Unit 5.5: Transportation and Communication

Means of Transportation and current situation

Transportation is the facility that carries people and goods from one place to another. The major means of transportation are as follows:

1. Surface Transport: It includes road, railway, ropeway, trolley bus/cable car.
a) Road Transport:
• Total length of road in 2007 B.S. = 376 km
• Total length of road in 2019/20 AD : Approx. 35000 km
• Means of transportation: Bus, minibus, cars, motorcycles etc.
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b) Railway: Janakpur – Jayanagar (52km), constructed in 1936 AD.
c) Ropeway:
Kathmandu – Hetauda : Not in operation
Kurintar – Manakamana : 3.1 km
Kathmandu – Chandragiri : 3 km
d) Trolley Bus: Tripureshwor – Suryabinayak (13 km)

2. Air Transport:
• Started on regular basis in 1953 AD
• RNAC was established in 1958 AD
• Number of Airport: 54 including 2 international airport
• Number of Helipads: 120
• Major Airlines: NAC, Buddha Air, Yeti Air, Saurya Air, Tara Air, Shree Air, Guna Air, Sita Air etc.

Means of Communication and current situation

1. Postal Service:
• Started in 1935 BS
• One general post office (GPO) and to district post office.
• Express Postal Service
• Foreign courier service in 38 countries.

2. Telecommunication:
• Telecommunication department was established in 2016 BS
• Number of exchange office : 159
• Area covered by mobile service : 96%
• Major telecommunication service providers : Ncell, NTC, UTL, Smart cell etc.

3. Radio Broadcasting Service:
• Radio Nepal was established in 2007 BS
• FM service started in 1995 AD
• Major radio/FM Service: Radio Nepal, Kantipur etc.

4. Television Service:
• NTV started in 2041 BS
• More than 72% population can watch TV.
• More than 50% area is covered by TV Service.
• Major TV’s : NTV, Kantipur, Himalaya TV etc.

5. Newspaper: Gorkhapatra Daily, Kantipur, Himalayan times etc.

6. Email / Internet: CG, Worldlink, Vianet, NTC, Classictech, Subisu etc.

Role Of Transportation and Communication

They are the basis for economic and social development of a country. The development of transportation and communication opens the door for the development of all sectors of economy. The role of transportation and communication is listed below:

1. Development of Agriculture: Road transport plays an important role in agricultural development. This is because it is the major means of transporting agricultural produce from the farms to the markets as well as to various urban communities. This study examines the impact of road transport on agricultural development in Ilorin East L.G.A of Kwara State. It employs the use of both primary and secondary data. One hundred and fifty copies of questionnaire were distributed systematically to the farmers in the study area. Focus group discussion was also used to obtain information on the impact of road transport on rural development as a whole. Descriptive and analytical statistical methods were both employed to analyze the data gathered. The findings showed that road transport has both positive and negative impact on agricultural development in the study area. However, the bad conditions of the road affect cost of transportation of agricultural produce which in turn affect the rural farmers’ income. This study concludes by suggesting that an improvement in road transport system will lead to increased production by farmers. Community participation in road transport development should also be encouraged in the study area.

2. Development of Industry: A good transport system can broaden the market for goods. It can also make the movement of raw materials, fuel, equipment, etc. to the places of production easy. Further, it opens up remote regions as well as resources for production. Also, as transport facilities increase, the demand for motor vehicles, locomotives, ships, etc. increases too.

3. Development of Tourism: All transport modes are very important for tourism because they facilitate the movement of tourists from the place of departure to the place of destination. Transportation enables to transport the tourists to locations where other (tourism) services are provided.