CBSE Class 10 SST: Transport & Communication — Geography Notes 2026

Roadways in India

• India has 3rd largest road network in world; 66.71 lakh km total; NHs carry 40% of traffic but 2% of road length
• Golden Quadrilateral: Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata; total 5,846 km; connects 4 largest cities
• Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana: rural road connectivity to all villages with 500+ population

Railways in India

• Indian Railways: 4th largest railway network; 68,043 route km; 22 million passengers/day
• Zones: 18 zones; Mumbai Central, Chennai, Kolkata — high-density routes
• Gauge types: Broad (1.676 m) — most of India; Metre gauge — some rural; Narrow gauge — hills; being converted to broad

Airways

• India: 5th largest civil aviation market; 154 airports; DGCA regulates; IATA membership
• Air India: national carrier; IndiGo (60%+ market share), SpiceJet, Air Asia India — private carriers dominant
• UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik): regional connectivity scheme; subsidised flights to tier-2, tier-3 cities

Waterways

• Inland waterways: National Waterways (NWs); India has 14,500 km navigable waterways; 111 declared NWs
• NW-1: Ganga (Allahabad-Haldia, 1620 km); NW-2: Brahmaputra (877 km); NW-3: Kerala backwaters (205 km)
• Coastal shipping: Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Kandla, Visakhapatnam — major ports; cheaper than road/rail for bulk cargo

Pipelines

• Oil and gas pipelines: most efficient for liquid and gas transport; India has 15,000+ km pipeline network
• HBJ Pipeline (Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur): 1750 km; natural gas from Gujarat to UP
• Crude oil: from Assam, Rajasthan to refineries in Barauni, Mathura, Mumbai; reduces road/rail congestion

Communication Networks

• Telecom: India has 1.2 billion subscribers; 5G rolled out in 2022; rural connectivity via BharatNet (optical fibre)
• Internet: 800+ million internet users; WhatsApp, UPI, Aadhaar — digital India infrastructure
• Mass media: Doordarshan (government), private news channels (340+), All India Radio (900 stations)

CBSE Map and Exam Tips

• Map: Golden Quadrilateral, major ports, major airports, NW-1 on India map
• Distinguish: road, rail, air, water transport — suitability for different goods and distances
• UDAN scheme: purpose, beneficiaries, impact on regional connectivity; 2–3 mark question