Question

Explain any five major problems faced by road transport in India.

Answer 1

Hint:
Roads are an important means of transportation in India. As of March 31, 2017, India had a road network of over 5,897,671 km (3,664,643 miles). It is the second-largest highway network in the world after the United States at 6,645,709 kilometres.

Complete solution:
Major problems of road transport in India:

- Most roads in India are uncovered and unsuitable for vehicular traffic.
- The road is not well maintained. Poor road surfaces cause major vehicle wear and tear.
- There are many checkpoints on expressways, expressways and octroi that slow down speeds, waste time and irritate travellers.
- Many roads have insufficient capacity, poor sidewalks, unlimited crossings and a lack of road equipment and safety measures.
- In cities, the streets are very congested and most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow.
- Highway traffic in India is heavily taxed. The tax bill on motor vehicles in India is Rs. 3500 while in America it is Rs. 860 and in the UK Rs. 470. This tax burden needs to be reduced.
- There is little cooperation and coordination between different states on road transport. Therefore, road transportation faces many difficulties. The states must pursue a coordinated policy on this issue.

Note:
 The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) was founded in 1988. NHAI is an autonomous body responsible for the development, maintenance and operation of National Highways. The longest road in India is G.T. Grand Trunk Road. G.T. The road was built by Shershah Suri. Now it connects from Kolkata to Amritsar. The first national road in India is the G.T. road. The freeway is known as the "Long Walk" is the G.T. road.