Passage Based Questions: Transport and Communication | Geography Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Passage - 1

Direction: Read the case study given below and answer the questions that follow:

The Indian Railways network is one of the longest in the world. It facilitates the movement of both freight and passengers, contributing significantly to the growth of the economy. Indian Railways was introduced in 1853, with the construction of a line from Bombay to Thane covering a distance of 34 km. Indian Railways is the largest government undertaking in the country. As of 31 March 2015, the length of the Indian Railways network was 66,030 km. Its vast size places considerable pressure on a centralized railway management system. Therefore, the railway system in India has been divided into 16 zones. Indian Railways has also launched an extensive program to convert the meter and narrow gauges to broad gauge. Additionally, steam engines have been replaced by diesel and electric engines, which has increased both speed and haulage capacity. The replacement of steam engines, which were run by coal, has also improved the environmental conditions at stations.

Answer the following questions: 

Q1: Which is the largest railway network in Asia?
Ans: Indian Railways is the largest rail network in Asia and the world’s second largest under one management.

Q2: In what year was Indian Railways introduced?
(A) 1841
(B) 1843
(C) 1853
(D) 1863
Ans: On 16th April, 1853, the first passenger train ran between Bori Bunder (Bombay) and Thane, a distance of 34 km.

Q3: Identify the longest railway track in India.
Ans: Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari.

Q4: Why is an electric engine considered more efficient than a traditional diesel engine?
Ans: Electric engines use less energy, produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, come with lower costs, and have higher speed.