By Gopi Birla Memorial School, Mumbai

Pooja Jhunjhunwala
Vidhi Shah
Bhakti Vaidya

Transport in India is broadly classified as air, rail, road and water.

Road Travel includes Rickshaw.
Motor Assisted Rickshaw : An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a tin/iron body resting on three small wheels (one in front, two on the rear), a small cabin for the driver (called an auto-wallah in some areas) in the front and seating for three in the rear. Autos are generally fitted with a motorcycle version of a two-stroke engine with a handlebar for control (again like motorcycles) instead of a steering wheel, effectively making them a three-wheeler motorcycle carrying passengers on the rear seat. This yellow-black vehicle is a unique one. It can take you wherever you want to go at the minimum cost of Rs.9 and is very cheap. The rickshaw driver will readily take you to the required destination whether the path is on a smooth highway or rough lane. It is a very convenient means of transport as one can travel comfortably in it. It may not be as economical as a bus or a train but it can drop you at the very point you want to reach. It has an airy interior as it has no windows to be closed.

Railway
The first train in India was started on April 16, 1853 by Lord Dalhousie, which ran from Mumbai to Thane. Trains are designed to accommodate about eighteen coaches and seventy-two passengers in each coach approximately. There are special trains in India which all foreign visitors must travel on like the Palace on Wheels - a Royal train, the Rajdhani Express, the Shatabdi express, etc, which are luxury trains. The local railway network in Mumbai is truly called the lifeline of the city. Everyday thousands of people travel from one corner of the city to another. They are very economical at just Rs.4 for 8 kms, which is one of the reasons for its popularity. In Mumbai, train frequency is every three minutes. It is recommended as it can carry many passengers at a time and hence, causes the least air pollution. But one of its drawbacks is that the chances of being robbed are many. Trains are not very comfortable if you wish to travel at about ten in the morning. Around this time the trains are the most crowded; so much so that most of you will be hanging outside the train just grasping the long metal handle that is attached near the door. One needs to have very well-honed survival skills to be able to travel by train. The Central and Western Railways jointly manage Mumbai’s rail transport. It has three lines, one managed by the Western Railway and the other two by Central railway. In Mumbai two compartments are devoted to women alone. Two places in India, namely, Delhi and Kolkata are the only ones to possess underground metro railway.

Camel safari
Camel safari is one of the unique ways to explore small villages in Rajasthan. Camel safaris at the top of this “ship of the desert” is the most exciting and soft adventure. Riding a camel is not as easy as people consider. It is neither the greatest test for endurance. It is a great experience to explore. Camel safaris in Rajasthan compromise of many grades and cover a great variety of routes. One can travel on camel from Jaisalmer to Bikaner; treks normally last from one to four days. The camel safari of the Sam sand dunes in Jaisalmer is very famous.

Trams
In India, Kolkata is the only city where trams are found. It is fun to ride in a tram. Trams are like trains but the difference is that trains move on tracks and trams run on roads. They move at a very slow speed. It is said that the Kolkata tramway system is in danger of being scrapped.

Taxi
To get around within the cities, taxis are probably the easiest solution. Taxis are plentiful and generally the Mumbai cabbies are some of the most honest and straightforward in the world. Do remember though, that the meter price is always out of date and ask the driver for the conversion chart to calculate the actual fare.