Means of Transport and Communication in Haryana

A well-planned and efficient network of transport is an essential component for a developing economy. The Transport Department of Haryana is committed to provide adequate, well coordinated, economical, safe, comfortable and efficient transport services to the people of the state. Transport Department continued to progress forward over the years.

ROAD TRANSPORT :

• Roads are the basic means of communication for the development of any economy. In order to further strengthen the road network and making it more efficient as per traffic requirements, the main emphasis has been laid on the improvement/upgradation of existing roads network, construction of by-passes, bridges/Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and completion of road construction works.

Road Network in State :

ROAD DENSITY :

• Haryana has a total road length of 26,016 km. There are 15 National Highways (NH) with total length of 2,482 km and many State Highways (SH) with total length of 1,801 km. The most remote parts of the state are linked with metalled roads. Grand Trunk Road, commonly abbreviated to GT Road, is one of South Asia's oldest and longest major roads. GT Road is a part of NH-1.
• It passes through the districts of Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Ambala, in North Haryana, where it enters Delhi and subsequently the industrial town of Faridabad on its way. Haryana and Delhi Government has also constructed Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, which has the largest toll plaza in India. Haryana is well connected on the railway network also.

NATIONAL HIGHWAY IN THE STATE :

National Highways in Haryana :

State Highways in Haryana :

EXPRESS WAY IN THE STATE :

Panipat Elevated Expressway :

• It is an Indian elevated expressway located in Panipat, Haryana. The expressway Was built to ease the traffic on NH-1 between Delhi and Amritsar. It is 10 km long. The entire stretch has been developed to a 6-lanes access control highway. The main 6-lanespart of this elevated expressway is in between the Panipat city, the length of which is 3.6 km. This 3.6 km flyover is the longest 6-lanes flyover in India today. This Build Operate Transfer (BOT) Project has been executed by L&T. Panipat Elevated Corridor Limited (L and T PECL).

KMP Expressway (Kundli-Manesar-Palwal) :

• Delhi Western Peripheral expressway or Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP Expressway) is 135.6 km long expressway in Haryana. It was planned to be operational by June, 2009. The expressway acts as a Delhi bypass for traffic coming from North of Delhi on NH-1 and going to South of Delhi on NH-2 or West of Delhi on NH-8. Major Cities - Sonipat (Kundli), Gurgaon (Pachgaon), Mewat (Rozka Meo Industrial Area), Palwal.

Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway :

It is a 28 km long access controlled toll expressway connecting Delhi, the National Capital of India and Gurgaon, an important satellite city of Haryana. The expressway is a part of the Golden Quadrilateral Project, which itself is a part of the National Highway Development Project (NHDP) and emphasises improving road connectivity between four metropolitan cities of India, namely Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata by developing 4-6 lane highways between them. The Rs 10 billion, 47.7 km expressway was inaugurated on 23rd January, 2008. This expressway is a part of NH-8.

Haryana Roadways Engineering Corporation (HREC), Gurgaon :

• The corporation was incorporated in November, 1987 and is registered under Companies Act, 1956. Initially at the time of its incorporation, the authorised share capital of this corporation was Rs. 2.00 crore and now it has been gradually increased upto 6.60 crore.

The main objectives of the HREC are :

• To promote, establish, administer and manage Bus Body Building Workshop.
• To manufacture bus bodies according to design and specifications approved by the company and to import and export buses.
• To procure chassis from the chassis manufactures and also to procure raw material used in the fabrication of bus bodies.

RAILWAYS IN HARYANA :

Haryana is well connected on the rail network. There are about 96 railway stations in Haryana and the important ones among them are located in Kalka, Sirsa, Sonipat, Rewari, Rohtak, Panipat, Narnaul, Narwana, Palwal, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Jagadhari, Faridabad, Bhiwani and Bawal.

The main railway routes passing through Haryana are :

• Amritsar-Delhi                                                                                          . Rewari-Ahmedabad
• Bhiwani-Rohtak-Delhi                                                                             . Ambala-Ferozpur
• Delhi-Ferozpur                                                                                          . Kalka-Jodhpur
• Kalka-Hawrah                                                                                           . Amritsar-Hawrah
• Delhi-Shimla

Rapid Metro Rail, Gurgaon :

• It is an under construction rapid transit system in the Indian city of Gurgaon, Haryana, linked with Delhi Metro System's Yellow Line at Sikandarpur. Rapid Metro Rail, Gurgaon is India's first privately owned and operated metro. The line was built and is being operated by Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon (RMGL), linking the major satellite towns like Faridabad, Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh, Kundli etc.

Main Rail Routes :

• Haryana is connected to all parts of India by broad gauge railway line. The main railway station of Haryana is Chandigarh. The major railway stations in Haryana are Ambala Cantonment, Ambala City, Bahadurgarh, Ballabhgarh, Bawal, Bhiwani, Bhiwani City, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Hisar, Jagadhari, Jakhal Junction, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Loharu, Mahendragarh, Palwal, Sirsa, Sonipat and Kalka.

AIRPORTS IN HARYANA :

• There are seven airports in Haryana namely Ambala Air Force Station, Bhilwara Airport, Bhiwani Airport, Hisar Airport, Kalka Airport, Karnal Airport and Sirsa Air Force Station. These airports serve the purpose of Indian Air Force and not for domestic or international purposes. The only airport, which operates the international and domestic airlines in Haryana is situated in Chandigarh.

Chandigarh Airport :

• It is an airport located in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, India. It is listed as one of the major airports in North India. Instead of leaving the airport as domestic airport, work is underway for an international airport. Airport is being integrated with upcoming Chandigarh International Airport.

Chandigarh International Airport :

• This airport is at 306 acre land of Jheorehri village, near Mohali. The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority has connected this airport with Punjab. It has every modern facility and is mostly made with glass and steel. Major airlines have shown interest in the airport and have started operating from here. Now, Chandigarh Airport is one of the most important airports in the North India. After completion, it will serve the states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. There are about 28 takeoffs and landings per day here.

Hisar Airport :

• It is a public airport at Hisar. It is located 5 km North-East from the city on NH-10. The airfield, spread over 200 acres, was built in 1965, for the Hisar Aviation Club, which later merged with Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation in 1999. The institute continues to provide flight training at the airfield with its fleet of Cessna aircraft. A privately managed service was started from Hisar to Delhi and Patiala in 1971, but was terminated after a period of 6 months. The Delhi Flying Club (DFC) shifted all its flying activities to Hisar from Safdarjung Airport in 2002.

Karnal Airport :

• Karnal Airport is better known as Karnal Flying Club. This is a small airstrip situated about 3 km East of the city of Karnal, in the state of Haryana, it is being used for general aviation and pilot training. The Flying Club has been running at this airfield since 1967. Its operations were expanded in 1999 by merging it with the Hisar Aviation Club and Pinjore Aviation Club. The Haryana State Government approved the plans to develop the airport to operate domestic passenger services in August, 2012.

Cargo Airport :

• The government intends to set-up an international Cargo Airport in the National Capital Region (NCR). Site for the project has been identified at Bhaini Maharajpur and Bhaini Bhairon villages in the state, which is in the NCR. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has undertaken site feasibility study and given its principal clearance for the proposed site. A formal application has been filed with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India for formal approval to the project, which is under its active consideration.

Ambala Air Force Station :

• It is an air base East of the urban Ambala area. This air base was first built in 1948, following the independence of India. It is used for military and government flights. It is also used to fly in politicians and other key people. The Indian Air Force base at Ambala was attacked by the Pakistani Air Force in both the 1965 and 1971 wars.

URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT :

• In the state, more than 34% of the population lives in urban areas. The State Government has provided impetus and would continue to strengthen the financial status of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and provide adequate funds for improving the civic amenities in urban areas. There are 78 ULBs in the state consisting of 9 Municipal Corporations, 19 Municipal Councils and 50 Municipal Committees. For the year 2014-15, a budget provision of 1930.80 crore has been made for Urban Local Bodies Department.
• Government of India has approved seven Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) amounting to Rs. 848.74 crore for the augmentation of water supply, sewerage, solid waste management, construction of houses for the poor, strengthening urban transportation etc under the JNNURM ( Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission).
• Under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT), nine DPRs for integrated solid waste management and sewerage system and sewerage treatment plants for seven towns (Bahadurgarh, Charkhi Dadri, Karnal, Yamunanagar, Ambala, Narnaul and Rohtak) costing of Rs. 201.26 crore were approved by the Government of India. The Central Government had so far released Rs. 123.79 crore and the State Government had contributed 30.95 crore so far as State Share. To implement the approved infrastructure works under the scheme, Rs. 151.37 crore has been utilised upto 31st December, 2014.
• The Government of India had launched a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of urban infrastructure development in satellite towns around mega cities.

COMMUNICATION IN HARYANA :

All India Radio :

a).All India Radio Rohtak : It is the oldest radio station of the state, which was established on 8th May, 1976.
b).All India Radio Kurukshetra : It was established on 24th June, 1991.
c).All India Radio Hisar : It was established on 26th January,1999.

Doordarshan :

• The 1st November, 2002 was the landmark day for Haryana, when the Television Studio Centre alongwith Satellite Earth Station and DD-2 transmitter was commissioned. Narrowcasting from LPT, Hisar was also started simultaneously. Doordarshan Kendra, Hisar is the only Programme Production Centre in Haryana, the studio is housed in Sector-13, Hisar. The inauguration of the Kendra was made by the then Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Smt. Sushma Swaraj in the presence of Shri Om Prakash Chautala, the then Chief Minister of Haryana.

NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINES :

• Punjab Kesari, Jag Bani, Dainik Jagran, The Tribune, Amar Ujala, Hindustan Times, Dainik Bhaskar, The Times of India and Hari-Bhoomi are the major newspapers of Haryana. Government of Haryana has started Press Bhawan, Haryana Press Club to be able to reach the words of masses to the higher powers and authorities.

Dainik Haribhoomi : It is the first National Newspaper published on 5th September 1996 from Rohtak. Haryana's first Hindi newspaper Jain Prakash was published by the first Editor and Journalist Ziyalal Jain in the year 1985.

MOBILE COMMUNICATION :

• Proper communication and good network system is the decisive feature of an emerging state as Haryana. Haryana offers a statewide network for extremely effective telecommunication facilities. Various private sector players as Reliance Infocom, Tata Teleservices, Bharti Telecom, Idea and Vodafone Essar are there for smooth and efficient communication.
• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has their operations in the state. Communication in Haryana is the deliberate and planned approach to connect the state with other parts of India. This network system of Haryana is swift enough to cover major towns like Faridabad, Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh and Kundli.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY, 2000 :

• Information Technology (IT) would have a prominent and progressive role in the new millennium as the single most important enabler for improving efficiency and effectiveness in organisations. The State Government recognises the role of IT as an effective tool in catalysing economic activity, in efficient governance and in developing human resource. This policy seeks a deep impact initiative by the State Government in encouraging replacement of traditional delivery system of public services by IT driven system of governance that works better, costs less and is capable of serving the citizens' needs with ease.
• A high degree of public satisfaction through transparent and efficient functioning of public domain activities would be at the focus of IT initiative. Application of sunrise technologies in transition to a knowledge based society, providing equal opportunity to all in reaping the benefits of development, harnessing vast potential of human endeavour and enriching quality of life shall provide the long-term underpinning of socio-economic transformation of the state. This policy further seeks to facilitate private domain initiative in e--transition of Haryana by providing critical infrastructure, systems framework and enabling environment.

OBJECTIVES :

The objectives of information technology policy, 2000 are as follow :

• Upgrading the standard and quality of administration, particularly in social and public services sector through a process of modernisation and rationalisation of the administrative set-up.
• Providing public centred, efficient and cost-effective government.
• Extensive percolation of IT literacy and education in the state.
• Promoting investments in IT industry.
• Encouraging private sector initiative in IT related infrastructure and services.
• Increasing the share of IT in State Gross Domestic Product.
• Generating IT related employment opportunities.

By: Harman Sandhu