Question

Rail Transport
The Indian Railways network is one of the longest in the world. It facilitates the movement of both freight and passengers and contributes to the growth of the economy. Mahatma Gandhi said, the Indian railways "...brought people of diverse cultures together to contribute to India's freedom struggle". The Indian Railway was introduced in 1853, when a line was constructed from Bombay to Thane, covering a distance of 34 km. The length of the Indian Railways network was 67,956 km (Railway yearbook 2019-20). Its very large size puts a lot of pressure on a centralised railway management system. Thus, in India, the railway system has been divided into 17 zones. Indian Railways has launched an extensive programme to convert the metre and narrow gauges to broad gauge. Moreover, steam engines have been replaced by diesel and electric engines. This step has increased the speed, as well as the haulage capacity. The replacement of steam engines run by coal has also improved the environment of the stations. Metro rail has revolutionlised the urban transport system in India. Replacement of diesel buses by CNG-run vehicles along with the introduction of the metro is a welcome step towards controlling the air pollution in urban centres. Areas around towns, raw material producing areas and plantations and other commercial crops, hill stations and cantonment towns were well-connected by railways from the British colonial era. These were mostly developed for the exploitation of resources. After the Independence of the country, railway routes have been extended to other areas too. The most significant development has been the development of the Konkan Railway along the western coast, providing a direct link between Mumbai and Mangaluru. The railway continues to remain the main means of transport for the masses. The railway network is relatively less dense in the hill states, north eastern states, central parts of India and Rajasthan.

Which of the following has revolutionlised the urban transport system in India?

• A. CNG-Buses
• B. Electrical Vehicles
• C. Metro rail
• D. Bullet Train

Hint:

Find the sentence in the passage that uses the word urban. It names the answer.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a direct-reading question. The passage names one mode of transport as the one that changed city travel.

Step 2: Key Approach:
Scan the passage for the key word urban and see which mode it is joined to.

Step 3: Locate the key word:
The sentence with urban says that Metro rail has revolutionised the urban transport system. The very next sentence talks about CNG vehicles along with the metro.

Step 4: Separate the roles:
CNG vehicles are described as a step to control air pollution. Metro rail is described as the change that revolutionised the system. These are two different ideas.

Step 5: Remove the other choices:
Electrical vehicles are not in the passage. Bullet trains connect cities, so they are not urban transport. Both are rejected.

Step 6: Conclude:
Only Metro rail is tied to the word revolutionised in the text. Therefore option (3) is correct.

Final Answer:
The passage itself says Metro rail revolutionised urban transport, so option (3) is right. \[ \boxed{3} \]