Air transport in India
Topic: Transport and Communication in India · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 7 "Transport and Communication"
Meaning
Air transport is the fastest and most comfortable way to travel. It suits a large country like India, where the land and climate change a lot from place to place. Planes can cross mountains, forests and rivers that slow down roads and railways. Air transport in India began in 1911 with an airmail flight of 10 km between Prayagraj and Naini. It grew mainly after Independence. The Airports Authority of India (1995) runs air traffic services and aeronautical communication, which means the radio links between pilots and the ground.
Example
Flying is the preferred way to travel in India's North-East. The region has big rivers, broken land, thick forests, floods and international borders, so roads and railways are hard to build there. Pawan Hans runs helicopter services to the North-East and to ONGC's oil rigs at sea.
Don't confuse with
- UDAN: this is a 2016 scheme that gives money to make small regional routes worth flying. It is one part of air transport, not the whole system.