UPSC CSE Prelims
Transport, Communication & Trade Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Transport, Communication & Trade
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Consider the following pairs:
Port : Well known as
- Kamarajar Port : First major port in India registered as a company
- Mundra Port : Largest privately owned port in India
- Visakhapatnam : Largest container port in India
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Only two pairs
This question tests knowledge about India's major ports and their distinctive features. Out of the three pairs given, two are correctly matched while one is incorrect.
✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Kamarajar Port is indeed the first major port in India registered as a company and is the only corporatized major port among the 12 major ports.
✅ Pair 2 – Correct: Mundra Port, operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Limited in Gujarat, is the largest privately owned port in India.
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Visakhapatnam is not the largest container port in India; Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Nhava Sheva, Maharashtra, holds this distinction.
📝 Short Notes: Major Ports of India
| Port | Key Feature |
|---|---|
| Kamarajar Port (Ennore) | First major port registered as a company; 12th major port of India; located near Chennai |
| Mundra Port | Largest private port in India; operated by Adani Ports; located in Gujarat |
| JNPT (Nhava Sheva) | Largest container port in India; located in Maharashtra; handles maximum container traffic |
| Visakhapatnam Port | Major port on the east coast; handles cargo, containers, and has shipbuilding facilities |
| Chennai Port | Oldest artificial port in India; located on Coromandel Coast |
With reference to India's projects on connectivity, consider the following statements:
- East-West Corridor under Golden Quadrilateral Project connects Dibrugarh and Surat.
- Trilateral Highway connects Moreh in Manipur and Chiang Mai in Thailand via Myanmar.
- Bangladesh-China- India-Myanmar Economic Corridor connects Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh with Kunming in China.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — None
All three statements contain factual errors regarding India's major connectivity projects. Each statement incorrectly identifies either the terminal points or the route of the respective corridor/highway.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The East-West Corridor under NHDP connects Silchar (Assam) to Porbandar (Gujarat), not Dibrugarh to Surat.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: The Trilateral Highway connects Moreh (Manipur) with Mae Sot in Thailand via Myanmar, not Chiang Mai.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: The BCIM Economic Corridor connects Kunming (China) with Kolkata (India), not Varanasi.
📝 Short Notes: Major Connectivity Projects of India
| Project/Corridor | Route/Terminal Points | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) | Connects Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata | 5,846 km; launched in 2001 under NHDP Phase I |
| North-South Corridor | Srinagar (J&K) to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) | 4,076 km; part of NHDP Phase II |
| East-West Corridor | Silchar (Assam) to Porbandar (Gujarat) | 3,640 km; part of NHDP Phase II |
| Trilateral Highway | Moreh (Manipur) - Mae Sot (Thailand) via Myanmar | 1,360 km; enhances India-ASEAN connectivity |
| BCIM Corridor | Kunming (China) - Kolkata (India) via Myanmar & Bangladesh | 2,800 km; proposed economic corridor |
| Kaladan Multimodal Project | Sittwe Port (Myanmar) to Mizoram (India) | Connects northeastern India via Myanmar |
Recently, which of the following States has explored the possibility of constructing an artificial inland port to be connected to the sea by a long navigational channel?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Rajasthan
Rajasthan, a landlocked state, has explored the ambitious project of constructing an artificial inland port at Jalore to be connected to the sea (Gulf of Khambhat) through a long navigational channel. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways proposed to support this initiative. The project aims to develop inland navigation facilities in western Rajasthan, enabling transportation of minerals like limestone, gypsum, lignite, and cement products, thereby promoting socio-economic development of the region.
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Consider the following pairs :
| National Highway | Cities Connected |
|---|---|
| 1. NH 4 | Chennai and Hyderabad |
| 2. NH 6 | Mumbai and Kolkata |
| 3. NH 15 | Ahmedabad and Jodhpur |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Pair 1 – Incorrect: NH 4 (now renumbered as NH 48 in 2010) connected Mumbai-Pune-Bangalore-Chennai, not Chennai-Hyderabad. Current NH 4 is the Andaman Trunk Road (230.7 km) in Andaman Islands.
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: NH 6 runs from Jorabat (Meghalaya) to Seling (Mizoram) through northeastern states, not Mumbai-Kolkata. The old Mumbai-Kolkata highway was renumbered.
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: NH 15 connects Baihata (Assam) to Wakro (Arunachal Pradesh), not Ahmedabad-Jodhpur.