The road, rail, water and air networks that hold a subcontinent together.
India has one of the world's largest road networks. National Highways (under NHAI) form the primary arterial network, including the Golden Quadrilateral (connecting Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata) and the North-South and East-West Corridors. The Bharatmala Pariyojana is the current umbrella programme for highway development.
Indian Railways is among the world's largest rail networks, organised into zones. Dedicated Freight Corridors (Eastern and Western) are being built to separate freight from passenger traffic and speed up cargo movement. Railways favour bulk, long-distance freight movement (coal, ore, cement), while roads dominate short-distance and door-to-door transport.
India has 12 major ports (including Jawaharlal Nehru Port near Mumbai, the largest container port) and about 200 minor/intermediate ports, handling the bulk of India's international trade by volume. National Waterways (inland water transport) are being developed under the Jal Marg Vikas Pariyojana, with NW-1 on the Ganga being a flagship project.
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