highways

India's first Intelligent Transport System has been launched in ___?
[A]Ahmedabad
[B]Mysore
[C]Kochi
[D]Jaipur
Mysore
The cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore boasts of country’s first Intelligent
Transport System, which is launched with the help of central government. At
present 500 buses, 105 bus stops and six major bus stands with 45 platforms are
covered under the system in Mysore city. It is implemented in Mysore as a pilot
project at a cost of 23 crore rupees. Once successful, the project will be replicated
in other cities of the country.

Important National Highways

National Highway	Route	Distance
NH-1	Jalandhar – Uri	663
NH-1A	New Delhi-Ambala-Jalandhar-Amritsar	456
NH-2	Delhi-Mathura-Agra-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi-Kolkata	1465
NH-3	Agra-Gwalior-Nasik-Mumbai	1161
NH-4	Thane and Chennai via Pune and Belgaun	1235
NH-5	Kolkata - Chennai	1533
NH-6	Kolkata – Dhule	1949
NH-7	Varanasi – Kanyakumari	2369
NH-8	Delhi-Mumbai-(vai Jaipur, Baroda and Ahmedabad)	1428
NH-9	Mumbai-Vijaywada	841
NH-10	Delhi-Fazilka	403
NH-11	Agra- Bikaner	582
NH-12	Jabalpur-Jaipur	890
NH-13	Sholapur-Mangalore	691
NH-15	Pathankot-Samakhiali	1526
NH-17	Panvel-Edapally	1269
NH-22	Ambala-Shipkitr	459
NH-28	Lucknow-Barauni	570
NH-31	Barhi-Guwahati	1125
NH-37	Panchratna (near Goalpara) – Saiknoaghat	680
NH-44	Shillong-Sabroom	630
NH-49	Cochin-Dhanshkodi	440
NH-52	Baihata-Junction NH-47 (near Saikhoaghat)	850
NH-58	Delhi-Mana	538
NH-65	Ambala-Pali	690
NH-75	Gwalior-Ranchi	955
NH-76	Pindwara-Allahabad	1007
NH-78	Katni-Gumla	559
NH-86	Kanpur-Dewas	674
NH-91	Ghaziabad-Kanpur	405
NH-150	Aizawl-Kohima	700
NH-200	Raipur-Chandikhal	740
NH-205	Ananthapur-Chennai	442
NH-209	Dindigul-Bengaluru	456
NH-211	Solapur-Dhule	400
NH-217	Raipur-Gopalpur	508
NH-220	Kallam (Quilon)-Teui	265

Grand Trunk Road

The Grand Trunk Road is one of South Asia's oldest and longest major roads. For several centuries, it has linked the eastern and western regions of the Indian subcontinent, running from Chittagong, Bangladesh through to Howrah, West Bengal in India, across north India into Peshawar (in present day Pakistan), up to Kabul, Afghanistan. Its former names include Uttarapatha ("the road to north"), Shah Rah-e-Azam ("great road") or Sadak-e-Azam or Badshahi Sadak.

The route spanning the GT road existed during the Mauryan Empire, extending from the mouth of the Ganges to the north-western frontier of the Empire.^[1] The modern road was built by Sher Shah Suri, who renovated and extended the ancient route in the 16th century.

History

In ancient times, the term Uttarapatha (from the Sanskrit terms uttara, for north, and patha for road/path) referred to thenorthern high road, the main trade route that followed along the river Ganges, crossed the Gangetic plain, ran through thePunjab to Taxila (Gandhara) and further to Zariaspa or Balkh (Bactria) in Central Asia. The eastern terminus of the Uttarapatha was Tamraliptika (possibly present-day Tamluk) located at the mouth of Ganges in west Bengal. This route became increasingly important due to increasing maritime contacts with the seaports on the eastern coast of India during the Mauryarule. Later, Uttarapatha was the name lent to the vast expanse of region which the northern high road traversed.^{[citation needed]}

For centuries, the Grand Trunk Road has served as the main artery from travel across northern India. A scene from the Ambala cantonment during the British Raj.

Recent research^{[citation needed]} indicates that during the time of the Maurya empire in the 3rd century BC, overland trade between India and several parts of western Asia and the Hellenic world went through the cities of the north-west, primarilyTakshashila (Taxila in present-day Pakistan, see inset in map). Takshashila was well connected by roads with other parts of the Maurya empire. The Mauryas had built a highway from Takshashila to Pataliputra (present-day Patna in India). Chandragupta Maurya had a whole army of officials overseeing the maintenance of this road as told by the Greek diplomatMegasthenes who spent fifteen years at the Mauryan court. Constructed in eight stages, this road is said to have connected the cities of Purushpur, Takshashila, Hastinapur, Kanyakubja, Prayag, Pataliputra and Tamralipta.^[1]

In the 16th century, a major road running across the Gangetic plain was built afresh by Pashtun emperor Sher Shah Suri, who then ruled much of northern India. His intention was to link together the remote provinces of his vast empire for administrative and military reasons. The Sadak-e-Azam ('great road') as it was then known, is universally recognized as having been the precursor of the Grand Trunk Road.

The road was initially built by Sher Shah to connect Agra, his capital, with Sasaram, his hometown. It was soon extended westward to Multan and eastward to Sonargaon in Bengal (now in Bangladesh). While Sher Shah died after a brief reign, and his dynasty ended soon afterwards, the road endured as his outstanding legacy. The Mughals, who succeeded theSuris, extended the road westwards to Kabul in Afghanistan, crossing the Khyber Pass and eastwards to port city ofChittagong. This road was later improved by the British rulers of colonial India. Renamed the "Grand Trunk Road" (sometimes referred to as the "Long Walk"), it was extended to run from Calcutta to Peshawar and thus to span a major portion of India.

Over the centuries, the road, which was one of the most important trade routes in the region, facilitated both travel and postal communication. Even during the era of Sher Shah Suri, the road was dotted with caravansarais (highway inns) at regular intervals, and trees were planted on both sides of the road for shade. The road was well planned, with milestones along the whole stretch. Some of these milestones can still be seen along the present Delhi-Ambala highway. On another note, the road also facilitated the rapid movement of troops and of foreign invaders. It expedited the looting raids, into India's interior regions, of Afghan and Persian invaders and also facilitated the movement of British troops from Bengal into the north Indian plain.

Route

Today, the Grand Trunk Road remains a continuum that covers a distance of over 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi). From its origin at Chittagong, it traverses to Sonargaon in theNarayanganj District of central Bangladesh, it reaches India, passing through Howrah, Bardhaman, Durgapur, Asansol, Dhanbad, Aurangabad, Dehri-on-sone, Sasaram, Mohania,Mughalsarai, Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Kalianpur, Kannauj, Etah, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Delhi, Panipat, Karnal, Ambala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar. Within India, the major portion of the road – the stretch between Howrah to Kanpur is NH-2 and Kanpur to Delhi – is known as National Highway 91 (NH 91) and that between Delhi and Wagah, at the border with Pakistan, is known as NH-1. From the Pakistan border the Grand Trunk Road (part of the N-5) continues north through Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhelum, Rawalpindi,Attock District, Nowshera, Peshawar and Landi Kotal. It then enters Afghanistan through the Khyber pass and continues west through Jalalabad, Surobi and ends at Kabul, a large part of the Afghan leg of Grand Trunk Road is today part of the Jalalabad-Kabul Road.

Modern developments

The Grand Trunk Road continues to be one of the major arteries of India and Pakistan. Pakistan has further developed its own extensive and large network of controlled access Motorways and Expressways which is only of its kind in South Asia. The Indian section is part of the ambitious Golden Quadrilateral project. For over four centuries, the Grand Trunk Road has remained "such a river of life as nowhere else exists in the world"

NH-8----DELHI --MUMBAI


national highways

nh1---
nh2---delhi---- kolkatta

NH-6 ------SECOND LONGEST NATIONAL HIGHWAY OF INDIA

NH--47


NORTH SOUTH CORRIDOR AND EAST WEST CORRIDOR MEET AT JHANSI







NAGPUR PLAN ASSOCIATED WITH----ROAD TRANSPORT


In Jammu and Kashmir, an ambitious project of constructing 6.5 kilometre long tunnel across Jojila Pass on Srinagar- Leh highway

The tunnel that connects the two monuments of historical importance Amber Palace and Jaigarh Fort in the capital city Jaipur of Rajasthan was inaugurated on 30 September 2012 by the Diya Kumari of Jaipur Royal Family and former Rajasthan Tourism Minister Bina Kak. The tunnel is now open for the tourists as well as the historians.

To excavate the tunnels joining the Jaigarh Fort and the Amber palace the Jaigarh Public Charitable Trust and the State government’s Archaeology & Museums Department have entered into an agreement by singing a a contract of public-private partnership. It’s believed the tunnels of the fort were constructed during eighteenth century for managing the evacuation task of the then royal family and the nobleman, under situations of unfortunate attack by enemies.

Z-Morh tunnel is the first of two tunnels that will ensure connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh(LEH) round the year.








Rajinder Pal Singh took charge as Chairman of NHAI (National Highways Authority of India)
 Mr. Singh is an IAS officer of 1976 batch of Andhra Pradesh Cadre (Retired)





Government approves two projects for National Highways
Government approved two highway projects
Projects worth over Rs. 2,330 Crore
Cover Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Kerala
Objective: with a view to expediting the infrastructure work in these states
Includes the project for development of 4 laning of 150 km long Chhattisgarh-Odisha Border -
Aurang section on National Highway-6 in Chhattisgarh
This is also aimed at helping reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic,
plying between the two states
The Cabinet Committee of Infrastructure also gave its nod to the development of four laning of 54
km long Walayar -Vadakkancherry section on National Highway-47 in Kerala
Both these projects are expected to raise the employment potential for local laborers