Ports, Airports, Railways and Highways of India Notes

Transport is the lifeline of the economy, and questions about ports, airports, railways, highways and waterways are asked regularly in the General Awareness section of SSC, railways, banking, defence, police and state examinations. The questions are usually of the type "Where is this port located?", "Which is the longest national highway?" or "Where is the headquarters of this railway zone?". This note gives you the most important facts in tables and lists, so that you can revise them quickly. The data on projects and records may change, so check the latest news before the exam.

Ports of India

India has a coastline of about 7,500 km, with 12 major ports run by the central government and around 200 minor and intermediate ports managed by the States. About 95 per cent of the trade by volume goes through the sea. The government's Sagarmala programme (2015) aims at port-led development, modernising the ports and improving the connectivity to the hinterland.

The private Mundra Port in Gujarat is the largest commercial port by cargo handled. A new deep-water major port is being developed at Vadhavan in Maharashtra. India has also developed the Chabahar Port in Iran to get access to Afghanistan and Central Asia without passing through Pakistan.

Airports and Civil Aviation

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) was formed in 1995 by merging the National Airports Authority and the International Airports Authority of India, and it manages most of the airports. The busiest airport in India is the Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi. The other major airports are the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at Mumbai, Kempegowda International Airport at Bengaluru, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Kolkata, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad and Chennai International Airport. Many large airports are run through public-private partnerships.

• UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), 2016: A scheme to make air travel affordable by connecting small cities.
• DigiYatra: A facial recognition-based paperless entry system at airports.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the regulator of civil aviation, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation makes the policy.

Indian Railways

The first passenger train in India ran on 16 April 1853 between Bori Bunder (Mumbai) and Thane, a distance of about 34 km. The railways were nationalised in 1951, and today the Indian Railways is one of the largest rail networks in the world and a major employer. Railways come under the Ministry of Railways, which is headed by the Railway Minister, and the Railway Board is its apex body. The Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget in 2017.

Railway Zones and Headquarters

Konkan Railway, built along the western coast between Mumbai and Mangalore, is a separate corporation. The Kolkata Metro (opened in 1984) is the oldest metro in India, and the Delhi Metro started in 2002.

Production Units and Records

• Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (West Bengal): Electric locomotives. Diesel Locomotive Works (Varanasi): Diesel locomotives.
• Integral Coach Factory (Perambur, Chennai): Passenger coaches. Rail Coach Factory (Kapurthala) and Modern Coach Factory (Raebareli) also make coaches.
• Vande Bharat Express: An indigenous semi-high-speed train introduced in 2019.
• Longest route by a train: Vivek Express between Dibrugarh in Assam and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, over 4,000 km.
• Longest railway platform: Shri Siddharoodha Swamiji station at Hubballi in Karnataka, which is more than 1,500 metres long.
• Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail: India's first bullet train project, being built with Japanese assistance.

Roads and National Highways

India has one of the largest road networks in the world. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), set up in 1988, builds and maintains the national highways. The longest national highway is NH 44 (earlier NH 7) from Srinagar to Kanyakumari, of about 3,700 km.

Famous Bridges and Tunnels

Agencies and Ministries to Remember

• Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: Ports, shipping and inland waterways.
• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: National highways, with NHAI as the implementing agency.
• Ministry of Civil Aviation: Airports and airlines; AAI and DGCA work under it.
• Ministry of Railways: Railway Board, zones and public sector undertakings such as IRCTC, RVNL and IRFC.
• Shipping Corporation of India: The largest Indian shipping company, with headquarters in Mumbai.

Policies That Join the Modes

The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (2021) is a digital platform to plan roads, railways, ports and airports together, so that projects do not clash and are completed faster. The National Logistics Policy (2022) aims to reduce the cost of logistics and improve efficiency, and the Dedicated Freight Corridors, built exclusively for goods trains, aim to speed up the movement of cargo between the north and the ports on the west and east coasts. Together with the Sagarmala and Bharatmala programmes, they are changing the transport map of the country.

Practice Questions

• Q1. Which port is known as the only riverine major port? Answer: Kolkata (Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port).
• Q2. Where is the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway? Answer: Gorakhpur.
• Q3. Which scheme connects small cities by air? Answer: UDAN.
• Q4. Which agency builds the national highways? Answer: NHAI.
• Q5. Where is the Integral Coach Factory located? Answer: Perambur, Chennai.

Inland Waterways

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), formed in 1986, develops the national waterways. National Waterway 1 runs on the Ganga from Haldia to Prayagraj, and National Waterway 2 is on the Brahmaputra. Inland water transport is cheap and clean, and the government is increasing its use for cargo.

For more static GK, read our notes on Indian states and capitals and dams, lakes and national parks.

How to Remember Transport Facts

Make a map in your notebook and mark the 12 major ports on the coast from Kandla in the west to Kolkata in the east. Use stories to link the facts, for example, "JNPT is the container giant, Mumbai is the natural harbour and Kolkata is the river port". For the railway zones, remember the pairs of headquarters in the same city, such as Mumbai (Central and Western) and Kolkata (Eastern and South Eastern). Revise the records once a week, and update the list with new inaugurations from the news.

Quick Revision

• 12 major ports; JNPT is the largest container port among them; Kolkata is the only riverine port.
• AAI formed in 1995; busiest airport is Delhi; UDAN launched in 2016.
• First train: 1853, Bori Bunder to Thane; Kolkata Metro (1984) is the oldest.
• NH 44 is the longest highway; NHAI was set up in 1988.
• NW-1 runs from Haldia to Prayagraj on the Ganga.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many major ports are there in India?

India has 12 major ports managed by the central government.

Which is the largest container port among the major ports of India?

Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva) near Mumbai.

Which is the largest natural harbour of India?

Mumbai Port is the largest natural harbour.

Which is the only riverine major port of India?

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port at Kolkata is the only riverine major port.

What is the Sagarmala programme?

It is a programme launched in 2015 for port-led development and better port connectivity.

Which is the busiest airport in India?

Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi is the busiest airport.

What is the UDAN scheme?

UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), launched in 2016, aims to make air travel affordable and connect smaller cities.

When did the first train run in India?

The first passenger train ran on 16 April 1853 from Bori Bunder (Mumbai) to Thane.

How many railway zones are there in India?

There are 17 railway zones in India.

Which is the oldest metro in India?

The Kolkata Metro, opened in 1984, is the oldest metro in India.

Which is the longest national highway in India?

NH 44, from Srinagar to Kanyakumari, is the longest national highway.

What is National Waterway 1?

It is the waterway on the Ganga between Haldia and Prayagraj.