transport in rajasthan
Subject: Rajasthan Geography
Concept Summary
## Transport in Rajasthan
**Introduction:** Transport involves the movement of goods, people, and messages. Rajasthan primarily utilizes three modes of transport: Road, Rail, and Air.
### 1. Road Transport
* **Historical Milestones:**
* First state bus service: 1952 in Tonk.
* First state road policy: 1994 (encouraging private participation), making Rajasthan the first state to do so.
* Second state road development policy: September 2013.
* Rural रोडवेज bus service: December 14, 2012, from Udaipur.
* **Road Network Statistics (March 2018):**
* Total road length: 2,36,572.27 km.
* Road density: 69.12 km/100 sq km.
* **National Highways (NH):**
* Managed by the Central Government (NHAI).
* NHAI established: 1995 under NHAI Act, 1988.
* Total NHs in Rajasthan: 39 (as of March 31, 2017).
* Total NH length in Rajasthan: 8202 km.
* **Longest NH:** NH 15 (New: 68, 11, 62) - 875 km.
* **Shortest NH:** NH 919 (Old: 71B) - 4.7 km.
* **Busiest NH:** NH 48, 58 (Old: 8).
* **Max NH Length:** Udaipur district.
* **Min NH Length:** Sawai Madhopur district.
* **Max Districts Covered:** NH 27 (Old: 76) - 7 districts.
* **Milestones:** Yellow painted milestones are exclusively on National Highways.
* **State Highways (SH):**
* Rajasthan Highway Act, 2014 (implemented May 8, 2015).
* Rajasthan State Highways Authority: June 2, 2015.
* **Longest SH:** SH-1 (432.80 km).
* **Shortest SH:** SH-19B, SH-49 (15.5 km each).
* Total SH length: 15437.85 km.
* **Other Road Categories:**
* Major District Roads: 8462.10 km.
* Other District Roads: 31431.17 km.
* Rural Roads: 163320.54 km.
* **District-wise Road Statistics:**
* **Max Road Length:** Barmer.
* **Min Road Length:** Dholpur.
* **Max Villages Connected:** Ganganagar.
* **Min Villages Connected:** Sirohi.
* **Max Gram Panchayats Connected:** Udaipur.
* **Min Gram Panchayats Connected:** Jaisalmer.
* **Key Road Development Agencies:**
* Rajasthan Rajya Path Parivahan Nigam (Est. Oct 1, 1964, Jaipur).
* Rajasthan Sadak Vikas evam Nirman Nigam Ltd. (Est. Feb 8, 1979).
* RIDCOR (Est. Oct 2004, Mega Highway projects).
* Rajasthan Rajya Krishi Vipanan Board (Est. 1974, Jaipur).
* **Major Road Projects & Schemes:**
* **National Highways Development Project (NHDP):** (Launched 1999-2000)
* **Golden Quadrilateral:** Rajasthan route covers Alwar, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Dungarpur.
* **East-West Corridor:** Rajasthan route covers Sirohi, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara, Kota, Bundi, Baran.
* **North-South Corridor:** Rajasthan route covers Dholpur.
* **First 6-lane Expressway:** Jaipur-Kishangarh.
* **Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY):** (Launched Dec 25, 2000)
* **Mukhyamantri Sadak Yojana:** (Launched Oct 7, 2005)
* **Chetak Project:** Border roads by BRO in Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Ganganagar, Barmer.
* **Missing Link Project:** (Started 2007-08).
* **Harit Sadak Yojana:** Widening roads and planting trees under MGNREGA.
* **Gramin Gaurav Path Yojana:** (Launched 2014-15) connecting Panchayat headquarters.
* **Tunnels & Technologies:**
* Bundi Road Transport Tunnel (NH 52, Aug 2015).
* Chirwa Ghat Tunnel (Udaipur, NH 58).
* **E-toll:** Jaipur-Kishangarh Expressway.
* **Pollution-free Tunnel:** Ghat ki Ghuni (Jaipur, NH 21).
### 2. Rail Transport
* **Constitutional Status:** Railways are on the Union List.
* **Indian Railways History:**
* First railway construction started: 1850 (Lord Dalhousie).
* First goods train: Dec 22, 1851 (Roorkee).
* First passenger train: April 16, 1853 (Boribunder, Mumbai to Thane).
* Railway Budget separated from General Budget: 1925 (Atchison Committee).
* Railway Budget merged with General Budget: 2017-18.
* Indian Railways Nationalized: 1951.
* **Current Structure:**
* Total Railway Zones: 18 (as of recent data).
* Total Railway Divisions: 73.
* Kolkata Metro: 17th zone (approved 2010, budget 2011-12).
* South Coast Railway (SCoR): 18th zone (HQ Visakhapatnam).
* **Network Size:** Fourth largest in the world. Total track length (as of March 31, 2020): 67,956 km.
* **Highest Rail Route Length:** Uttar Pradesh.
### 3. Air Transport
* (Note: The provided raw notes do not contain detailed information on air transport in Rajasthan, only general facts about Indian railways and road structures.)
Key Revision Rules & Formulas
- Rajasthan declared the first state in India to announce a Road Policy in 1994, aiming to encourage private sector participation in road development.
- The first state-run bus service in Rajasthan began in Tonk in 1952, and the rural रोडवेज bus service was launched in Udaipur in December 2012.
- As of March 2018, Rajasthan had a total road length of 2,36,572.27 km and a road density of 69.12 km per 100 sq km.
- National Highways (NH) are managed by the Central Government and maintained by NHAI. Rajasthan has 39 NHs with a total length of 8202 km (as of March 31, 2017).
- NH 15 (now 68, 11, 62) is the longest NH in Rajasthan (875 km), while NH 919 (old 71B) is the shortest (4.7 km). NH 48, 58 (old 8) is the busiest.
- Udaipur district has the longest length of National Highways, while Sawai Madhopur has the shortest.
- NH 27 (old 76) passes through the maximum number of districts (7) in Rajasthan.
- Rajasthan Highway Act, 2014, enacted for regulation of roads and related lands, came into force on May 8, 2015. Rajasthan State Highways Authority was formed on June 2, 2015.
- SH-1 is the longest State Highway in Rajasthan (432.80 km).
- Barmar district has the longest road length, while Dholpur has the shortest.
- Ganganagar district is connected by roads to the highest number of villages, while Sirohi has the least.
- Rajasthan Rajya Path Parivahan Nigam was established on October 1, 1964, with its headquarters in Jaipur.
- RIDCOR, established in October 2004, is involved in the implementation of Mega Highway projects through a 50:50 partnership between the Rajasthan government and Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services.
- The Golden Quadrilateral scheme, the first phase of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), passes through Alwar, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, and Dungarpur in Rajasthan.
- The East-West Corridor of NHDP passes through Sirohi, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara, Kota, Bundi, and Baran.
- The North-South Corridor of NHDP passes through Dholpur.
- Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, launched on December 25, 2000, focuses on rural road development. From 2015-16, it's funded 60% by the Central government and 40% by the state.
- Mukhyamantri Sadak Yojana, launched on October 7, 2005, aims to connect religious and tourist places and build model roads in each district.
- Chetak Project, implemented by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), constructs strategically important roads in border areas of Rajasthan (Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Ganganagar, Barmer).
- The first six-lane expressway in Rajasthan is Jaipur-Kishangarh.
- Nirbhaya Buses (Mahila Gaurav Express) were launched for women's safety in public transport.
- The Bundi Road Transport Tunnel, 1.076 km long on NH 52, was operationalized in August 2015.
- Chirwa Ghat Tunnel is located in Udaipur on NH 58 (old 8).
- Jaipur-Kishangarh Expressway is the first highway in Rajasthan with e-toll collection.
- Ghat ki Ghuni tunnel in Jaipur on NH 21 is the country's first pollution-free tunnel.
- The Indian Railways is the fourth-largest railway network in the world.
- The first railway in India started on April 16, 1853, between Boribunder (Mumbai) and Thane.
Common Exam Pitfalls
- Confusing old and new National Highway numbers, as numbers have been reallocated.
- Mixing up data for national transport infrastructure with specific Rajasthan details.
- Overlooking the historical context and initial dates for policy announcements and service launches.
- Difficulty in recalling specific district-wise data (e.g., maximum/minimum road length, villages connected).
Sample Practice Questions
Question 1: Which district in Rajasthan has the longest length of National Highways?
- Barmer
- Udaipur
- Jaipur
- Ganganagar
Explanation: The notes explicitly state that Udaipur district has the longest length of National Highways in Rajasthan.
Question 2: Which scheme was launched on October 7, 2005, to connect major religious and tourist places with roads and build a model road in each district?
- Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
- Gramin Gaurav Path Yojana
- Mukhyamantri Sadak Yojana
- Chetak Project
Explanation: The notes specify that the Mukhyamantri Sadak Yojana, launched on October 7, 2005, has the objective of connecting religious and tourist places and building model roads in each district.
Question 3: The first six-lane expressway in Rajasthan is part of which project and connects which cities?
- NHDP, Jaipur-Udaipur
- Golden Quadrilateral, Jaipur-Ajmer
- Jaipur-Kishangarh Expressway, Jaipur-Kishangarh
- East-West Corridor, Kota-Baran
Explanation: The notes mention that Rajasthan's first six-lane expressway is Jaipur-Kishangarh.
Question 4: Identify the longest National Highway in Rajasthan, including its new numbers.
- NH 48 (Old 8)
- NH 15 (New 68, 11, 62)
- NH 27 (Old 76)
- NH 919 (Old 71B)
Explanation: The notes clearly state that NH 15 (new numbers 68, 11, 62) is the longest National Highway in Rajasthan with a length of 875 km.
Question 5: Rajasthan was the first state in India to declare a road policy. In which year was this policy announced?
- 1952
- 1994
- 2002
- 2013
Explanation: The notes mention that the state government declared a road policy in 1994 and that Rajasthan was the first state in the country to do so.