Question

With the help of an example explain how development of waterways give impetus to industry.

Answer 1

Development of waterways gives impetus to industry by facilitating the efficient and cost-effective transport of raw materials and finished goods. Waterways, being fuel-efficient and capable of carrying heavy and bulky materials, reduce transportation costs significantly. This advantage encourages industrial growth as industries can easily access raw materials and markets for their products.

For example, industries like iron and steel, textile, paper, pulp, chemical, and jute depend heavily on the availability of water for various processes and for transporting raw materials and products. The development of waterways near such industries enables easy and cheap transport of heavy raw materials like coal and iron ore to factories and finished goods to markets or ports for export. Thus, waterways reduce transportation costs and time, promoting industrial development. An illustrative example is how port towns linked by waterways with rail and road networks have developed industries around them due to these transport facilities.