20 multiple-choice (MCQ / objective) questions from this chapter, in every exam-style shape used in the paper. Every question comes with an explanation along with the answer, so you remember why the option is correct, not just which one it is.
1 Direct Questions
Direct Questions
- 1 markWhat is the total length of India’s road network (Annual Report 2020-21)?
(A) About 42 lakh km(B) About 62.16 lakh km(C) About 82 lakh km(D) About 22 lakh km - 1 markThe National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous body under which ministry?
(A) Ministry of Railways(B) Ministry of Civil Aviation(C) Ministry of Surface Transport(D) Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas - 1 markSher Shah Suri’s Shahi (Royal) Road was renamed what, during the British period?
(A) National Highway-1(B) Grand Trunk (GT) Road(C) Golden Quadrilateral(D) Bombay-Calcutta Road - 1 markThe Atal Tunnel is built in which mountain range?
(A) Dhauladhar range(B) Shivalik range(C) Zanskar range(D) Pir Panjal range - 1 markInto how many zones is the Indian Railways network divided, to reduce pressure on centralised management?
(A) 9(B) 12(C) 17(D) 21 - 1 markWhat is the distance between rails in broad gauge?
(A) 1 metre(B) 1.676 metre(C) 0.762 metre(D) 0.610 metre - 1 markUnder the National Waterways Act, 2016, how many inland waterways were declared National Waterways?
(A) 111(B) 95(C) 75(D) 150 - 1 markIn which year was Oil India Limited (OIL) incorporated as a company?
(A) 1947(B) 1959(C) 1966(D) 1984
2 Assertion-Reason
Assertion-Reason
- 1 markAssertion (A): National Highways constitute only about 2 per cent of India’s total road length.
Reason (R): National Highways nonetheless carry about 40 per cent of the road traffic.
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A(C) A is true, R is false(D) A is false, R is true - 1 markAssertion (A): There is regional variation in the density of rural roads in India.
Reason (R): This density is influenced by the nature of the terrain.
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A(C) A is true, R is false(D) A is false, R is true - 1 markAssertion (A): The Konkan Railway is considered an engineering marvel.
Reason (R): It crosses 146 rivers and streams, nearly 2,000 bridges and 91 tunnels.
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A(C) A is true, R is false(D) A is false, R is true
3 Match the Following
Match the Following
- 1 markMatch List-I (Road category, Table 7.1) with List-II (Length in km, 2020):
(i) National Highways (ii) State Highways (iii) Other Roads (iv) Total
(1) 1,76,818 (2) 62,15,797 (3) 1,36,440 (4) 59,02,539
(A) (i)-1, (ii)-3, (iii)-2, (iv)-4(B) (i)-3, (ii)-4, (iii)-1, (iv)-2(C) (i)-3, (ii)-1, (iii)-4, (iv)-2(D) (i)-4, (ii)-1, (iii)-3, (iv)-2 - 1 markMatch List-I (National Waterway, Table 7.3) with List-II (Stretch):
(i) NW 1 (ii) NW 2 (iii) NW 3 (iv) NW 5
(1) Kottapuram-Kollam (2) Sadiya-Dhubri (3) Specified stretch of river Brahmani (4) Prayagraj-Haldia
(A) (i)-2, (ii)-4, (iii)-3, (iv)-1(B) (i)-4, (ii)-1, (iii)-2, (iv)-3(C) (i)-1, (ii)-2, (iii)-4, (iv)-3(D) (i)-4, (ii)-2, (iii)-1, (iv)-3
4 Statement-Based Questions
Statement-Based Questions
- 1 markConsider the following statements:
Statement I: The total length of metre gauge lines in India was 2,402 km in 2019-20.
Statement II: The total length of metre gauge was less than that of narrow gauge.
(A) Only Statement I is correct(B) Both statements are correct(C) Only Statement II is correct(D) Both statements are incorrect
5 Arrange in the Correct Order
Arrange in the Correct Order
- 1 markArrange the following in chronological order:
(i) Renamed All India Radio (ii) Renamed Akashwani (iii) Government control under the Indian Broadcasting System (iv) Start of radio broadcasting in India
(A) Government control (IBS) → Broadcasting begins → Renamed All India Radio → Renamed Akashwani(B) Broadcasting begins → Renamed All India Radio → Government control (IBS) → Renamed Akashwani(C) Broadcasting begins → Government control (IBS) → Renamed All India Radio → Renamed Akashwani(D) Renamed Akashwani → Renamed All India Radio → Government control (IBS) → Broadcasting begins
6 Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the Blanks
- 1 markThe Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was established in ________.
(A) January 1950(B) August 1965(C) March 1970(D) May 1960
7 Odd One Out
Odd One Out
- 1 markWhich of the following is NOT a means devised to transport specific goods under special circumstances?
(A) Ropeways(B) Cableways(C) Pipelines(D) National Highways
8 Passage-Based Questions
Passage-Based Questions
Passage
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was operationalised in 1995. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Surface Transport. It is entrusted with the responsibility of development, maintenance and operation of National Highways. This is also the apex body to improve the quality of the roads designated as National Highways. NHAI has taken up some major projects in the country under different phases. The Golden Quadrilateral comprises construction of 5,846-km long 4/6 lane, high density traffic corridor, to connect India’s four big metro cities of Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata.
- 1 mark(Based on the passage) In which year was NHAI operationalised?
(A) 1988(B) 1990(C) 1995(D) 2000
Passage
The World’s longest highway tunnel, Atal Tunnel (9.02 km), has been built by the Border Roads Organisation. This tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year. Earlier the valley was cut off for about 6 months each year owing to heavy snowfall. The tunnel is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3,000 metres from the Mean Sea Level (MSL).
- 1 mark(Based on the passage) What is the length of the Atal Tunnel?
(A) 6.5 km(B) 11.02 km(C) 5.02 km(D) 9.02 km
9 True / False
True / False
- 1 markChoose the correct statements:
(i) Indian Railways was introduced in 1853.
(ii) Indian Railways is divided into 17 zones.
(iii) Metre gauge is wider than broad gauge.
(A) Only (i) and (ii)(B) Only (ii) and (iii)(C) Only (i) and (iii)(D) All are correct
Answer Key and Explanations
Direct Questions
- (B) The chapter states India has one of the second largest road networks in the world, with a total length of about 62.16 lakh km (morth.nic.in, Annual Report 2020-21).
- (C) The chapter states the NHAI is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Surface Transport, operationalised in 1995.
- (B) The chapter states this road was renamed the Grand Trunk (GT) road during the British period, connecting Calcutta and Peshawar; at present it extends from Amritsar to Kolkata.
- (D) The chapter states the Atal Tunnel (9.02 km) is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas, at an altitude of 3,000 metres from the Mean Sea Level.
- (C) The chapter states that because of its very large size, the railway system in India has been divided into 17 zones.
- (B) The chapter states the distance between rails in broad gauge is 1.676 metre; its total length was 63,950 km in 2019-20.
- (A) The chapter states 111 inland waterways (including 5 national waterways declared earlier) were declared as National Waterways by the National Waterways Act, 2016.
- (B) The chapter states OIL was incorporated in 1959 as a company, engaged in the exploration, production and transportation of crude oil and natural gas.
Assertion-Reason
- (B) Both A and R are the chapter’s own facts and both are true, but R does not explain WHY National Highways are only 2% of the road length; it states a separate, contrasting fact about their share of traffic, so R is not the correct explanation of A.
- (A) Both statements are the chapter’s own: it says there is regional variation in the density of rural roads because these are influenced by the nature of the terrain, so R correctly explains A.
- (A) Both are the chapter’s own facts and true. Crossing 146 rivers/streams, nearly 2,000 bridges and 91 tunnels is exactly why the chapter calls the Konkan Railway an engineering marvel, so R correctly explains A.
Match the Following
- (C) Table 7.1 (2020) gives National Highways 1,36,440 km, State Highways 1,76,818 km, Other Roads 59,02,539 km and Total 62,15,797 km.
- (D) Table 7.3 gives NW 1 as the Prayagraj-Haldia stretch (1,620 km), NW 2 as the Sadiya-Dhubri stretch (891 km), NW 3 as the Kottapuram-Kollam stretch (205 km), and NW 5 as the specified stretch of river Brahmani (588 km).
Statement-Based Questions
- (A) Statement I is correct: metre gauge totalled 2,402 km in 2019-20. Statement II is wrong: narrow gauge totalled only 1,604 km, which is less than metre gauge, not more.
Arrange in the Correct Order
- (C) Radio broadcasting started in 1923, came under government control as the Indian Broadcasting System in 1930, was renamed All India Radio in 1936, and was renamed Akashwani in 1957.
Fill in the Blanks
- (D) The chapter states the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was established in May 1960.
Odd One Out
- (D) The chapter states ropeways, cableways and pipelines were devised to cater to the demands of transporting specific goods under special circumstances; National Highways are an ordinary road category, not a special-purpose mode.
Passage-Based Questions
- (C) The passage states NHAI was operationalised in 1995.
- (D) The passage states the Atal Tunnel is 9.02 km long.
True / False
- (A) (i) and (ii) are the chapter’s own facts. (iii) is wrong: broad gauge (1.676 m) is wider than metre gauge (1 m), not the other way round.
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