NCERT Textbook: Infrastructure: Engine of India’s Development

 Page 1


A developed India will be one where urban and rural 
areas have the same infrastructure — roads, power , water , 
and communication.
— APJ Abdul Kalam
The Big  
Questions
1. What is physical infrastructure, 
and how has it transformed 
over the years in India?
2. How has the expansion in 
infrastructure a??ected the 
quality of life for individuals 
and communities?
3. What is the role of 
infrastructure in the 
development and economic 
prosperity of the nation? 
Infrastructure: Engine  
of India’s Development
CHAPTER
7
Fig. 7.1. State-of-the-art physical infrastructure 
Chapter 7.indd   169 Chapter 7.indd   169 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM
Page 2


A developed India will be one where urban and rural 
areas have the same infrastructure — roads, power , water , 
and communication.
— APJ Abdul Kalam
The Big  
Questions
1. What is physical infrastructure, 
and how has it transformed 
over the years in India?
2. How has the expansion in 
infrastructure a??ected the 
quality of life for individuals 
and communities?
3. What is the role of 
infrastructure in the 
development and economic 
prosperity of the nation? 
Infrastructure: Engine  
of India’s Development
CHAPTER
7
Fig. 7.1. State-of-the-art physical infrastructure 
Chapter 7.indd   169 Chapter 7.indd   169 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM
170
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 2
Introduction
Imagine you wake up one morning, ready for school. But when 
you step outside, there are no roads. The buses are gone. No one’s 
mobile phone has any signal. The lights won’t turn on, the internet 
is gone, and the tap is running dry! How would you reach school? 
How would groceries, and stationery reach your nearest market 
and your home? How would you access utilities like electricity 
and water? This is what life might look like without physical 
infrastructure, which is a vast network of tangible structures 
built to keep our cities and villages functioning. It includes 
transportation systems (roads, bridges, railways, etc.), utilities 
(electricity, water pipelines), communication networks (internet, 
telephone lines, telecom towers, etc.), energy infrastructure 
(windmills, solar parks, oil and gas pipelines, etc.) and so on.
Delhi-Meerut 
Expressway
World’s highest railway bridge –  
Chenab Rail Bridge, Jammu & Kashmir
India’s longest sea bridge – Atal Setu, Maharashtra
Chapter 7.indd   170 Chapter 7.indd   170 11/27/2025   12:39:15 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:15 PM
Page 3


A developed India will be one where urban and rural 
areas have the same infrastructure — roads, power , water , 
and communication.
— APJ Abdul Kalam
The Big  
Questions
1. What is physical infrastructure, 
and how has it transformed 
over the years in India?
2. How has the expansion in 
infrastructure a??ected the 
quality of life for individuals 
and communities?
3. What is the role of 
infrastructure in the 
development and economic 
prosperity of the nation? 
Infrastructure: Engine  
of India’s Development
CHAPTER
7
Fig. 7.1. State-of-the-art physical infrastructure 
Chapter 7.indd   169 Chapter 7.indd   169 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM
170
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 2
Introduction
Imagine you wake up one morning, ready for school. But when 
you step outside, there are no roads. The buses are gone. No one’s 
mobile phone has any signal. The lights won’t turn on, the internet 
is gone, and the tap is running dry! How would you reach school? 
How would groceries, and stationery reach your nearest market 
and your home? How would you access utilities like electricity 
and water? This is what life might look like without physical 
infrastructure, which is a vast network of tangible structures 
built to keep our cities and villages functioning. It includes 
transportation systems (roads, bridges, railways, etc.), utilities 
(electricity, water pipelines), communication networks (internet, 
telephone lines, telecom towers, etc.), energy infrastructure 
(windmills, solar parks, oil and gas pipelines, etc.) and so on.
Delhi-Meerut 
Expressway
World’s highest railway bridge –  
Chenab Rail Bridge, Jammu & Kashmir
India’s longest sea bridge – Atal Setu, Maharashtra
Chapter 7.indd   170 Chapter 7.indd   170 11/27/2025   12:39:15 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:15 PM
171
Economic Life Around Us  
7 – Infrastructure: Engine of India’s Development
Fig. 7.2. Some forms of physical infrastructure
Why is physical infrastructure important?
Vishakhapatnam port,  
Andhra Pradesh
Bhakra Nangal Dam,  
Himachal Pradesh
Muppandal Wind Farm,  
Tamil Nadu
Solar power project at Cochin 
International Airport, Kerala 
One bright morning, Rishabh packed his bags for a two-day trip 
from Delhi to his hometown, Talegaon in Nashik, Maharashtra.
He started o?? in his car, zoomed 
across a wide bridge and then parked 
the car at the metro station.
Chapter 7.indd   171 Chapter 7.indd   171 11/27/2025   12:39:22 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:22 PM
Page 4


A developed India will be one where urban and rural 
areas have the same infrastructure — roads, power , water , 
and communication.
— APJ Abdul Kalam
The Big  
Questions
1. What is physical infrastructure, 
and how has it transformed 
over the years in India?
2. How has the expansion in 
infrastructure a??ected the 
quality of life for individuals 
and communities?
3. What is the role of 
infrastructure in the 
development and economic 
prosperity of the nation? 
Infrastructure: Engine  
of India’s Development
CHAPTER
7
Fig. 7.1. State-of-the-art physical infrastructure 
Chapter 7.indd   169 Chapter 7.indd   169 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM
170
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 2
Introduction
Imagine you wake up one morning, ready for school. But when 
you step outside, there are no roads. The buses are gone. No one’s 
mobile phone has any signal. The lights won’t turn on, the internet 
is gone, and the tap is running dry! How would you reach school? 
How would groceries, and stationery reach your nearest market 
and your home? How would you access utilities like electricity 
and water? This is what life might look like without physical 
infrastructure, which is a vast network of tangible structures 
built to keep our cities and villages functioning. It includes 
transportation systems (roads, bridges, railways, etc.), utilities 
(electricity, water pipelines), communication networks (internet, 
telephone lines, telecom towers, etc.), energy infrastructure 
(windmills, solar parks, oil and gas pipelines, etc.) and so on.
Delhi-Meerut 
Expressway
World’s highest railway bridge –  
Chenab Rail Bridge, Jammu & Kashmir
India’s longest sea bridge – Atal Setu, Maharashtra
Chapter 7.indd   170 Chapter 7.indd   170 11/27/2025   12:39:15 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:15 PM
171
Economic Life Around Us  
7 – Infrastructure: Engine of India’s Development
Fig. 7.2. Some forms of physical infrastructure
Why is physical infrastructure important?
Vishakhapatnam port,  
Andhra Pradesh
Bhakra Nangal Dam,  
Himachal Pradesh
Muppandal Wind Farm,  
Tamil Nadu
Solar power project at Cochin 
International Airport, Kerala 
One bright morning, Rishabh packed his bags for a two-day trip 
from Delhi to his hometown, Talegaon in Nashik, Maharashtra.
He started o?? in his car, zoomed 
across a wide bridge and then parked 
the car at the metro station.
Chapter 7.indd   171 Chapter 7.indd   171 11/27/2025   12:39:22 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:22 PM
172
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 2
Soon he was on a train, rushing past 
green ??elds and towns. He called his 
mother and shared his location using 
his smartphone. 
He hopped onto the metro to skip the 
heavy tra??c and quickly reached the 
railway station. 
After reaching closer to home, he rode a 
bus that moved through many ??yovers. 
He was seated right next to Satish, a hardworking tomato farmer from 
Maharashtra, who was returning from the mandi after selling his harvest. 
Rishabh saw some of the tomatoes in his bag kept right next to him. He 
remarked “Ahh! Such red and juicy tomatoes”. Satish told him that his juicy red 
tomatoes were not just a gift of sunshine and rain.
It was possible because canals and 
electric water pumps helped irrigation, 
good roads helped trucks carry his 
tomatoes to the city, cold storage kept 
them fresh, and the internet helped 
him know about the best inputs and 
market prices. They both wondered how 
important is the physical infrastructure 
which is connected like pieces of a 
puzzle, helping safe and timely travel of 
people and goods. 
Finally, Rishabh got o?? at the bus 
stand, boarded an autorickshaw 
that dropped him at his door.
Fig. 7.3. Rishabh's journey
Chapter 7.indd   172 Chapter 7.indd   172 11/27/2025   12:39:26 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:26 PM
Page 5


A developed India will be one where urban and rural 
areas have the same infrastructure — roads, power , water , 
and communication.
— APJ Abdul Kalam
The Big  
Questions
1. What is physical infrastructure, 
and how has it transformed 
over the years in India?
2. How has the expansion in 
infrastructure a??ected the 
quality of life for individuals 
and communities?
3. What is the role of 
infrastructure in the 
development and economic 
prosperity of the nation? 
Infrastructure: Engine  
of India’s Development
CHAPTER
7
Fig. 7.1. State-of-the-art physical infrastructure 
Chapter 7.indd   169 Chapter 7.indd   169 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:11 PM
170
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 2
Introduction
Imagine you wake up one morning, ready for school. But when 
you step outside, there are no roads. The buses are gone. No one’s 
mobile phone has any signal. The lights won’t turn on, the internet 
is gone, and the tap is running dry! How would you reach school? 
How would groceries, and stationery reach your nearest market 
and your home? How would you access utilities like electricity 
and water? This is what life might look like without physical 
infrastructure, which is a vast network of tangible structures 
built to keep our cities and villages functioning. It includes 
transportation systems (roads, bridges, railways, etc.), utilities 
(electricity, water pipelines), communication networks (internet, 
telephone lines, telecom towers, etc.), energy infrastructure 
(windmills, solar parks, oil and gas pipelines, etc.) and so on.
Delhi-Meerut 
Expressway
World’s highest railway bridge –  
Chenab Rail Bridge, Jammu & Kashmir
India’s longest sea bridge – Atal Setu, Maharashtra
Chapter 7.indd   170 Chapter 7.indd   170 11/27/2025   12:39:15 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:15 PM
171
Economic Life Around Us  
7 – Infrastructure: Engine of India’s Development
Fig. 7.2. Some forms of physical infrastructure
Why is physical infrastructure important?
Vishakhapatnam port,  
Andhra Pradesh
Bhakra Nangal Dam,  
Himachal Pradesh
Muppandal Wind Farm,  
Tamil Nadu
Solar power project at Cochin 
International Airport, Kerala 
One bright morning, Rishabh packed his bags for a two-day trip 
from Delhi to his hometown, Talegaon in Nashik, Maharashtra.
He started o?? in his car, zoomed 
across a wide bridge and then parked 
the car at the metro station.
Chapter 7.indd   171 Chapter 7.indd   171 11/27/2025   12:39:22 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:22 PM
172
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 2
Soon he was on a train, rushing past 
green ??elds and towns. He called his 
mother and shared his location using 
his smartphone. 
He hopped onto the metro to skip the 
heavy tra??c and quickly reached the 
railway station. 
After reaching closer to home, he rode a 
bus that moved through many ??yovers. 
He was seated right next to Satish, a hardworking tomato farmer from 
Maharashtra, who was returning from the mandi after selling his harvest. 
Rishabh saw some of the tomatoes in his bag kept right next to him. He 
remarked “Ahh! Such red and juicy tomatoes”. Satish told him that his juicy red 
tomatoes were not just a gift of sunshine and rain.
It was possible because canals and 
electric water pumps helped irrigation, 
good roads helped trucks carry his 
tomatoes to the city, cold storage kept 
them fresh, and the internet helped 
him know about the best inputs and 
market prices. They both wondered how 
important is the physical infrastructure 
which is connected like pieces of a 
puzzle, helping safe and timely travel of 
people and goods. 
Finally, Rishabh got o?? at the bus 
stand, boarded an autorickshaw 
that dropped him at his door.
Fig. 7.3. Rishabh's journey
Chapter 7.indd   172 Chapter 7.indd   172 11/27/2025   12:39:26 PM 11/27/2025   12:39:26 PM
173
Economic Life Around Us  
7 – Infrastructure: Engine of India’s Development
Physical infrastructure is the backbone of our nation — it makes 
life easier for people, communities, businesses, and enables  
government to function smoothly. For instance, transport systems 
like roads, railways, airways, and shipping connect places of origin 
or manufacturing of goods and services to the nearest markets. India 
has had a network of trade routes since ancient times, and today’s 
modern infrastructure has taken this forward to boost trade, both 
within and outside the country. Better infrastructure also supports 
tourism, connects remote areas, and helps during emergencies 
like ??oods or earthquakes. It also strengthens national security by 
improving access to all kinds of terrain for the defence forces.
  THINK ABOUT IT
 Æ What might happen to Satish’s e??orts if any part of the 
infrastructure is missing?
 Æ What happens when a new highway is built near a village? 
How does it impact the lives of the people living nearby?
 Æ Imagine if there were no internet or phone services. How 
would this a??ect people’s ability to work or learn?
Transportation Infrastructure
How do you and your family members commute to nearby and  
far-o?? places? Let’s learn about the transportation infrastructure 
that enables the mobility of people and goods. 
a) Road and highway network
Did you know? India has the second-largest road network in the 
world, only after the United States of America (2024). There are 
many types of roads. The local roads near your home help children 
reach school, farmers carry crops to markets, and ambulances 
reach hospitals. Then there are the bigger roads like state highways 
connecting towns and districts within a state along with other 
bigger highways. These are built and maintained by states through 
their public works departments. Then, national highways and 
Chapter 7.indd   173 Chapter 7.indd   173 02-12-2025   12:07:14 02-12-2025   12:07:14