Correct Option
The correct option is 1 only
Explanation
Under the British colonial regime, basic infrastructure such as railways, ports, water transport, posts, and telegraphs was developed. However, the primary objective behind this development was not to provide basic amenities to the Indian people but to serve various colonial interests, such as the mobilization of the army and the extraction of resources.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: The roads constructed during the British period were primarily designed to serve colonial economic and strategic interests. Their main purpose was to facilitate the movement of the army within India and to draw out raw materials from the countryside to the nearest railway station or port for export to Britain.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: There remained an acute shortage of all-weather roads to reach rural areas, especially during the rainy season. As a result, people living in these areas suffered grievously during natural calamities and famines due to a lack of connectivity.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: While measures were taken to develop inland trade and sea lanes, they were far from satisfactory. The inland waterways proved to be uneconomical in many instances compared to the rapidly expanding railway network. For example, the Coast Canal on the Orissa coast was constructed at a huge cost but failed to compete with the railways running parallel to it and was eventually abandoned.
Key Takeaway
Key Takeaway: British infrastructure development in India was inherently colonial in nature, prioritizing the export of raw materials and strategic military movement over internal connectivity or the welfare of the rural population.