1. Railway and Roadways in India SARBJEET KAUR Lecture in Economics GCCBA-42, Chandigarh

2. Railways Indian Railways has more than 64,215 kilometres (39,901 mi) of track and 7,083 stations. It has the world's fourth largest railway network after those of the United States, Russia and China. The railways traverse the length and breadth of the country and carry over 25 million passengers and 2.5 million tons of freight daily. It is one of the world's largest commercial or utility employers, with more than 1.6 million employees.

3. Railways were first introduced to India in 1853. By 1947, the year of India's independence, there were forty-two rail systems. In 1951 the systems were nationalised as one unit, becoming one of the largest networks in the world. IR operates both long distance and suburban rail systems on a multi-gauge network of broad, metre and narrow gauges. It also owns locomotive and coach production facilities.

4. Railway zones The headquarters of the Indian Railways in New Delhi Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai First Railway Station in India. Indian Railways is divided into zones, which are further sub-divided into divisions. The number of zones in Indian Railways increased from six to eight in 1951, nine in 1952, and finally 17 in 2010. Each zonal railway is made up of a certain number of divisions, each having a divisional headquarters. There are a total of sixty-seven divisions. The Delhi Metro is being built and operated by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC). The Government of India and the Government of Delhi jointly set up a company called the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on March 5, 1995 with E. Sreedharan as the managing director

5. Importance of railways Source of Economic development Agricultural development Increase in National Income Growth of Markets Help in International Trade Mobility of labour and capital Employment

6. Income to Government Encouragement to toursim Importance to defense Political Importance

7. Problem of railways Ticket less travelling Over crowding Railway accident Problem of guage Theft of property and goods Problem of Electrification Paucity of resources Subsidies in operation

8. Suggestions Utilization of private parties for providing door to door services Avoid delays Increase in Income of railways Long term fund for capacity addition’ Check on illegal possession of railway land

9. Roadways India has a network of National Highways connecting all the major cities and state capitals, forming the economic backbone of the country. As of 2005, India has a total of 66,590 km (41,377 mi) of National Highways, of which 200 km (124 mi) are classified as expressways Under National Highways Development Project (NHDP), work is under progress to equip some of the important national highways with four lanes; also there is a plan to convert some stretches of these roads to six lanes. However congestion and bureaucratic delays enroute ensure that trucking goods from Gurgaon to the port in Mumbai can take up to 10 days.

10. As per the National Highways Authority of India, about 65% of freight and 80% passenger traffic is carried by the roads. The National Highways carry about 40% of total road traffic, though only about 2% of the road network is covered by these roads.Average growth of the number of vehicles has been around 10.16% per annum over recent years. [ Highways have facilitated development along the route and many towns have sprung up along major highways. Road transport Benchmark Freight Index (BFI) initiative taken in India in recent past

11. Type of Road Length Expressways 650 km (400 mi) as of 2006 National Highway 66,590 km (41,380 mi) State Highways 131,899 km (81,958 mi) Major District Roads 467,763 km (290,654 mi) Rural and Other Roads 2,650,000 km (1,650,000 mi) Total Length 3,300,000 km (2,050,000 mi) (Approx)

12. Importance of roadways Less capital Flexibility Saving of time and cost Personal services Multipurpose tendency Development of agriculture Production of perishable goods

13. Advantage to Industries Employment Government revenue

14. Problems of roadways Inadequate roads Delay in Licencing Fear of nationalisation Heavy taxes No Prper Maintenance Lack of coordination Less roads in rural areas

15. Lack of guest houses Single lane roads Congestion on roads Increased vehicular traffic

16. Restructuring of Research Laboratories may be carried out. Repetitive, useless, copied research work must be discouraged while real, original, useful work suited to Indian conditions is to be encouraged. For realistic approach of the road researches, better interaction among Field Engineers and Researchers & Academia’s must be ensured and cost- effectiveness in Research/ Construction Organization must be essential. Bus Stands/Stops must be under the control of Road Board. These must be well designed, well constructed, well maintained. Adequate fee must be levied on each vehicle using them. Parking facilities for such vehicles must also be provided on these stops on rent basis. Use of these facilities must be obligatory for public transport. New road construction must be stopped and the available funds must be utilized to improve the starving roads of in the country. In case of rural road construction is essential then no village must be connected by two road connections. Ill planning of roads is to be stopped immediately.

17. Once Highway/Roads and maintenance grant is as per norms/requirement then there no excuse not to maintain the Highway/Roads properly and up to the mark. In case if any negligence on the part of the system/person, that must not be spared at any cost. Such an active information system is to be developed that any activity on road may be communicated to the authority concern within no time. For communicating these information’s person doing so must be encouraged/rewarded including reimbursement of the expenditure incurred by the informer for such communication. Department must be prompt in attending the roads to keep them in the best possible shape to serve the Nation. To check encroachment in Abadi areas access on any Highway/Road must not be allowed without the permission of the Road Department and that also is to be constructed by the department itself in accordance to the prescribed design and rules at the cost of consumer. Consumer will have to pay cost of its maintenance & repair annually. Absurd & Haphazard parking on road & streets create acute traffic problems. There must be a well defined 'Road Side Parking Act' and nobody must be allowed to use Roads & Streets as his own Garage/Courtyard. The parking system should be licensed with adequate parking fee. Undisciplined road users must not be spared at any cost. There must not be any upper limit of penalty for Road/Street misuses.

18. On road side inhabited people have to keep paper of ownership of the land and have to produce it on demand by the road authorities or otherwise they may be treated as encroach and are liable to be removed by Marshal Law. Jurisdiction and responsibility in all respect within highway/road boundaries must be of the road department only. For any activity 200m and for construction purpose controlled area must be 100m on either side of the road. No unauthorized vehicle must be allowed to ply on road at any cost. Vehicles registered for one purpose must not be allowed to do another job without prior permission of the road department. For example a car registered for private use can not be used as taxi, a tractor/trolley registered for agriculture purpose will not be allowed to do commercial job. On Roads/Streets no other activity except movement of traffic in a sensible manner must be allowed. Unauthorized use of roads/streets must be declared unbailable CRIME. For effective control on traffic, magisterial powers and vehicles with video cameras must be given to field engineers of Road Departments and police powers up to Road Gang Mate.

19. There must be an effective 'ROADS & ROAD USERS ACT' for effective control of all the activities on Highways, Roads & Streets. 18. Government vehicles must be of different color then that of private and purpose may be defined by putting a colored strip around vehicle's body, for example a 20 cms wide green strip may be painted on agriculture tractor's body, a 20 cms wide black strip around car taxi and so on. 19. Maximum allowable load/passengers along with route & permit number must be clearly written on the body of each vehicle. 20. Income and owning of vehicle must be correlated, for example no individual having income less than 1 lac per annum can have a two wheeler auto or otherwise permitted by law for performing his duties as a Government Servant. Only owner's spouse may use vehicle casually. If vehicle(s) required for business purpose then there must be full justification of it i.e. by income out of that business. 21. Gifting of vehicle beyond means of either party must not be allowed.