Case Study
Passage with linked questions
Case Set 1
Case AnalysisPassage
Ramesh is a truck driver who transports agricultural produce from a village near Patna to the wholesale market in Delhi. He prefers road transport over railways because his loading point is a remote village not connected to any railway station. The goods include perishable items like vegetables. He uses a state highway to reach the National Highway, which then connects him to Delhi. He finds that road transport, though slightly costlier per km, offers door-to-door delivery and saves him the hassle of multiple loading and unloading at different points. His truck can also take alternative routes when one road is blocked due to floods, something railways cannot easily do.
Question 1: State two reasons why Ramesh prefers road transport over railways for transporting goods from the village.
- Road transport provides door-to-door service, reducing loading and unloading costs.
- Roads can reach remote villages not connected by railway lines.
Question 2: What is the role of state highways in connecting rural areas to national highways? Explain with reference to the passage.
- State highways link district headquarters and towns to national highways.
- They act as feeder roads, connecting local areas like Ramesh's village to the main national road network.
Question 3: Explain any three reasons why road transport has an edge over rail transport in India, using the context of Ramesh's experience.
- Roads can be built in dissected and undulating terrain where railways cannot easily reach, making remote village access possible.
- Road transport offers door-to-door delivery, eliminating the need for trans-shipment and reducing costs for perishable goods.
- Roads can negotiate alternative routes in emergencies such as floods, offering flexibility that railways lack.