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School Social Studies Gap Book (Classes VI-X themes) · Chapter 4

Transport, Road Safety, Public Facilities, Weavers and Textiles

What to remember

  • Transport moves people and goods by road, rail, water, air and pipeline. Roads carry most local traffic, railways carry bulk goods over long distances, and ports link Andhra Pradesh with the sea trade.
  • Road safety rests on rules: helmets, seat belts, traffic signals and signs, speed limits and zebra crossings. Public facilities such as water, health, education and electricity are provided by the government for all.
  • Andhra Pradesh has a rich handloom tradition (Mangalagiri, Uppada, Venkatagiri, Dharmavaram, Ponduru, Machilipatnam Kalamkari). Making cloth involves growing cotton, spinning, dyeing, weaving and finishing.

1. Means of transport

Transport is the carrying of people and goods from one place to another. Communication is the carrying of messages. Good transport helps trade, jobs, travel, relief work in disasters, and national unity.

ModeStrengthsLimits
RoadwaysDoor-to-door service; good for short and medium distances; can reach villagesSlower for heavy loads; accidents and pollution
RailwaysCheap for bulk goods and long journeys; safeFixed routes; needs stations
WaterwaysCheapest for heavy goods; inland and sea routesSlow; depends on rivers and ports
AirwaysFastest; reaches remote and hilly areasCostly; small loads
PipelinesCarries oil, gas and water continuouslyFixed routes; high set-up cost

Roads in India: National Highways (join states and big cities), State Highways, District roads and village roads. The Golden Quadrilateral joins Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched to connect villages with all-weather roads. The National Highways Authority of India builds and maintains national highways. The national highway along the east coast passes through Andhra Pradesh, and the north-south corridor also crosses the state.

Railways in India: The first passenger train ran in 1853 from Bombay to Thane. India has three main gauges: broad (1.676 m), metre (1 m) and narrow gauge. Broad gauge is now the main standard. Vijayawada is a major rail junction of the state; Visakhapatnam is another important rail centre.

Ports of Andhra Pradesh: Visakhapatnam is a major port; Kakinada, Krishnapatnam, Machilipatnam and others are minor or non-major ports. Waterways include the old Buckingham Canal and National Waterway 4 along the coast, Godavari and Krishna. Airports serve Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Rajamahendravaram, among others.

Pipelines: Natural gas from the Krishna-Godavari basin is carried by pipelines to power and fertiliser plants.

Good transport and the environment: Public transport such as buses and trains carries many people with less fuel per person than cars. Cycling and walking cause no pollution. Cities try to give priority to buses, footpaths and cycle tracks to reduce traffic jams and air pollution.

2. Road safety

Accidents happen because of speeding, drunk driving, mobile use, bad roads, ignoring signals and not using safety gear. The Motor Vehicles Act protects road users and sets penalties for breaking traffic rules.

  • Traffic signals: Red means stop, yellow (amber) means get ready, green means go.
  • Traffic signs: *Mandatory* signs (circular, tell you what you must do, such as "no entry" or speed limit); *cautionary* signs (triangular, warn of danger, such as a sharp turn or school ahead); *informatory* signs (rectangular, give information such as a hospital or petrol pump).
  • Rule of the road: In India vehicles drive on the left side.
  • Safety gear: wear helmets on two-wheelers and seat belts in cars; children need proper restraints.
  • Pedestrians: use footpaths and zebra crossings, look both ways, never run across a road, and use foot-over bridges where they exist. Where there is no footpath, walk on the right side facing the traffic.
  • Cyclists: keep to the left, use lights at night and reflectors, and do not carry more than the cycle can bear.
  • Drivers: need a valid licence, insurance and a pollution certificate; should never drink and drive or use a phone while driving.
  • Emergency numbers: 112 (all-in-one emergency), 108 (ambulance), 100 (police). Help an injured person by calling an ambulance and informing the police; the law protects genuine helpers (Good Samaritans). National Road Safety Month is observed in January.

3. Public facilities

Public facilities are services needed by all people and mainly provided by the government with money collected from taxes: safe drinking water, sanitation and sewerage, electricity, roads, street lighting, public transport, hospitals, schools, anganwadi centres, ration shops (Public Distribution System, PDS), parks and fire services.

  • They are needed because private companies provide them only to those who can pay, and the poor would be left out. Water, health and education are essential for a dignified life, which is part of the right to life (Article 21). The Right to Education Act, 2009 gives free and compulsory education to children aged 6 to 14 (Article 21A).
  • Government role: The Union, State and local governments (gram panchayats, municipalities, corporations) share the work. Local bodies manage drinking water, sanitation, street lights and local roads.
  • Examples: PDS ration shops sell grains at low prices; mid-day meals in schools (now called PM POSHAN); Primary Health Centres; the Jal Jeevan Mission for tap water; and health insurance schemes (national and state-level such as Dr NTR Vaidya Seva, earlier Aarogyasri, in Andhra Pradesh).
  • Problems: unequal access between rich and poor and between cities and villages; shortage of staff; poor maintenance; and growing privatisation. Citizens can ask for better services through gram sabha meetings, complaints, the Right to Information Act, and public pressure.
  • Public and private facilities compared:
Public facilitiesPrivate facilities
Run by governmentRun by individuals or companies
Low or no chargeCharges depend on ability to pay
Aim: welfareAim: profit
Example: government schoolExample: private tuition centre

4. Weavers and textiles

Making cloth: (1) cotton or silk fibre is grown or produced; (2) fibres are cleaned and spun into yarn; (3) yarn is dyed; (4) yarn is woven on a loom into cloth; (5) cloth is finished, printed or embroidered. Weaving may be done on a handloom (human-powered), a powerloom (machine-powered) or in a textile mill.

Handloom centres of Andhra Pradesh

PlaceSpeciality
MangalagiriCotton sarees and fabrics with woven borders
UppadaJamdani silk sarees (a GI-tagged craft)
VenkatagiriFine cotton and silk-cotton sarees
DharmavaramSilk sarees (pattu) with heavy zari borders
PonduruHand-spun Khadi cotton
MachilipatnamKalamkari block-printing with natural dyes
SrikalahastiKalamkari pen-work with natural dyes
Chirala and othersHandloom cotton cloth

Kalamkari means "pen work". Designs of gods, flowers and stories are drawn or block-printed on cotton cloth with natural dyes made from plants and minerals.

History: In the past the Coromandel coast, including Machilipatnam, exported fine cotton cloth, including printed cotton known as chintz, to many countries. Under British rule, cheap mill cloth from Britain and heavy taxes harmed Indian weavers. In the freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi promoted khadi and the charkha, and the swadeshi movement told people to buy Indian goods. National Handloom Day is observed on 7 August, remembering the swadeshi movement of 1905.

Today's problems of weavers: competition from cheap powerloom cloth, middlemen and master weavers who control yarn and sale, rising yarn prices, low wages and debt. Many young people leave the craft.

Support: weavers' cooperative societies; marketing brands such as APCO in Andhra Pradesh; the Handloom Mark and Silk Mark for genuine products; reserved items for handloom; exhibitions; design training; and GI protection for crafts.

Fibres: Natural fibres come from plants (cotton, jute) or animals (silk, wool). Cotton grows well in black soil. Silk comes from the cocoons of silkworms that feed on mulberry leaves; rearing silkworms is called sericulture. Synthetic fibres such as polyester are made in factories. Handloom cloth uses less power and gives work to many families, so it is an eco-friendly livelihood.

Classroom angle: Show real cloth samples, let children identify yarns, and, if possible, visit a weaver. Map the journey of a shirt from cotton field to shop to show many types of livelihood.

Exam traps

  • 1. Mandatory signs are circular, cautionary signs are triangular, and informatory signs are rectangular.
  • 2. Vehicles keep to the left in India; pedestrians walk facing traffic where there is no footpath.
  • 3. 112 is the unified emergency number; 108 is mainly for ambulance.
  • 4. Pochampally is not an Andhra Pradesh handloom centre (it is in Telangana); Mangalagiri, Uppada, Venkatagiri and Dharmavaram are.
  • 5. Kalamkari means pen work; Machilipatnam is known for block printing and Srikalahasti for pen work.
  • 6. Khadi is hand-spun and hand-woven; powerloom cloth is machine-made.
  • 7. National Handloom Day is 7 August, not Independence Day or Gandhi Jayanti.
  • 8. Public facilities aim at welfare; private facilities aim at profit.

One-liners

  • 1. India drives on the left.
  • 2. The first train in India ran in 1853.
  • 3. The Golden Quadrilateral joins four metro cities.
  • 4. Broad gauge is 1.676 m.
  • 5. Visakhapatnam is a major port of Andhra Pradesh.
  • 6. Red means stop, green means go.
  • 7. 112 is the common emergency number.
  • 8. PDS stands for Public Distribution System.
  • 9. The Right to Education Act, 2009 covers children aged 6 to 14.
  • 10. Uppada is famous for Jamdani sarees.
  • 11. Ponduru is famous for khadi.
  • 12. National Handloom Day is 7 August.

Practice questions

  1. Which mode of transport is the cheapest for carrying heavy goods over long distances by water?

    1. Roadways
    2. Airways
    3. Pipelines for solid goods
    4. Waterways
    Answer

    D. Waterways

    Water transport is cheapest for bulky goods.

  2. The first passenger train in India ran in 1853 between

    1. Calcutta and Delhi
    2. Delhi and Agra
    3. Madras and Bangalore
    4. Bombay and Thane
    Answer

    D. Bombay and Thane

    The first line covered about 34 km.

  3. The Golden Quadrilateral joins

    1. Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow and Patna
    2. Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Kochi
    3. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata
    4. Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune
    Answer

    C. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata

    It links the four metro cities.

  4. The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana aims to

    1. build airports
    2. build expressways only
    3. connect villages with all-weather roads
    4. lay railway lines
    Answer

    C. connect villages with all-weather roads

    PMGSY is a rural road scheme.

  5. India has a broad gauge of

    1. 2.000 m
    2. 0.762 m
    3. 1.000 m
    4. 1.676 m
    Answer

    D. 1.676 m

    Broad gauge is 1.676 m wide.

  6. Which is a major port of Andhra Pradesh?

    1. Kandla
    2. Paradip
    3. Haldia
    4. Visakhapatnam
    Answer

    D. Visakhapatnam

    Visakhapatnam is the major port of the state.

  7. Natural gas of the Krishna-Godavari basin is moved mainly by

    1. aircraft
    2. pipelines
    3. bullock carts
    4. ropeways
    Answer

    B. pipelines

    Pipelines carry gas continuously.

  8. In India vehicles are driven on the

    1. left side of the road
    2. middle of the road
    3. side chosen by the driver
    4. right side of the road
    Answer

    A. left side of the road

    India follows left-hand traffic.

  9. A triangular traffic sign is generally a

    1. mandatory sign
    2. parking sign
    3. informatory sign
    4. cautionary sign
    Answer

    D. cautionary sign

    Triangular signs warn of danger ahead.

  10. A circular traffic sign is generally a

    1. cautionary sign
    2. informatory sign
    3. mandatory sign
    4. tourist sign
    Answer

    C. mandatory sign

    Circular signs give orders.

  11. A rectangular sign showing a hospital is a

    1. mandatory sign
    2. informatory sign
    3. prohibitory sign
    4. cautionary sign
    Answer

    B. informatory sign

    It gives information.

  12. At a traffic signal, the yellow (amber) light means

    1. go at full speed
    2. stop for ever
    3. get ready to stop or go
    4. turn left only
    Answer

    C. get ready to stop or go

    Amber warns that the signal is about to change.

  13. The all-in-one emergency number in India is

    1. 100 only
    2. 112
    3. 1098
    4. 1915
    Answer

    B. 112

    112 is the common emergency response number.

  14. The ambulance service helpline commonly used is

    1. 101
    2. 1098
    3. 1930
    4. 108
    Answer

    D. 108

    108 is the ambulance number.

  15. On a road with no footpath, a pedestrian should walk

    1. on the right side, facing the traffic
    2. on the right with back to traffic
    3. on the left with back to traffic
    4. in the middle
    Answer

    A. on the right side, facing the traffic

    Facing traffic lets you see approaching vehicles.

  16. Which of these is the main cause of road accidents?

    1. Using zebra crossings
    2. Keeping to the left
    3. Wearing a helmet
    4. Speeding and drunk driving
    Answer

    D. Speeding and drunk driving

    Unsafe driving causes many accidents.

  17. Public facilities are mainly provided by the

    1. private shopkeepers
    2. government
    3. only foreign companies
    4. only banks
    Answer

    B. government

    They are paid for through taxes.

  18. Free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 is guaranteed by

    1. the Right to Education Act, 2009
    2. the Factories Act
    3. the Motor Vehicles Act
    4. the Consumer Protection Act
    Answer

    A. the Right to Education Act, 2009

    Article 21A and the RTE Act guarantee it.

  19. The ration shop system that sells grains at low prices is called

    1. ICDS
    2. MGNREGS
    3. PDS
    4. RTI
    Answer

    C. PDS

    PDS means Public Distribution System.

  20. Which of these is a public facility?

    1. A government school
    2. A private cinema hall
    3. A private tuition centre
    4. A jewellery shop
    Answer

    A. A government school

    Government schools are run for welfare.

  21. Local bodies such as municipalities are mainly responsible for

    1. defence
    2. foreign trade
    3. drinking water, sanitation and street lights
    4. currency
    Answer

    C. drinking water, sanitation and street lights

    These are local civic functions.

  22. Which is a drawback of heavy dependence on private facilities for basic needs?

    1. Everyone gets equal service
    2. Prices always fall
    3. Profit disappears
    4. The poor may not be able to pay
    Answer

    D. The poor may not be able to pay

    Private services are for those who can pay.

  23. Mangalagiri is famous for

    1. carpets
    2. khadi from hand-spun yarn
    3. cotton sarees and fabrics
    4. Kalamkari pen work
    Answer

    C. cotton sarees and fabrics

    Mangalagiri is a famous handloom cotton centre.

  24. Uppada is famous for

    1. Jamdani silk sarees
    2. Kalamkari block printing
    3. khadi
    4. carpets
    Answer

    A. Jamdani silk sarees

    Uppada Jamdani is a GI-tagged craft.

  25. Ponduru is known for

    1. silk sarees with zari
    2. khadi
    3. Kalamkari
    4. carpets
    Answer

    B. khadi

    Ponduru khadi is hand-spun and hand-woven cotton.

  26. Dharmavaram is well known for

    1. block-printed cotton
    2. khadi
    3. woollen shawls
    4. silk sarees with zari borders
    Answer

    D. silk sarees with zari borders

    Dharmavaram pattu sarees are famous.

  27. Kalamkari literally means

    1. block printing only
    2. knotting
    3. embroidery with beads
    4. pen work
    Answer

    D. pen work

    Kalam means pen.

  28. Machilipatnam is famous for

    1. carpet weaving
    2. Kalamkari block printing
    3. Jamdani weaving
    4. khadi spinning
    Answer

    B. Kalamkari block printing

    It is the block-print Kalamkari centre.

  29. Silkworms feed on the leaves of the

    1. mulberry
    2. mango
    3. neem
    4. teak
    Answer

    A. mulberry

    Sericulture depends on mulberry leaves.

  30. National Handloom Day is observed on

    1. 26 January
    2. 2 October
    3. 7 August
    4. 15 August
    Answer

    C. 7 August

    The day recalls the swadeshi movement of 1905.

  31. Which movement encouraged people to use khadi and Indian goods?

    1. Swadeshi movement
    2. Bhoodan movement
    3. Quit India Movement
    4. Chipko movement
    Answer

    A. Swadeshi movement

    Swadeshi promoted Indian cloth.

  32. Match the pair correctly: place and craft.

    1. Dharmavaram - block printing
    2. Uppada - khadi
    3. Machilipatnam - Kalamkari
    4. Ponduru - Jamdani
    Answer

    C. Machilipatnam - Kalamkari

    Machilipatnam is known for Kalamkari block printing.

  33. Match the pair correctly: sign shape and meaning.

    1. Rectangle - command
    2. Circle - information
    3. Square - warning
    4. Triangle - warning
    Answer

    D. Triangle - warning

    Triangle signs warn; circles command; rectangles inform.

  34. A teacher wants children to understand how a shirt is made. The best activity is to

    1. read a definition twice
    2. trace the journey from cotton field to shop
    3. ask them to memorise a list
    4. give a lecture on trade
    Answer

    B. trace the journey from cotton field to shop

    Tracing the chain makes learning concrete.

  35. Consider the statements on transport. 1. Pipelines are the best way to carry passengers. 2. Railways are suitable for carrying bulk goods over long distances.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Pipelines carry liquids and gases.

  36. Consider the statements on road safety. 1. Zebra crossings are meant for pedestrians. 2. Drivers may use a mobile phone if the road is empty.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Mobile use while driving is unsafe and illegal.

  37. Consider the statements on traffic signs. 1. Informatory signs are triangular. 2. Mandatory signs tell road users what they must do.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Informatory signs are rectangular.

  38. Consider the statements on public facilities. 1. They are funded by taxes. 2. They are meant only for those who can pay.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    They aim to serve all people.

  39. Consider the statements on handlooms. 1. Pochampally is a handloom centre of Andhra Pradesh. 2. Uppada is in Andhra Pradesh and is known for Jamdani.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Pochampally is in Telangana.

  40. Consider the statements on weavers. 1. Weavers often depend on middlemen for yarn and sale. 2. Powerlooms have no effect on handloom weavers.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Cheaper powerloom cloth competes with handloom cloth.

  41. Consider the statements on the history of textiles. 1. Machilipatnam was an old centre of cotton cloth export. 2. Gandhi promoted the charkha and khadi.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

  42. Consider the statements on fibres. 1. Cotton comes from animals. 2. Silk is an animal fibre.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Cotton is a plant fibre.

  43. Consider the statements on transport modes. 1. Airways are the fastest mode. 2. Waterways are the fastest mode.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Waterways are slow but cheap.

  44. Consider the statements on emergency numbers. 1. 112 is a common emergency number. 2. 108 is mainly an ambulance service number.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

  45. Consider the statements on the Kalamkari craft. 1. It is made by knotting yarn before dyeing. 2. It uses natural dyes.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    That describes tie-dye ikat; Kalamkari is pen or block painting.

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