Transport System in Punjab | Punjab State (PPSC) PSC: Preparation - PPSC PCS (Punjab) PDF Download

Introduction

Punjab is known for its excellent road networks and various modes of transport, which benefit both tourists and locals. The transportation in the state is mainly divided into three categories:

(i) Road Transport 
(ii) Rail Transport 
(iii) Air Transport

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Road Transport

Overview

• Roads are the primary mode of transportation in Punjab.
• At the time of India’s independence, Punjab had about 2,820 km of roads.
• As per the Economic Survey 2017-18, the state now boasts a network of 72,212 km of roads.
• This network includes 2,769.2 km of National Highways, 1,097.8 km of State Highways, and approximately 7,942 km of major district roads.
• All villages in Punjab are connected by metalled roads, ensuring 100% connectivity.
• Major cities are linked by four or six-lane roads.

Types of Roads in Punjab

Punjab has five main types of roads:

1. National Highways
2. State Highways
3. Border Roads
4. District Roads
5. Municipal Corporation Roads

National Highways in Punjab:

• National Highways connect important cities such as Bathinda, Firozpur, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Pathankot, and the capital city, Chandigarh.

Key National Highways

State Highways in Punjab:
State Highways in Punjab are roads that typically connect important cities, towns, and district headquarters within the state. They link these areas with National Highways or highways of neighboring states. These highways enhance accessibility to industries and other places from key areas in the state. The responsibility for upgrading and maintaining these roads lies with Punjab Roadways.

Here are some major State Highways in Punjab:

Border Roads:

• In Punjab, the entire western part of the state is covered by border roads, which are maintained by the Border Security Force (BSF). These roads in Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Firozpur, and Fazilka form the boundary between India and Pakistan.

District Roads:

• District roads play a crucial role in connecting district headquarters to major town centers within the district and to the headquarters of neighboring districts. They also link these major town centers to important state highways. Compared to National Highways (NH) and State Highways (SH), district roads have lower design specifications.

Municipal Corporation Roads:

• Municipal Corporation Roads are constructed and supervised by Municipal Committees and Municipal Corporations within their respective jurisdictions. These roads are built under the authority of local governing bodies to ensure proper infrastructure within urban areas.

Punjab Roadways

Punjab Roadways, also known as PUNBUS (Punjab State Bus Stand Management Company Ltd.), is a state-run road transport network established in 1948. It aims to provide economical, reliable, and comfortable transport services within Punjab. The network has 18 depots across the state and manages bus services, including those between India and Pakistan.

Bharatmala Pariyojana:

• The Punjab State Government has requested Central Government assistance for 13 road projects under the 'Bharatmala Pariyojana.' Seven of these projects have been declared National Highways. The Central Government is developing economic corridors, inter-corridors, and feeder routes under this initiative. For Punjab, the Ajmer-Ludhiana economic corridor, passing through Malerkotla, Sangrur, Sunam, and Moonak, has been approved.

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Railways in Punjab

Railways play a vital role in connecting major industrial sectors in Punjab, such as oil refining, cement, fertilizer, thermal power, and manufacturing, to suppliers and markets. The total route length of the railway network in Punjab is 1844.64 km, with 1680.65 km of broad gauge and 163.99 km of narrow gauge. Important railway junctions in Punjab include Bathinda (the largest in Punjab), Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Patiala, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Moga, Gurdaspur, and Phagwara. Railways in Punjab fall under the Northern zone, with two zonal headquarters in the state: Ambala railway division and Firozpur railway division.

Ambala Railway Division:

• The Ambala Railway Division was established on July 1, 1987.
• It is situated in the neighboring state of Haryana and plays a crucial role in connecting important cities in Punjab, including Patiala, Bathinda, Rajpura, and Sangrur.

Firozpur Railway Division:

• The Firozpur Railway Division is managed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM).
• The region's first railway line, which ran from Amritsar to Atari, was inaugurated in April 1862.
• This division links key industrial cities and towns in Punjab, such as Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Firozpur, and Amritsar.
• Jammu Tawi, a significant station within this division, serves as a gateway for numerous tourists and pilgrims traveling to the Kashmir Valley and the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi.

Major Rail Routes in Punjab

• Amritsar-New Delhi: This is the most crucial and longest railway route in Punjab. It connects the three largest cities of Punjab— Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana —with the capital of India, New Delhi. Many other railway routes in Punjab branch off from junctions on this line.
• Amritsar-Atari: Atari is the last railway station in India on the Amritsar-Lahore (Pakistan) railway line. This station is located about 24 km from Amritsar.
• Amritsar-Dera Baba Nanak: This route links Amritsar to Dera Baba Nanak, situated on the banks of the Ravi River, approximately 54 km from Amritsar. Majitha, a town on this route, is 19 km from Amritsar.
• Bathinda-Ambala Cantt: Railway line from Bathinda passes through Barnala, Dhuri, and Patiala, eventually joining the main Delhi-Amritsar line at Rajpura. Rajpura is located 28 km from Ambala Cantt towards Ludhiana. Bathinda is the largest railway junction in Punjab.
• Bathinda-Firozpur: This route connects Firozpur with Bathinda and serves as a link between Firozpur and Delhi via Bathinda.
• Firozpur-Fazilka-Shri Ganga Nagar: The Firozpur-Fazilka railway line has been extended to Shri Ganga Nagar via Abohar, connecting Firozpur to Shri Ganga Nagar.
• Jalandhar–Firozpur: This railway route stretches 117 km from Jalandhar City to Firozpur Cantt, passing through Kapurthala and the historic town of Sultanpur Lodhi.
• Ludhiana–Chandigarh: This railway line became operational with the Sahnewal-New Morinda section, connecting Ludhiana to Chandigarh. The first station on this route, Lall Kalan (near Neelon), is 29 km from Ludhiana.
• Ludhiana–Firozpur: The railway route from Ludhiana to Firozpur is 124 km long. When merged with the Firozpur-Fazilka-Abohar-Sri Ganganagar route, it becomes a 308 km long route connecting Ludhiana to Sri Ganganagar.
• Sirhind–Chandigarh:. railway line of about 40-45 km connects Chandigarh with major cities in Punjab, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana. This line branches off near Morinda from the Sirhind–Nangal Dam line.

Some Important Trains of Punjab:

• Punjab Mail: One of the oldest long-distance trains in Indian Railways, running between Mumbai and Firozpur.
• Jallianwala Bagh Express: This train operates between Sealdah, West Bengal, and Amritsar.
• Golden Temple Mail:. superfast express train that runs daily between Mumbai Central and Amritsar.

Major Trains Operating in Punjab:

• Shan-e-Punjab Express: This superfast express train runs between New Delhi and Amritsar Junction.
• Samjhauta Express: Also known as the 'Friend Express,' this bi-weekly train operates on Wednesdays and Sundays, connecting Delhi and Atari in India with Lahore in Pakistan.

Rail Works in Punjab

• Diesel Loco Modernisation Works (DMW): Located in Patiala and established in 1981 with World Bank assistance, DMW focuses on manufacturing precision components for diesel engines and remanufacturing traction machines and diesel engines. Initially known as Diesel Component Work (DCW), it was renamed DMW in 2003.
• Rail Coach Factory (RCF): Situated in Kapurthala and established in 1986, RCF is a coach manufacturing unit of Indian Railways. It has produced around 28,000 passenger coaches, including self-propelled vehicles, which make up over 50% of the total coach population on Indian Railways. RCF is equipped with advanced design and manufacturing technology, including a CAD centre and CNC machines for producing bogies and shells using Stainless Steel and Corten Steel.

Air Transport

• Punjab has made significant advancements in civil aviation, boasting two international airports in Amritsar and Chandigarh, along with four domestic airports in Bathinda, Pathankot, Patiala, and Ludhiana. The state plans to develop the new greenfield Ludhiana airport as an aerotropolis, a modern concept of a township-oriented airport similar to those in Singapore and Frankfurt. Currently, Ludhiana airport, formerly known as Sahnewal airport, serves as a domestic airport connecting various cities to Ludhiana.

Major Airports in Punjab

Amritsar International Airport:

• Located 11 km from Amritsar's city center.
• The only airport in Punjab with both domestic and international flights.
• Also known as Raja Sansi International Airport and Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport.
• Serves domestic airlines like Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Kingfisher, and Spice Jet.
• International airlines include Turkmenistan Airlines, Uzbekistan Airlines, and Air India.

Chandigarh International Airport:

• A significant international airport in India.
• Experiences heavy traffic year-round due to Chandigarh's numerous tourist attractions.
• Connects to almost every major destination in India.

Ludhiana Airport:

• Situated near Sahnewal, 12 km southeast of Ludhiana on the Grand Trunk Road.
• Accommodates both civil and defense flights.
• Commonly referred to as Sahnewal Airport, easily accessible from Ludhiana.
• Serviced by most major domestic airlines in India.

Other Airports:

• Patiala: Home to a small airport and aviation complex.
• Bathinda: Features a domestic airport.
• Hoshiarpur: Air force base station located in Dampur.
• Pathankot: Another air force base station.

Water Transport in Punjab

Although Punjab is a landlocked state without major waterways, it does have perennial rivers and canals that offer potential for inland water transport. There are three Inland National Waterways (NWs) that pass through Punjab:

• NW 17 on the Beas River, which flows through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
• NW 45 on the Indira Gandhi Canal, covering Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
• NW 98 on the Sutlej River, which traverses Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.