Even though the Railways are the most pervasive mode of transport in India, it is the road transport which received the maximum impetus in most of the post-independence period. Which of the following are the reasons for this ? I. > Railways are cheap to o

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Q: 82 (IAS/1994)
Even though the Railways are the most pervasive mode of transport in India, it is the road transport which received the maximum impetus in most of the post-independence period.
Which of the following are the reasons for this ?
I. Railways are cheap to operate but the associated capital costs are very high.
II. Given the geographic spread of the human settlements, it is unrealistic that the railways alone can serve the needs of transport.
III. The per unit (tonne/km) cost of transport is cheaper in road compared to rail transport.
IV. Given the indivisible nature of the Railways, it is not always convenient for the population to avail of it with the same ease as private cars, buses or two-wheelers.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below

question_subject: 

Geography

question_exam: 

IAS

stats: 

0,98,73,31,98,16,26

keywords: 

{'rail transport': [0, 1, 0, 0], 'railways': [1, 0, 2, 3], 'road transport': [0, 1, 4, 2], 'transport': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'buses': [0, 1, 0, 1], 'india': [8, 1, 7, 13], 'associated capital costs': [0, 1, 0, 0]}

The options given relate to the reasons for road transport receiving maximum impetus in India post-independence.

Option 1 includes I, II, and III, but III is incorrect because the per unit cost of transportation is actually cheaper in rail transport than in road transport.

Option 2, the correct answer, includes I, II, and IV. I is a valid reason due to the high capital costs of railways. II also holds as the vast geographic spread of human settlements cannot be solely served by railways. IV explains the convenience factor - private vehicles are often more easily accessible and convenient than railways.

Option 3 includes I, III, and IV. However, as already mentioned, III is incorrect as rail transport is cheaper per unit than road transport.

Option 4, which includes II, III, and IV, is incorrect due to III`s incorrect assertion about costs.