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CBSE · Class 12 · Social Science

Transport and Communication in India

Standard difficulty · 20 questions · 40 marks · Time: 37 minutes

Name: Date: Score: ____ / 40

Write full answers in Sections B and C. Answers are on the last page — try every question first!

Section A — Choose the correct answer8 × 1 = 8 marks
1.
India’s first train ran in 1853 from Bombay to:
  1. Surat
  2. Nashik
  3. Pune
  4. Thane
2.
Which stretch is NW 2?
  1. the Brahmani and Mahanadi delta channels with the East Coast Canal
  2. stretches of the Godavari and Krishna with the Kakinada–Puducherry canals
  3. the Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri, 891 km
  4. the West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam, 205 km
3.
Where is the headquarters of the South Central Railway zone?
  1. Jabalpur
  2. Prayagraj
  3. Hajipur
  4. Secunderabad
4.
Which describes the Atal Tunnel?
  1. a 9.02 km highway tunnel linking Manali to Lahaul-Spiti
  2. GAIL’s first 1,700 km gas pipeline from Hazira
  3. a 760 km line from Roha to Mangaluru
  4. the old royal road, now from Amritsar to Kolkata
5.
Doordarshan got a separate identity in 1976; the Konkan Railway was completed in 1998. How many years apart were these?
  1. 23 years
  2. 22 years
  3. 32 years
  4. 19 years
6.
About 95% of India’s foreign trade by volume moves by sea. Suppose India traded 1,060 million tonnes of goods in a year. How much would go by sea?
  1. 965 million tonnes
  2. 742 million tonnes
  3. 53 million tonnes
  4. 1,007 million tonnes
7.
National Highways carry about 40% of road traffic. Suppose road traffic were 830 billion vehicle-km. How much would be on National Highways?
  1. 790 billion vehicle-km
  2. 498 billion vehicle-km
  3. 332 billion vehicle-km
  4. 333 billion vehicle-km
8.
Suppose a truck covers 560 km of National Highway at an average of 40 km/h. How many hours does it take?
  1. 14 hours
  2. 28 hours
  3. 16 hours
  4. 40 hours
Section B — Short answer8 × 2 = 16 marks
9.
Name the four categories of roads in India.
10.
Name the headquarters of each Railway zone: (a) Northeast Frontier (b) East Central
11.
Which stretch does each National Waterway cover? (a) NW 4 (b) NW 5
12.
Which came first, and by how many years? (a) airmail began between Prayagraj and Naini (1911) (b) INSAT was set up (1983)
13.
National Highways are about 2% of India’s road length but carry about 40% of road traffic. Suppose a state has 62,000 km of roads. About how many km are National Highways, and how many times their length share is their traffic share?
14.
Explain each term: (a) IRS (b) INSAT
15.
Suppose a railway network of 31,800 km is 90% broad gauge, 5% metre gauge and the rest narrow gauge. How many km of each? (India 2019–20: 63,950 km broad, 2,402 km metre, 1,604 km narrow.)
16.
The Konkan Railway runs 760 km from Roha to Mangaluru, crossing about 146 rivers and streams. Suppose a train averages 95 km/h and leaves Roha at 5:00. How long does the run take, and at what time does it reach Mangaluru?
Section C — Longer answers4 × 4 = 16 marks
17.
Describe the main means of transport in India and factors affecting them.
18.
Match each with its description: (a) Naharkatiya–Barauni pipeline (b) East–West Corridor (c) Grand Trunk road. Choose from: the old royal road, now from Amritsar to Kolkata; Asia’s first cross-country oil pipeline, 1,157 km; a 3,640 km road from Silchar to Porbandar.
19.
(a) Put these in order, earliest first: the Inland Waterways Authority was set up (1986); the Nagpur Plan for roads was drawn up (1943); airmail began between Prayagraj and Naini (1911). (b) How many years from the first to the last? (c) Explain how one of these changed transport or communication in India.
20.
About 95% of India’s foreign trade by volume and 70% by value moves by sea. Suppose a year’s trade were 2,000 million tonnes worth ₹7,800 thousand crore. (a) How many million tonnes go by sea? (b) What value goes by sea? (c) Why are ports so important for India?
AmbifulWorksheets
Practice that never repeats
CBSE · Class 12 · Social Science

Answer key

Transport and Communication in India · AW-12SS-GIC-2026-V1 · For parents — fold back or tear off before handing the sheet to your child.

QAnswerWorking
1(d) Thane—
2(c) the Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri, 891 km—
3(d) Secunderabad—
4(a) a 9.02 km highway tunnel linking Manali to Lahaul-Spiti—
5(b) 22 years1998 − 1976 = 22
6(d) 1,007 million tonnes95% of 1,060
7(c) 332 billion vehicle-km40% of 830
8(a) 14 hours560 ÷ 40
9National Highways, State Highways, District Roads and Rural (and other) Roads.—
10(a) Maligaon (Guwahati) (b) Hajipur—
11(a) stretches of the Godavari and Krishna with the Kakinada–Puducherry canals (b) the Brahmani and Mahanadi delta channels with the East Coast Canal—
12Airmail began between Prayagraj and Naini, by 72 years1983 − 1911
131,240 km; 20 times (40 ÷ 2)2% of 62,000; 40 ÷ 2
14(a) a remote-sensing satellite system (b) a satellite system for telecommunication and weather—
15broad 28,620, metre 1,590, narrow 1,590 km90%, 5% and 5% of 31,800
168 hours; at 13:00760 ÷ 95; 5 + 8
17Roads (85% of passengers, 70% of freight), railways, waterways, airways and pipelines; terrain, climate, population, demand and cost decide their spread.—
18(a) Asia’s first cross-country oil pipeline, 1,157 km (b) a 3,640 km road from Silchar to Porbandar (c) the old royal road, now from Amritsar to Kolkata—
19(a) airmail began between Prayagraj and Naini; the Nagpur Plan for roads was drawn up; the Inland Waterways Authority was set up (b) 75 years (c) Answers will vary; see the chapter.—
20(a) 1,900 million tonnes (b) ₹5,460 thousand crore (c) sea transport is cheapest for bulky goods, and India has a long coastline with 12 major and about 200 minor ports95% of 2,000; 70% of 7,800