Transport and Infrastructure in Rajasthan
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Transport and Infrastructure in Rajasthan
राजस्थान में परिवहन एवं आधारभूत संरचना
Road Network Architecture (Total length 2,78,813 km, Road Density 81.47 km per 100 sq km vs National 165.23 km, Black Topped 1.95L km, Unsurfaced 63,184 km, 89.4% village road connectivity), National Highways New Numbering (NH-48, NH-27, NH-52, NH-62, NH-68, NH-11, NH-21, NH-919 shortest 5 km), Mega Expressways (Delhi-Mumbai NE-4 374 km in Raj, Amritsar-Jamnagar Corridor NH-754K, Kota Chambal Cable-Stayed Bridge, NH-925A Gandhav-Bakhasar Emergency Landing Airstrip), Railways Infrastructure (6,019 km route length, 5,998 km Broad Gauge 99.6%, NWR HQ Jaipur with 4 divisions Jaipur-Jodhpur-Ajmer-Bikaner, WCR Kota division, Bandikui-Agra Fort 1874 first train, Nawa RDSO high-speed test track, Ajmer Loco Workshop 1895, Bhagat ki Kothi depot, Vande Bharat, Palace on Wheels 1982), Western Dedicated Freight Corridor WDFC (565 km 38.6% in Raj, Phulera yard, world-record 1.5 km double-stack electric container trains), DMIC Nodes (39% influence area, KBNIR Neemrana-Bhiwadi Japanese Zones, JPMIA Jodhpur-Pali-Marwar), Civil Aviation (Jaipur International CAT-IIIB ILS Adani PPP, Dabok Maharana Pratap Udaipur, Kishangarh Marble Airport, Civil Enclaves at Jodhpur, Bikaner Nal, Jaisalmer, Uttarlai Barmer, Shambhupura Kota greenfield, UDAN scheme, Banasthali FTO), Dry Ports & Logistics (RAJSICO ICDs Jaipur Mansarovar, Jodhpur Basni, Kota Rawtha Road, Bhilwara, Sanganer Air Cargo Complex & Perishable Centre, CONCOR Kanakpura & Bhagat ki Kothi, MMLPs under PM Gati Shakti), Jaipur Metro (JMRC 2010, Phase 1A Mansarovar-Chandpole 2015, Phase 1B Badi Chaupar underground 2020, Phase 1C/1D/2 Sitapura-Ambabari), State Transport Institutions (RSRTC 1964, RSRDC 2001, RSRDF Act 2004 cess, REVP 2022 EV policy, PM e-Bus Sewa, ADTT automated driving tracks).
Transport and Infrastructure in Rajasthan (राजस्थान में परिवहन एवं आधारभूत संरचना)
1. Road Transport Infrastructure and Statistical Profile#
Road Statistics (Economic Review 2023-24)#
- **Total Road Length:** As of 31 March 2023, the aggregate road network in Rajasthan stood at **2,78,813.23 km** (surpassing 2.78 lakh km).
- In 1949 (Integration of Rajasthan): Only 13,553 km.
- **Road Density:**
- Rajasthan Road Density: **81.47 km per 100 sq km**.
- All-India Road Density: **165.23 km per 100 sq km**.
- Comparison: Rajasthan's road density is nearly half the national average because over 60% of the state's geography comprises the sparsely populated Thar Desert.
- **Road Length per Lakh Population:** Approximately 408 km in Rajasthan (substantially higher than national average) due to vast distances connecting remote rural settlements.
- **Classification of Roads:**
1. National Highways (NH): approx. 10,706 km
2. State Highways (SH): approx. 17,233 km
3. Major District Roads (MDR): approx. 13,270 km
4. Other District Roads (ODR): approx. 54,545 km
5. Village / Rural Roads (PMGSY etc.): approx. 1,83,059 km (Largest segment)
2. National Highways and Access-Controlled Expressways#
MoRTH Numbering Framework#
- **North-South Highways:** Assigned Even numbers (e.g., NH 44, NH 48, NH 52, NH 62, NH 68).
- **East-West Highways:** Assigned Odd numbers (e.g., NH 11, NH 21, NH 27).
Major National Highways#
1. **NH 48 (Old NH 8):**
- Delhi - Jaipur - Ajmer - Udaipur - Ahmedabad - Mumbai.
- Busiest industrial artery; key component of the Golden Quadrilateral.
2. **NH 27 (Old NH 76):**
- Porbandar (Gujarat) to Silchar (Assam) forming the **East-West Corridor**.
- Alignment in Rajasthan: Pindwara (Sirohi) - Udaipur - Chittorgarh - Kota - Baran.
3. **NH 52 (Old NH 12 and others):**
- Sangrur (Punjab) to Ankola (Karnataka).
- Rajasthan route: Churu - Sikar - Jaipur - Tonk - Bundi - Kota - Jhalawar.
4. **NH 62 (Old NH 15 Northern Segment):**
- Abohar (Punjab) to Pindwara (Sirohi) via Sri Ganganagar - Suratgarh - Bikaner - Nagaur - Jodhpur - Pali.
5. **NH 68 (Old NH 15 Southern Segment):**
- Jaisalmer - Barmer - Sanchore - Radhanpur (Gujarat); critical border trade and defence route.
6. **NH 919 (Old NH 71B):**
- Shortest National Highway in Rajasthan (approx. 5 km near Bhiwadi, Alwar).
Access-Controlled Expressways#
1. **Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (NE-4):**
- 8-lane access-controlled greenfield expressway spanning 1,386 km.
- Rajasthan stretch: **approx. 374 km** traversing Alwar, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Bundi, and Kota.
- Section 1 (Sohna-Dausa-Lalsot, 246 km) dedicated in February 2023.
2. **Amritsar-Jamnagar Economic Corridor (NH-754K / NE-5):**
- 1,257 km corridor linking northern refineries to Gujarat ports.
- Rajasthan stretch: **approx. 637 km** across Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Barmer, and Sanchore.
3. Rural Road Connectivity and Institutions#
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)#
- Launched on 25 December 2000.
- Connects habitations with 500+ population in general areas and 250+ in desert/tribal tracts with all-weather roads.
- Over 99% of eligible habitations in Rajasthan are connected. PMGSY-III focuses on upgrading routes connecting rural hats, schools, and hospitals.
Road Development Agencies#
- **Rajasthan State Road Development and Construction Corporation (RSRDC):**
- Incorporated in 1979 (formerly RSBCC), executing bridges, toll highways, and BOT infrastructure.
- **Rajasthan State Road Fund (RRFD Act, 2004):**
- Financed through a dedicated cess on petrol and diesel.
4. Railway Network and Zones in Rajasthan#
Rail Profile#
- Total rail route length: **6,019 km** (as of 31 March 2023).
- **Project Unigauge:** Broad Gauge (1.676 m) accounts for over 90% of the network.
North Western Railway (NWR)#
- **Headquarters:** **Jaipur** (established 1 October 2002).
- Comprises 4 divisions:
1. Jaipur Division
2. Jodhpur Division
3. Ajmer Division
4. Bikaner Division
- **West Central Railway (WCR):**
- Headquarters: Jabalpur (MP).
- Rajasthan's **Kota Division** belongs to WCR (located on the main Mumbai-Delhi arterial route).
Historic Railway Milestones#
- First railway in Rajasthan: **April 1874** between **Bandikui and Agra Fort** under the Jaipur Princely State.
- Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat Express: Flagged off on **12 April 2023** on the **Ajmer-Jaipur-Delhi Cantt** route.
5. Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) and Logistics#
Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (Western DFC)#
- Origin: Dadri (UP) to Destination: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT, Navi Mumbai), length: **1,506 km**.
- **Length in Rajasthan:** **approx. 565 km (approx. 39% - longest alignment in any state)**.
- Traverses: Alwar, Sikar, Jaipur (Phulera Junction), Ajmer, Pali (Marwar Junction), and Sirohi (Abu Road).
- **Phulera Junction:** Major operational hub and crew changing point on the corridor.
- Accommodates double-stack container trains operating at 100 km/h.
Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)#
- 150 km influence zone on either side of the Western DFC. Rajasthan represents approx. **39%** of the national DMIC influence area.
- Major Investment Nodes:
1. Khushkhera-Bhiwadi-Neemrana Investment Region (KBNIR).
2. Jodhpur-Pali-Marwar Industrial Area (JPMIA).
6. Inland Container Depots (ICDs) / Dry Ports#
- As a landlocked state, Rajasthan relies on Inland Container Depots (ICDs) or dry ports for local customs clearance and export logistics.
- RAJSICO (Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation):
- Operates state public sector dry ports at:
- Mansarovar / Sanganer (Jaipur)
- Basni (Jodhpur)
- Rawtha Road (Kota)
- Bhilwara
- CONCOR: Operates major ICDs including Kanakpura (Jaipur) and Jodhpur.
7. Civil Aviation and Airports in Rajasthan#
Operational Airports (AAI / Civil Enclaves)#
1. **Jaipur International Airport (Sanganer):**
- Sole international airport in Rajasthan (accorded international status in 2005).
- Currently managed under a 50-year PPP concession by Adani Airport Holdings.
2. **Maharana Pratap Airport (Dabok, Udaipur):** Major tourism and commercial airport.
3. **Jodhpur Civil Enclave:** Joint civil aviation terminal at IAF airbase.
4. **Bikaner Airport (Nal):** Civil enclave.
5. **Kishangarh Airport (Ajmer):** Greenfield airport catering to the marble hub and Ajmer-Pushkar pilgrimage.
6. **Kota Airport:** New greenfield airport being developed at Shambhupura.
7. **Jaisalmer Airport:** Tourism and border civil enclave.
8. **Uttarlai (Barmer):** Newly commissioned civil passenger terminal under UDAN.
8. Jaipur Metro Rail Project#
System Overview#
- **Operator:** **Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC)**, incorporated 1 January 2010.
- **Phase 1-A (Pink Line):** Mansarovar to Chandpole (9.63 km, commercial run began **3 June 2015**).
- **Phase 1-B (Underground Heritage Extension):** Chandpole to Badi Chaupar (2.12 km, opened **23 September 2020**).
- **Phase 1-C:** Badi Chaupar to Transport Nagar (under execution).
- **Phase 1-D:** Mansarovar to 200 ft Ajmer Road bypass.
- **Phase 2 (Orange Line):** Sitapura Industrial Area to Ambabari (23.5 km proposed).
9. Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) and Policy Framework#
- Developing integrated Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) in Jaipur (Phulera/Kishangarh) and Jodhpur to integrate road, rail, and warehousing services.
- Reduces freight handling costs and accelerates export turnaround times for Rajasthan's manufacturing clusters.