Monday, September 8, 2008

Airports in India

More than 20 international airports are located within the Republic of India. These include:

  • Bengaluru International Airport, Bangalore
  • Calicut International Airport, Kozhikode
  • Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai
  • Chennai International Airport, Chennai
  • Cochin International Airport, Cochin
  • Coimbatore Airport, Coimbatore
  • Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur
  • Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
  • Mangalore International Airport, Mangalore
  • Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata
  • Raja Sansi International Airport, Amritsar
  • Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad
  • Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad
  • Trivandrum International Airport, Thiruvanthapuram

The Indira Gandhi International Airport and the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport handle more than half of the air traffic in South Asia. Besides these airports several other domestic airports are located in India.

In total, there are more than 334 (2002 est.) civilian airports in India - 238 with paved runways and 108 with unpaved runways.

Airports - with paved runways (2007 est.)

10,000 ft (3,047 m) or more: 18

8,000 to 9,999 ft (2,438 to 3,047 m): 52

5,000 to 7,999 ft (1,524 to 2,437 m): 75

3,000 to 4,999 ft (914 to 1,523 m): 84

Under 3,000 ft (914 m): 21

Total: 250

[edit] Airports - with unpaved runways (2007 est.)

10,000 ft (3,047 m) or more: 1

8,000 to 9,999 ft (2,438 to 3,047 m): 1

5,000 to 7,999 ft (1,524 to 2,437 m): 7

3,000 to 4,999 ft (914 to 1,523 m): 40

Under 3,000 ft (914 m): 47

Total: 96

Heliports (2007 est.)

30

Nomenclature

Trains are sorted into various categories which dictate the number of stops along their route, the priority they enjoy on the network, and the fare structure. Each express train is identified by a four-digit —the first digit indicates the zone that operates the train, the second the division within the zone that controls the train and is responsible for its regular maintenance and cleanliness, and the last two digits are the train's serial number.

For super-fast trains, the first digit is always '2', the second digit is the zone, the third is the division and only the last digit is the serial number within the division. Trains travelling in opposite directions along the same route are usually labelled with consecutive numbers. However, there is considerable variation in train numbers and some zones, such as Central Railway, has a less systematic method for numbering trains. Most express trains also have a unique name attached to them which are usually exotic and are taken from landmarks, famous people, rivers and so on. Some notable examples are:

  1. Charminar Express between Hyderabad and Chennai, named after the Charminar monument in Hyderabad.
  2. Ashram Express between Ahmedabad and New Delhi, after Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram
  3. Gitanjali Express between Mumbai CST and Howrah (Kolkata), after Rabindranath Tagore's famous work.
  4. Parasuram Express between Mangalore and Thiruvananthapuram, after Parasurama.
  5. Prayag Raj Express between Allahabad and New Delhi, after Prayag, a sacred pilgrimage spot and the ancient name of Allahabad.
  6. Lal Bagh Express between Bangalore and Chennai, after the famous Lal Bagh botanical gardens in Bangalore.
  7. Godavari Express between Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam after the Godavari River in South India.
  8. Nilgiri (Blue Mountain) Express between Chennai and Coimbatore after the Nilgiri hills.
  9. Purshottam Express (New Delhi-Puri)
  10. Kashi Vishwanath Express (New Delhi-Varanasi)
  11. Mangla Express
  12. Bagh Express (Howrah-Kathgodam)
  13. Ala Hazarat Express (Bareilly-Bhuj)

Traction

As of March 2007, 17,810 kilometres (11,067 mi) of the total 63,465 km (39,435 mi) route length is electrified. Most places use 25,000 V AC through overhead catenary delivery. A major exception is the entire Mumbai section, which uses 1,500 V DC. This is currently undergoing change to the 25,000 V system, and is scheduled for completion by 2008. Another exception is the Kolkata Metro, which uses 750 V DC delivered through a third rail.

Traction voltages are changed at two places close to Mumbai. Central Railway trains passing through Igatpuri switch from AC to DC using a neutral section that may be switched to either voltage while the locomotives are decoupled and swapped. Western Railway trains switch power on the fly, in a section between Virar (DC) and Vaitarna (AC), where the train continues with its own momentum for about 30 m through an unelectrified section of catenary called a dead zone. All electric engines and EMUs operating in this section are the necessary AC/DC dual system type (classified "WCAM" by Indian Railways).

Signalling systems

The Indian Railways makes use of colour signal lights, but in some remote areas of operation, the older semaphores and discs-based signalling (depending on the position or colour) are still in use. Except for some high-traffic sections around large cities and junctions, the network does not use automatic block systems. Safety therefore depends completely on the skill and vigilance of the personnel operating the individual signals and the drivers.

Coloured signalling makes use of multi-coloured lighting and in many places is automatically controlled. There are three modes:

  • Two aspect signalling which makes use of a red (bottom) and green (top) lamp
  • Three aspect signalling which makes use of an additional amber lamp in the centre
  • Four (multiple) aspect signalling makes use of four lamps, the fourth is amber and is placed above the other three.

Multiple aspect signals, by providing several intermediate speed stages between 'clear' and 'on', allow high-speed trains sufficient time to brake safely if required. This becomes very important as train speeds rise. Without multiple-aspect signals, the stop signals have to be placed very far apart to allow sufficient braking distance and this reduces track utilisation. At the same time, slower trains can also be run closer together on track with multiple aspect signals.

Semaphores make use of a mechanical arm to indicate the line condition. Several subtypes are used:

  • Two aspect lower quadrant
  • Three aspect modified lower quadrant
  • Multiple aspect upper quadrant
  • Disc-based: These signals are located close to levers used to operate points. They are all two-aspect signals.

Indian locomotive

Indian locomotive fleet consists electric and diesel engines. Steam engines are no longer used, except for heritage trains. Engines are also called "locos".

In India, locomotives are classified according to their track gauge, motive power, the work they are suited for and their power or model number. The class name includes this information about the locomotive. It comprises 4 or 5 letters. The first letter denotes the track gauge. The second letter denotes their motive power (Diesel or Electric) and the third letter denotes the kind of traffic for which they are suited (goods, passenger, mixed or shunting).

One of the earliest pictures of railways in India
One of the earliest pictures of railways in India

The fourth letter used to denote locomotives' chronological model number. However, from 2002 a new classification scheme has been adopted. Under this system, for newer diesel locomotives, the fourth letter will denote their horsepower range. Electric locomotives don't come under this scheme and even all diesel locos aren't covered. For them this letter denotes their model number as usual.

A locomotive may sometimes have a fifth letter in its name which generally denotes a technical variant or subclass or subtype. This fifth letter indicates some smaller variation in the basic model or series, perhaps different motors, or a different manufacturer. With the new scheme for classifying diesel locomotives (as mentioned above) the fifth item is a letter that further refines the horsepower indication in 100 hp increments: 'A' for 100 hp, 'B' for 200 hp, 'C' for 300 hp, etc. So in this scheme, a WDM-3A refers to a 3100 hp loco, while a WDM-3F would be a 3600 hp loco.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Highways

Main article: Indian highways

India has a network of National Highways connecting all the major cities and state capitals. As of 2005, India has a total of 65,569 km of National Highways, of which 4,885 km are classified as expressways. Most highways are 2 laned, while in some better developed areas they may broaden to 4 lanes. Close to big cities, highways can even be 8 laned.

All the highways are metalled. In most developed states the roads are smooth, however in less developed states and in sparsely populated areas, highways are riddled with potholes. Very few of India's highways are constructed of concrete, the most notable being the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

Highways form the economic backbone of the country. Highways have facilitated development along the route and many towns have sprung up along major highways.

In recent years construction has commenced on a nationwide system of multi-lane highways, including the Golden Quadrilateral expressways which link the largest cities in India.

A bus service Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir) - Muzaffarabad (Pakistan controlled Kashmir, part of what India calls 'Pakistan-occupied Kashmir'), with one bus service every two weeks, at the same time in both directions, opened on 7 April 2005.

Length: total - 3,319,644 km; paved - 1,517,077 km; unpaved - 1,802,567 km (1999 est.)

Highways

India has a network of National Highways connecting all the major cities and state capitals. As of 2005, India has a total of 65,569 km of National Highways, of which 4,885 km are classified as expressways. Most highways are 2 laned, while in some better developed areas they may broaden to 4 lanes. Close to big cities, highways can even be 8 laned.

All the highways are metalled. In most developed states the roads are smooth, however in less developed states and in sparsely populated areas, highways are riddled with potholes. Very few of India's highways are constructed of concrete, the most notable being the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

Highways form the economic backbone of the country. Highways have facilitated development along the route and many towns have sprung up along major highways.

In recent years construction has commenced on a nationwide system of multi-lane highways, including the Golden Quadrilateral expressways which link the largest cities in India.

A bus service Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir) - Muzaffarabad (Pakistan controlled Kashmir, part of what India calls 'Pakistan-occupied Kashmir'), with one bus service every two weeks, at the same time in both directions, opened on 7 April 2005.

Length: total - 3,319,644 km; paved - 1,517,077 km; unpaved - 1,802,567 km (1999 est.)

Ports in India

India has a long coastline spanning 7600 kilometres forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. It is serviced by 12 major ports and 185 notified minor and intermediate ports.

Major ports handled over 80% of all cargo traffic in 2007. However, the words "major", "intermediate" and "minor", do not have a strict association with the traffic volumes served by these ports. As an example, Mundra Port, a newly developed minor port in the state of Gujarat registered a cargo traffic of around 28.8 million tonnes per annum during the financial year of 2008, which is higher than that of many major ports.

The classification of Indian ports into major, minor and intermediate has an administrative significance. Indian government has a federal structure, and according to its constitution, maritime transport falls under the "concurrent list", to be administered by both the Central and the State governments. While the Central Shipping Ministry administer the major ports, the minor and intermediate ports are administered by the relevant departments or ministries in the nine coastal states of West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Several of these 185 minor and intermediate ports are merely "notified", with little or no cargo handling actually taking place. These ports have been identified by the respective governments to be developed, in a phased manner, a good proportion of them involving Public-private partnership.

Waterways

India has an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks. The total navigable length is 14,500 km, out of which about 5200 km of river and 4000 km of canals can be used by mechanised crafts. Freight transportation by waterways is highly underutilised in India compared to other large countries like USA, China and European Union. The total cargo moved (in tonne kilometers) by the inland waterway was just 0.1% of the total inland traffic in India, compared to the 21% figure for USA. Cargo transportation in an organised manner is confined to a few waterways in Goa, West Bengal, Assam and Kerala. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the statutory authority in charge of the waterways in India. It does the function of building the necessary infrastructure in these waterways, surveying the economic feasibility of new projects and also administration and regulation. The following waterways have been declared as National Waterways till now.

  • National Waterway 1 - Allahabad Haldia stretch of the Ganga Bhagirathi Hooghly river system (1620 km) in October 1986.
  • National Waterway 2 - Saidiya Dhubri stretch of the Brahmaputra river system (891 km) in September 1988.
  • National Waterway 3 - Kollam Kottapuram stretch of West Coast Canal (168 km) along with Champakara canal (14 km) and Udyogmandal canal (23 km) in February 1993.

Air travel

One of Air India's Boeing 747-400

One of Air India's Boeing 747-400
Airports and seaports of India

Airports and seaports of India

India's booming economy has created a large middle-class population in India. Five years back, air travel was a dream for the majority of the Indian population. But rapid economic growth has made air travel more and more affordable in India. Air India, India's flag carrier, presently operates a fleet 135 aircraft and plays a major role in connecting India with the rest of the world. Several other foreign airlines connect Indian cities with other major cities across the globe.

Air Deccan, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, IndiGo Airlines and Air India (formerly Indian Airlines, before merging with Air India ) are the most popular brands in domestic air travel in order of their market share. Of these, Jet, Indian and Kingfisher also operate overseas routes after the liberalisation of Indian Aviation. These airlines connect more than 80 cities across India. However, a large section of country's air transport system remains untapped, even though the Mumbai-Delhi air corridor was ranked 6th by the Official Airline Guide in 2007 among the world's busiest routes.

India's vast unutilized air transport network has attracted several investments in the Indian air industry in the past few years. More than half a dozen low-cost carriers entered the Indian market in 2004-05. Major new entrants include Air Deccan, Kingfisher Airlines, SpiceJet, GoAir, Paramount Airways and IndiGo Airlines. To meet India's rapidly increasing demand for air travel, Air India recently placed orders for more than 68 jets from Boeing for 7.5 billion USD while Indian placed orders for 43 jets from Airbus for 2.5 billion USD. Jet Airways, India's largest private carrier, has invested billions of dollars to increase its fleet. This trend is not restricted to traditional air carriers in India. IndiGo Airlines came into the news with a bang when it announced orders for 100 Airbus A320s worth 6 billion USD during the Paris Air Show; the highest by any Asian domestic carrier. Kingfisher Airline became the first Indian air carrier in June 15, 2005 to order Airbus A380 aircraft. The total deal with Airbus was worth 3 billion USD.

Rail transport in India

Rail transport is a commonly used mode of long-distance transportation in India. Almost all rail operations in India are handled by a state-owned company, Indian Railways, under the federal Ministry of Railways. The rail network traverses the length and breadth of the country, covering a total length of 63,140 kilometres (39,233 mi). It is said to be the 4th largest railway network in the world, transporting over 5 billion passengers and over 350 million tonnes of freight annually. Its operations cover twenty-eight states and three union territories and also provide limited service to Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Railways were introduced to India in 1853, and by the time of India's independence in 1947 they had grown to forty-two rail systems. In 1951 the systems were nationalised as one unit—Indian Railways—to form one of the largest networks in the world. Locomotives manufactured at several places in India are assigned codes identifying their gauge, kind of power and type of operation. Colour signal lights are used as signals, but in some remote areas of operation, the older semaphores and disc-based signalling are still in use. Accommodation classes range from general through first class AC. Trains have been classified according to speed and area of operation. Many trains are officially identified by a four-digit code, though many are commonly known by unique names. The ticketing system has been computerised to a large extent, and there are reserved as well as unreserved categories of tickets.

Friday, September 5, 2008

India Transportation , transport

Transportation in India is a large and varied sector of the economy. Modes of conveyance for transport of goods in India range from people's heads (on which loads are balanced) and bicycle rickshaws to trucks and railroad cars. The national railroad was the major freight hauler at independence, but road transport in India grew rapidly after 1947. Both rail and road transport remain important.

The share of India's transportation investments in total public investment declined during the period from the early 1950s to the early 1980s; real public transportation investment also declined during much of that period because of the need for funds in the rest of the economy. As a consequence, by the early 1980s the transportation system in India was barely meeting the needs of the nation or preparing for future economic growth.

Many roads, for example, were breaking up because of overuse and lack of maintenance; railroads required new track and rolling stock. Ports needed equipment and facilities, particularly for bulk and container cargo; and at many airports the national civil airlines needed supporting equipment, including provision for instrument landings. The government planned to devote 19 percent of the Eighth Five-Year Plan (1992-96) budget to transportation and communications, up from the 16 percent devoted to the sector during the seventh plan.

Although there is a large private-sector involvement in transportation in India, the government plays a large regulatory and developmental role. The central government has ministries to handle civil aviation, railroads, and surface transportation. Counterpart agencies are found at the state and union territory level. Critical to improving the entire transportation sector in the late 1990s is the ability of the sector to adjust to the central government's national reform initiatives, including privatization, deregulation, and reduced subsidies. The sector must also adjust to foreign trade expansion, demographic pressures and increasing urbanization, technological change and obsolescence, energy availability, and environmental and public safety concerns.

Transport Options in India

Transport Options in India Transport in India

There are many options for traveling in India. These include the usual such as air travel, rail travel, road travel and boat travel as well as the exotic such as traveling by elephant back or camel back. You can enjoy all these modes of travel in India.

Air Travel: Air Travel is the most convenient way to cover large distances in India, with ease and comfort. All the major cities and tourist destinations are connected by air and competition between domestic airlines keeps airfares reasonable in India. There are also chartered flights and helicopter flights to less accessible areas in India.

Rail Travel in India: The Indian Railways links the length and breath of India. Railway lines link all cities and major tourist destinations in India. There are also luxury trains such as the Palace on Wheels, Heritage on Wheels, Fairy Queen and Deccan Odyssey that offer the journey of a lifetime. Toy trains, such as the Shimla Kalka line and the Darjeeling Toy Train are popular tourist attractions.

Road Travel in India:
The road infrastructure in India is on the whole is good, though it may be terrible in some places. Grand Trunk Road, the busiest road in India, is 2600km across the breadth of Indian subcontinent. Rudyard Kipling, who set much of his novel Kim along the road, described it as 'such a river of life as exists nowhere else in the world'.

It is pertinent to familiarize yourself with the rules of the road in India. We drive on the left-hand side of the road, and the cars including the rental cars are right-hand drive vehicles. All distances, speed limits (and speedometers) are in kilometers.

Though the wearing of seat belts is compulsory, it is followed only in big cities. You cannot use hand-held phones while driving.

Petrol (gas) stations are situated on both main and country roads. Most of them are open round the clock. However so it is necessary to fill up the tank before it starts giving warning signals, as there is a considerable distance between the towns.

Indian petrol stations are not self-help. A helper will check tire pressure, oil and water, and fill the car, if necessary, clean the windscreen - for which he or she will expect a tip.

After the railway, surface transport is the chief means of travel in India. It is a viable option to rent a car in cities and fares are charged on a kilometer basis. In Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and other major cities, metered taxis as well as luxury cars are easily available on hire. There are many rent-a-car services, with prominent international companies tying up with Indian firms to provide these services. You can hire a car for a full day or for a destination.

Tram transport in India


In India currently only Kolkata (Calcutta) has a tram service.

Other cities to have had trams in the past:


Delhi

On the west bank of the Yamuna River in northern India, consists of Old and New Delhi. Old Delhi is an important manufacturing, rail and trade center built around the Red Fort, site of the famous Peacock Throne. South of the city walls is New Delhi, a planned city with wide boulevards and imposing government buildings, capital of India since 1912. Delhi has controlled northern India since the 13th Century. The British took the city in 1803 from the Mogul emperors and Coronation Durbars were held in 1903 and 1911. The tram system opened on March 6, 1908 and by 1921 there were 15 km of track and 24 cars. The system closed ca. 1963. This rare postcard shows a typical open car.

Kolkata

Horse drawn tram - Life size model at City Centre arcade

Horse drawn tram - Life size model at City Centre arcade

The Calcutta Tramways Company Limited is the company which manages tramways in Kolkata. The first horse driven tram carriage service started in the year 1873 between Sealdah and Armenian Ghat Street (Inaugurated on February 24, 1873). The service was wound up on November 20 as there was no adequate patronisation. The British started The Calcutta Tramways Company Limited as a registered joint stock company at London, in the year 1880. Before 1900s they were powered by horses later the same year the process of electrification began.

In the year 1951 The Govt. of West Bengal entered into an agreement with the Calcutta Tramways Co and the Calcutta Tramways Act, 1951 was enacted . The Govt took over all rights with regard to Tramways and reserved the right to purchase the system on 1st Jan, 1972 or any time thereafter giving two years notice. Later in the year 1967 The Govt of West Bengal passed the Calcutta Tramways Company (Taking Over of Management ) Act, 1967 and took over the management on 19th July 1967. On November 8th, 1976 the Calcutta Tramways (Acquisition of Undertaking) Ordinance, 1976 was promulgated under which the Company with all its assets vested with the government. After that it is now a Public Sector Undertaking.

Mumbai

The British proposed the introduction of trams in the year 1864 and the contract was awarded to Stearns and Kitteredge in the year 1873. The first tram was between Parel and Colaba were drawn by six to eight horses. The trams had their pie of glory till the advent of trains and were there for almost 21 years and it is also said that the Stearns and Ktteredge had a stable of 900 horses when they started the service.

Nasik

The trams were pulled by 4 horses and it had 2 carriages. It originated from what is now the "Old municipal corporation" building located on "main road" and terminated at Nasik Road Railway station, a distance of around 8-10 km. It closed down around 1931-1933. The strip between Nasik and Nasik Road was covered with dense jungle and only mode of transport from the station to the city was by means of horse carriages or by means of only 2 taxis which used to ply in those days.

Chennai

Trams in Chennai (old Madras) were operated between Ports and other places. This could carry lot of head loads and was a very popular transport at that time. This ended by about 1950, when the tramway company went into liquidation. The contract to remove the tracks and overhead cables was awarded to one Mr.Narainsingh Ghanshamsingh.

Road Transport in India

bus

Road transport in India has a large and extensive transportation system. The country has one of the world's largest railway and roadway network transporting millions of people every year. However, vast sections of the country's transportation network remains underdeveloped.


Horse Carriages

Advent of the British saw drastic improvements in the horse carriages which were used for transport since early days. Till today they are used in smaller towns and are referred as "Tanga" and buggies (Victorias of Bombay) are still used for toursit purposes

Cycle Rickshaw

From the early part of the century the bicycle rickshaws also became popular and are still used in rural India . Its more a bigger tri-cycle wherein two people can sit on a elavated seat at the back and a person will paddle (driver) from the front. In urban areas they have been mostly superseded by auto rickshaws.

Manually Pulled Rickshaw

This type of transport was prevalent until 2005 in Kolkata wherein a person pulls the rickshaw. The Government of West Bengal banned these rickshaw in 2005 describing them "inhuman". While this was lauded in general but questions about alternative means of livelihood of those who directly or indirectly depend on hand pulled rickshaws were not immediately addressed.

Trams

The advent of the British saw trams being introduced in many cities including Mumbai and Calcutta . They are still in use in Calcutta and provide a pollution-free means of transportation. The nationalised Calcutta Tram Company has introduced buses on certain routes in order to generate more revenue and reduce losses.

Local transport

Local transportation is predominantly by road, with a small fraction (depending on the city) by trains. Most Indian cities are connected to surrounding towns by buses or trains. The vast national rail network also enables farmers to transport their farm and agriculture produce to larger towns, where they get better prices.

The roads in most cities are poorly maintained and full of potholes, while in villages they are frequently non-existent. Traffic generally moves slowly and erratically, and traffic jams and accidents are very common. AReader's Digest study of traffic congestion in Asian cities ranked several Indian cities within the Top Ten for worst traffic.

Buses

Buses are very cheap in most cities but also very crowded and have unpredictable timings, frequently necessitating long waits. In the big cities and towns of India , buses are the major mode of transport. Luxury and air-conditioned buses also service some cities. Most means of transportation within cities is run by the government. Buses are categorised, based upon the number of seats, the time it takes to travel from A to B, and general comfort. Express and limited buses are usually more expensive options compared to the normal ones, the latter being increasingly modern whilst cheap and easily accessible.

Vans

Vans or Mini-Buses is a more prevalent form of transportation especially in remote areas and common route with consistent yet small transportation needs. Not to mention it's presence in other cities,where it is often a traffice menace.

Autorickshaws

An auto rickshaw (auto or rickshaw or tempo in popular parlance) is a three-wheeler vehicle for hire. They typically have no doors or seatbelts. They are generally yellow or green in colour and have a black canopy on the top. An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a tin/iron body resting on three small wheels (one in front, two on the rear), a small cabin for the driver in the front and seating for three in the rear. Their design varies considerably from place to place. In some locations, they have an extra plank on the seat to accommodate a fourth passenger. Hiring an auto often involves bargaining with the driver.

In some cities like New Delhi , there are larger autos called Fat-fat, which is an onomatopoeic derivation of the phut-phut crackle of their exhausts. These run on fixed routes on fixed fares and are very fuel efficient. Only six passengers are allowed legally but they usually take as many as ten adults. These autos are the new incarnation of old Fat-fats, which were Harley-Davidson and similar powerful motorcycles modified by removing the rear wheel and bolting a two-wheeled platform with bench seats onto the rear.

Two-wheelers

Two wheelers are the most popular mode of transport in terms of number of vehicles. There are two main types of powered two-wheelers, themotor scooter and themotorcycle

The scooter was first built in post-war Italy as a two-wheeler with small wheels (supposedly to utilize war-surplus aircraft tail wheels). It differs from the motorcycle in having the driver seated with his legs together, and is thus favoured by women drivers (assari, a common Indian dress for women, doesn't permit separation of legs). The Italian Vespa scooter was built in India under license by Bajaj Auto, and together with the Italian Lambretta scooter dominated the two-wheeler scene. Much later came the hugely successful Bajaj Chetak scooter, but Bajaj has since lost the market to new entrants like Kinetic Motors. In the past decade, lightweight mini-scooters like the TVS Scooty and the Honda Activa have made it much easier for women to travel.

The post-war years saw the predominance of foreign motorcycles, mainly British ones like Norton, BSA, Ariel etc. In the 1960s Indian-made bikes like Royal Enfield Bullet (a 350cc British design), Jawa (a 250cc Czech design) and Rajdoot (a 175cc Polish design) predominated. After the beginning of liberalization Indian versions of popular Japanese bikes such as Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha hit the roads, leading to motorcycles outstripping scooters in popularity. The overwhelmingly large number of bikes sold have engines 175cc or less.

Cars

The demand for cars in India is one of the highest in the world. In2002 more than 50,000 new cars were brought in Delhi alone. Compact cars predominate due to low cost.Maruti, Hyundai, Tata Motors and Ford are the most popular brands in the order of their market share. The clunky Ambassador once had a monopoly but is now an icon of pre-liberalization India , and is still used by politicians.Maruti 800 launched in1984 created the first revolution in the Indian auto sector because of its low pricing. It had the highest market share until 2004, when it was overtaken by other low cost models of Maruti and those of foreign entrants like Hyundai. Over the 20 year period since its introduction about 2.4 milion units of Maruti 800 have been sold.

BULLOCK CART TRANSPORTATION - MODES OF TRANSPORTATION IN INDIA

Bullock Cart - Copyright www.travelindiasmart.com

Bulls were used in India to plough fields by Indian farmers in the past. Today bullock carts are used in India as a common mode of transportation of goods.

Bullock cart transportation is cheaper than trucking when goods need to be transported locally.

Bullock Cart Wagon - Copyright www.travelindiasmart.com

Bullock carts used for transportation of goods is not restricted to the villages or smaller towns of India.

I took the two photographs of bullock carts in Delhi, India's capital city.

Needless to say such transportation adds to the already congested roads and traffic jams sometimes take hours to clear up.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Long Distance Transport

Railways

A DMU Train

A DMU Train
Evolution of Indian road network. The main map shows the routes since the Mughal times, Inset A shows the major cultural currents of the prehistorical period, B shows pre-Mauryan Indian routes, C shows the Mauryan network, D shows the trade routes at the beginning of the Christian era, and E shows the Indian "Z".

Evolution of Indian road network. The main map shows the routes since the Mughal times, Inset A shows the major cultural currents of the prehistorical period, B shows pre-Mauryan Indian routes, C shows the Mauryan network, D shows the trade routes at the beginning of the Christian era, and E shows the Indian "Z".

India's rail network is the longest of any country. Trains run at an average of around 50-60 km/h, which means that it can take more than two days to get from one corner of the country to another. Rail operations throughout the country are run by the state-owned company, Indian Railways. The rail network traverses through the length and breadth of the country, covering a total length of around 63,000 km (39,000 miles). Out of this a total 16,693 km of track has been electrified till now and 12,617 km have double tracks.

Inside Mumbai CST station, Mumbai local trains acts as a life line in Mumbai

Inside Mumbai CST station, Mumbai local trains acts as a life line in Mumbai

Indian Railways uses three type of gauges : Broad Gauge, Metre Gauge and Narrow Gauge. Broad gauge at 1.676 m is one of the widest gauge used anywhere in the world. Indian Railways is in the process of converting all the metre gauge (14,406 km) into broad gauge. Narrow gauge (3,106 km of track) with a width of 2 ft (610 mm) to 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) is restricted to very few places.

Buses

A KSRTC bus

A KSRTC bus

Next only to railways, the most preferred long distance transport option for the public are the buses. Most of the state road transport corportations have buses which connect major cities and towns.

There are private bus operators who run regular schedule of buses for connections between major cities and towns. Most long distance buses are scheduled during the night. Long distance travel in buses is quite common for distances up to 500 km. In some cases there are connections for distances like 1000 km (eg. Bangalore to Mumbai), with a travel time of 24 hours. With the advent of better buses (eg. Volvo's popular Volvo B7R) and better highways, road transport has become a fast and comfortable option for travellers.


Taxi


Taxicabs in India are mostly Premier Padmini or Hindustan Ambassador cars but newer ones are prominentally Tata Indigo(specially in the big cities). They have a yellow-black livery, and taxicab drivers paint many signs and slogans such as God is Great etc. Most of these cabs do not have an air conditioning system but there are numerous private taxi operaters like "Cool Cab" are air-conditioning.The newer taxis are white, one of the many reasons why the expensive taxis have been dubbed White Taxis by the locals in cities.Taxis and all other commercial vehicles have a yellow number plate so charging taxes and toll in highways is easier for the officials.

Indian taxis are very cheap and the drivers are very friendly. Depending on the city/state, taxis can either be hailed or are hired from taxi-stands. In cities such as Bangalore, taxis need to be hired from taxi stands, whereas in cities like Kolkata and Mumbai, taxis can be hailed on the street. There are additional surcharges for luggage, late-night rides and toll taxes are to be paid by the passenger. Thanks to the booming economy but due to disparities in income many types of taxis have come up. For example in Delhi there are 5 types of taxi. Autorickshaws- which are the cheapest form of taxi-, Normal Taxis, Radio Cabs, White Taxis and Tourist Taxis. In posher areas like Noida and Gurgaon auto rickshaws are banned thus giving the taxis a monopoly.

By Government regulations all taxis are required to have a fare-meter installed. However, enforcement by authorities is lax and many cabs operate either without fare-meter or with defunct ones. In such cases, fare is decided by bargaining between the customer and the driver.

Taxis face stiff competition from auto rickshaws but in some cities, for example Mumbai, auto rickshaws are banned in the main city district, thus giving taxis a monopoly.

Auto Rickshaws

An auto rickshaw (auto or rickshaw or tempo in popular parlance) is a three wheeler vehicle for hire. They typically have no doors or seatbelts. They are generally yellow or green in colour and have a black or green canopy on the top. An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a tin/iron body resting on three small wheels (one in front, two on the rear), a small cabin for the driver in the front and seating for three in the rear. Their design varies considerably from place to place. In some locations, they have an extra plank on the seat to accommodate a fourth passenger. Hiring an auto often involves bargaining with the driver.

In some cities like New Delhi, there are larger autos called fat-fat, which is an onomatopoeic derivation of the phut-phut crackle of their exhausts. These run on fixed routes on fixed fares and are very fuel efficient. Only six passengers are allowed legally but they usually take as many as ten adults. These autos are the new incarnation of old fat-fats, which were Harley-Davidson and similar powerful motorcycles modified by removing the rear wheel and bolting a two-wheeled platform with bench seats onto the rear. These types of transport no longer exist in Delhi. In some regions they are called two-wheelers.


A majority of Indian auto rickshaws have no doors or seatbelts. Their designs vary considerably from place to place.

As a mode of transport, the auto rickshaw is turning out to be a major employer in India. All major nationalized banks of India offer loans to buy one under self-employment schemes. Major auto rickshaw manufacturers in India include Bajaj Auto and Force Motors (previously Bajaj Tempo). A two-wheeler major, TVS Motors, has announced it will enter the auto rickshaw market with a technologically updated and a less polluting vehicle, in early 2006. Not restricted to cities, auto rickshaws are also prevalent in large numbers in Indian villages and in the countryside.

There is an initial charge at the beginning of a ride then the price normally increases in proportion to the distance . It is mandatory that the initial charge be set at a value given by the government.

Local Transport

Local transportation is predominantly by road, with a small fraction (depending on the city) by trains. Most Indian cities are connected to surrounding towns by buses or trains. The vast national rail network also enables farmers to transport their farm and agriculture produce to larger towns, where they get better prices.

The roads in most cities are poorly maintained and full of potholes, while in villages they are frequently non-existent. Traffic generally moves slowly and erratically, and traffic jams and accidents are very common. A Reader's Digest study of traffic congestion in Asian cities ranked several Indian cities within the Top Ten for worst traffic.On the contrary, newly developed highways and expressways are among the best in subcontinent.

Buses

Tata starbus in Mumbai.

Tata starbus in Mumbai.

The use of buses is very popular for all classes of society. They are a cheap and easy mode of transport. The government is encouraging the people to use the bus since it reduces the number of vehicles on the road thus reducing traffic jams.

A NMMT Bus in Navi Mumbai

A NMMT Bus in Navi Mumbai

Vans

Vans or minibuses are a more prevalent form of transportation especially in remote areas and common route with consistent yet small transportation needs. Not to mention their presence in other cities, where they are often a traffic menace.it is need to be civilized

Traditional Means

Walking

In ancient times, people often covered long distances on foot. For instance, Adi Sankaracharya traveled all over India. Even today it is not uncommon for people in rural areas to commute several kilometers every day.

Bullock carts have been traditionally used for transport, especially in rural India. They can still be seen in many of the cities and villages. In the recent years some of the cities have banned the movement of bullock carts and other slow moving vehicles on the main roads during daytime.

Palanquin

A photo of country made palanquin at Banaras. C. 1890s

A photo of country made palanquin at Banaras. C. 1890s

Palanquins or "palkee" was one of the luxurious methods used by the rich and nobles for travelling purposes. This was primarily used in the olden days to carry the deity or idol of the god (many temples have sculptures of god being carried in a palki) later on during 15th century we have references that the nobles were also using it for transportation. Girls and ladies from rich families were ferried in palkee and were escorted by males riding on horses.

The word "Palkee" came from the word 'Palanki'. The Portuguese called it "Palan Queem" and the Britishers "Palan Queen". In Sanskrit it is called as "palkee". In Tamil it is called as "Pallakku". During the fifteenth century many Muslim families used it. Gradually many landlords and people with royalty also started using it. Modern use of the palanquin is limited to being an ostentatious method for the bride to make her entrance at some Indian weddings.

Horse carriages

The advent of the British saw drastic improvements in the horse carriages which were used for transport since early days. To today they are used in smaller towns and are referred as "Tonga", and buggies (Victories of Bombay) are still used for tourist purposes around india.The horse carriages are now rarely found in india.

Cycle rickshaw

From the early part of the century the bicycle rickshaws also became popular and are still used in rural India. They are bigger than a tricycle where two people can sit on an elevated seat at the back and a person will pedal (driver) from the front. In urban areas they have been mostly superseded by auto rickshaws.

Bicycles

Bicycles are an important mode of travel for much of India. A significant prejudice against bicycle riding for transportation exists in some segments of the population, generally stemming from the status symbol aspect of the motor vehicle.

In India, the word "bike" generally means motorbike, and "cycle" means bicycle.

Manually pulled rickshaw

A Manually pulled rickshaw in Kolkata

A Manually pulled rickshaw in Kolkata

This type of transport was prevalent until 2005 in Kolkata wherein a person pulls the rickshaw. The Government of West Bengal banned these rickshaw in 2005 describing them "inhuman". While this was lauded in general, questions about alternative means of livelihood of those who directly or indirectly depend on hand pulled rickshaws were not immediately addressed. Manually pulled rickshaws are still a common sight on the streets of Kolkata.