UPSC Prelims 2007 Q77: Geography – Transport & Infrastructure Geography

UPSC Prelims 2007, General Studies Paper I · Geography

Which of the following National Highways passes through Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Orissa?

Answer: (c) NH - 6

Explanation

Old NH numbering (before 2010) — routes through Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha

Old NH	Route	States
NH-4	Thane (Mumbai) → Chennai	Maharashtra, Karnataka, AP, TN
NH-5	Baharagora (Jharkhand) → Chennai, along the east coast	Jharkhand, Odisha, AP, TN
NH-6	Hazira (Surat) → Kolkata	Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal
NH-7	Varanasi → Kanyakumari	UP, MP, Maharashtra, AP, Karnataka, TN

Only old NH-6 crosses all three — Maharashtra (Nagpur), Chhattisgarh (Raipur) and Odisha (Sambalpur).

It was part of the Asian Highway AH46.

After the 2010 renumbering, this stretch is mostly NH-53.

Answer: (c) NH-6.

(a) Incorrect. Old NH-4 ran Mumbai-Pune-Bengaluru-Chennai; it never touched Chhattisgarh or Odisha.
(b) Incorrect. Old NH-5 ran along the east coast through Odisha, but not Maharashtra or Chhattisgarh.
(c) CORRECT. Old NH-6 (Hazira-Kolkata) passed through Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
(d) Incorrect. Old NH-7 ran north-south (Varanasi-Kanyakumari), missing Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

Old NH-6 = Hazira (Surat) → Nagpur → Raipur → Sambalpur → Kolkata. Now mostly NH-53.

Old NH-6 linked Surat to Kolkata via Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

Using new NH numbers to answer a 2007 question — the 2010 renumbering changed everything.
Picking NH-7 because it crosses Maharashtra (Nagpur); it goes south, not east.
Confusing old NH-5 (east coast) with the Golden Quadrilateral's Kolkata-Chennai arm.

Under the new system: even numbers run east-west, odd numbers run north-south. Old NH-6 was an east-west road — today's NH-53.