Discuss the importance of roads for the economic development of India.

Ans. 

Road Transport-

India has one of the largest road networks in the world. As per latest available data, the total road length in 1950-51 was just 4 lakh km which increased to 20.37 lakh km in 1950-51. This included 10.1 lakh km of paved roads and 10.36 lakh km of unpaved roads. Various roads totaling 33,612 km have been designated National Highways. There are 75 such National Highways though they account for less than 2% of total road length, about one-third of freight movement takes place on them.

With increasing importance and popularity of road transport, the number of motor vehicles has greatly increased in the country. In 1950-51 there were just 34 thousand buses which rose to 318 thousand in 1992-93. Over the same period, the number of trucks increased from 82 thousand to 1599 thousand. The Eighth Five Year Plan targeted annual growth rates of 7% in number of trucks and buses. 

Importance of roads in Indian economy:

Roads play an important role in the Indian economy. Development of roads not only facilitates economic development but also has an important place in social and political systems. According to Prof. J. Bentham, “Roads are like the arteries and veins of a country through which flows every improvement.” Indeed, roads are crucial for development of agriculture, industry, mineral resources and animal resources in a country.

Economic Significance: 

Roads are extremely important economically in an economy. Optimal utilization of a country’s economic resources is only possible through adequate and convenient road network. Their contribution is especially significant in a developing country like India. 

1. Increase in agricultural production – 

Road transport can help increase area under cultivation. Farm implements, fertilizers, improved seeds and other agricultural machinery can be made available cheaply and easily from one farm to another and from urban to rural areas. This facilitates intensive farming and increasing cultivated area, thereby raising agricultural production. Good roads enable easy and quick adoption of new agricultural techniques.

2. Marketing of agricultural produce – 

In absence of transport, rural people have to sell their produce locally to moneylenders, landlords and middlemen at low prices. If rural areas have road connectivity, farmers can easily take their produce to mandis and sell at relatively better prices. This improves the economic condition of rural farmers. 

3. Transformation in nature of agriculture – 

Development of roads transforms the very nature of agriculture. With availability of road transport, new techniques, improved seeds, chemicals, fertilizers and scientific implements get adopted resulting in multiple crops per year against one earlier. Traditional irrigation sources get replaced by tubewells, diesel/electric motors etc. In essence, the agrarian structure itself changes with road transport development.

4. Improvement in agricultural activities – 

Development of roads quickly improves allied agricultural activities like animal husbandry, poultry, horticulture etc. Livestock breeds improve and dairy farming gets a boost as easy transportation enables profitable sale of milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits in mandis. 

2. Roads and Industries

Industries can flourish in a country only when adequate means of transport, especially roads, are available. The importance of roads for industries can be highlighted as:

(i) Helpful in development of cottage and small industries – Cottage and small industries requiring little capital can be set up across different regions including rural areas. Railways cannot reach all places. Good road connectivity can easily link urban and rural areas. Tasks like making available raw materials, capital equipment, distributing finished goods etc. can be carried out conveniently by road transport.

(ii) Important for large industries – Road transport is very important for the development of large industries. These industries get raw materials, machinery, labor etc. and supply finished products to different parts of the country through roads. Rail, air and water transport cannot reach many such destinations. 

(iii) Helps decentralization of industries – To reduce regional disparities, industries should not concentrate in one place but should decentralize. Here, road transport is very useful. With road development, small and medium industries can easily be set up away from big cities as transport connectivity provides link to urban centers. 

3. Other Economic Advantages

Apart from facilitating agricultural and industrial development, road transport provides other economic benefits:

(i) Uniformity in prices – 

Development of roads helps maintain price uniformity across regions as surplus produce can quickly and easily be transported to deficit areas in less time.

(ii) Helpful during famines – 

In case some parts of the country are affected by flood, drought, earthquake etc good road network enables easy and quick supply of food and other items providing relief to people.

(iii) Employment generation – 

Expansion of road transport creates more employment opportunities related to road construction as well as operations of road transport. Thus both skilled and unskilled persons get work.  

(iv) Government revenue – 

Road transport generates tax revenues for the government through taxation of vehicles like buses, trucks, cars, scooters, carts, rickshaws, cycles etc. Freight revenue is also earned from nationalized road transport.

(v) Facilities like electricity, water, telephone etc. – 

Construction of roadways automatically creates a path for laying telephone/electricity poles, water pipelines etc. Otherwise creating routes for these would involve many difficulties.

Social Significance:

Roads are not just economically significant but also have social importance. They facilitate social progress, expansion and spread of knowledge.

1. Decentralization of population – 

Good road transport promotes decentralization of population. With convenient bus services, people prefer open settlements and smaller towns rather than congested urban areas. Faster movement reduces migration towards cities easing pressure. 

2. Availability of social services – 

With expansion of road transport, facilities like hospitals, schools, courts etc become easily accessible to people enabling utilization for welfare.

3. Increase in social knowledge – 

Spread of education happens with road development. Interaction with people of different regions, languages, communities leads to increase in social knowledge. Books, magazines etc also reach remote corners. Literature on development plans, mobile libraries, social films etc also spread with road transport. 

4. Growth in spirit of brotherhood, cooperation – 

People from different religions, regions, castes travel together due to road transport reducing untouchability and growing spirit of brotherhood, cooperation in society.

Political Significance:

Politically too roads are very important:

1. National security – 

For security, road expansion is essential. India has long borders with many countries. Military posts cannot be set up everywhere. Quick and large scale mobilization of troops, arms, supplies etc. from one border to another requires good road connectivity across the country. 

2. Administrative functions – 

Law and order are administrative responsibilities. Roads facilitate performance of these duties. Different areas need localized control centers with coordination facilitated by good road connectivity.

3. National integration – 

Joint travel brings people from diverse regions, languages, religions together enhancing understanding and unity thereby strengthening national integration.

In essence, roads are vital for economic, social and political development of the country.