and cargo traffic.
• Indian Railway is the 3rd largest rail network in the world after the US and China.
• The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, The Kalka-Shimla Railway, and The Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus are UNESCO World Heritage Sites on Indian Railways.
• India’s first private train is Delhi – Lucknow Tejas Express.
• The first Shatabdi Express train was introduced in 1988 between New Delhi and Jhansi Junction.
• Indian Railways was nationalized in 1951.
• Uttar Pradesh has the longest route (in kilometers) of railway line in India.
• The National Rail Museum is located in New Delhi.
• Northern Railways is the largest zone in terms of route kilometers.
• The Maitree Express runs between India and Bangladesh.
• The width of broad gauge railway line in India is 5 feet 6 inches.
• Siliguri station has all three gauges (broad, metre, and narrow).
• The world’s highest railway bridge in Kashmir is being constructed over the Chenab river.
• India’s first rail auto hub will be located in Chennai.
• Visakhapatnam port is known as Jewel of all port.
• The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) transported country’s first container movement on Inland Vessel post-independence from Kolkata to Varanasi on river Ganga (NW-1) for PepsiCo (India).
• The manufacturing of steam engines in Chittaranjan Locomotive Works was stopped in 1971.
• The National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) in Vadodara is India’s first and only transportation university.

Importance of Transport

• The movement of goods and services from supply to demand locations necessitates the need for transport.
• Efficient means of transport are prerequisites for fast development.
• Transport can be classified into land, water, and air transport.

Air Transport in India

• Fastest means of transport.
• Began in 1911 with an airmail operation between Allahabad and Naini.
• Airport Authority of India (AAI) ensures safe and efficient air traffic and communication.
• Pawan Hans provides helicopter services, especially in the North-Eastern region.
• Major International Airports:
• Indira Gandhi International Airport – New Delhi, Delhi
• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport – Hyderabad, Telangana
• Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport – Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Kempe Gowda International Airport – Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport – Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport – Kolkata, West Bengal
• Veer Savarkar International Airport – Port Blair, A&N Islands
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport – Nagpur, Maharashtra
• Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport – Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir

Water Transport

• Cheapest and most suitable for heavy and bulky goods.
• Eco-friendly and fuel-efficient.
• Types: Inland Waterways and Oceanic Waterways.
• Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) formed in 1986.

Notable National Waterways:

• NW–1: Ganga–Bhagirathi–Hooghly (Prayagraj to Haldia) – 1620 km
• NW–2: Brahmaputra (Sadiya to Dhubri) – 891 km
• NW–3: West Coast Canal (Kottapuram to Kollam) – 205 km

Others:

•    Kerala backwaters attract tourists; site of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Vallamkali).
•    First inland container movement post-independence: Kolkata to Varanasi (PepsiCo, NW-1)

Ports of India

• India has 13 major ports and a coastline of 7,517 km.
• 95% of trade by volume and 70% by value moves via ocean routes.

Important Ports:

• Mumbai: Largest and busiest natural harbour
• Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva): Largest artificial and container port
• Kandla (Deendayal Port): First port post-independence, “Child of Partition”
• Visakhapatnam: Deepest landlocked, “Jewel of all ports”
• Paradwip: Iron ore export, Odisha
• Chennai: Oldest artificial port, 2nd busiest
• Kolkata: Inland riverine port; Haldia developed as its subsidiary
• Ennore (Kamarajar): First corporate port
• Tuticorin (VOC Port): Located in the Gulf of Mannar
• Mormugao: Premier iron ore exporter
• New Mangalore: Iron ore export from Kudremukh
• Kochchi: Located at lagoon entrance, natural harbour
• Port Blair: 13th and youngest major port

Road Transport

• India has the 2nd largest road network (~58.98 lakh km).
• Nagpur Plan (1943): First serious road development plan.
• Roads classified as NH, SH, Major District Roads, Rural Roads.

Important Roadways:

• Grand Trunk Road: Built by Sher Shah Suri, renamed by British.
• NH-1: Delhi to Amritsar
• NH-2: Delhi to Kolkata
• NH-44: Longest NH – Srinagar to Kanyakumari (3,745 km)
• NH-27: Porbandar to Silchar (3,507 km)
• Golden Quadrilateral: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata – 5,846 km
• North-South Corridor: Srinagar to Kanyakumari
• East-West Corridor: Silchar to Porbandar
• PM Grameen Sadak Yojana for rural road development
• Border Road Organisation (BRO): Formed in May 1960
• Atal Tunnel (9.02 km): World’s longest highway tunnel, connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti

Railways in India

• Largest public sector undertaking.
• 1st train: Mumbai to Thane, 1853 (34 km)
• Network length: 67,368 km
• Gauges: Broad (1.676m), Metre (1m), Narrow

Highlights:

• Northern Railway: Largest zone
• Gorakhpur: Longest platform
• Mumbai: Busiest suburban network
• Vivek Express: Longest route (Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari)
• Tejas Express: India’s first private train
• Shatabdi Express: Introduced in 1988 (New Delhi to Jhansi)
• Konkan Railway: Roha to Mangalore
• Siliguri: Only station with all 3 gauges
• Railway zones: 17 in total

Rail Institutions:

• National Rail Museum – New Delhi
• National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) – Vadodara
• Diesel Locomotive Works – Varanasi
• Chittaranjan Locomotive Works – Electric locomotives
• Integral Coach Factory (ICF) – Coaches

Special Mentions:

• Indian Railways: 3rd largest network in the world (after US, China)
• UNESCO Heritage Sites:
  • Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
  • Nilgiri Mountain Railway
  • Kalka-Shimla Railway
  • Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
• First female loco pilot: Surekha Shankar Yadav
• First rail auto hub: Chennai
• Highest railway bridge: Chenab Bridge, J&K
• Maitree Express: India–Bangladesh train

Pipelines

• Best for transporting liquids and gases.
• Oil India Limited (OIL) incorporated in 1959.
• Asia’s first cross-country pipeline: Naharkatiya (Assam) to Barauni (Bihar).

Communication in India

• Radio: Started in 1923 by Bombay Radio Club
  • Became All India Radio (1936), renamed Akashwani (1957)
• Television: Began in 1959, Delhi
  • Became Doordarshan in 1976