Q. Consider the following pairs : National Cities connected Highway
| Highway | Cities connected |
|---|
| NH 4 | Chennai and Hyderabad |
| NH 6 | Mumbai and Kolkata |
| NH 15 | Ahmedabad and Jodhpur |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched? (UPSC Prelims 2014)
Answer:
None
Notes: The correct answer is
[D] None. All three pairs are incorrectly matched based on the
National Highway (NH) network of India. It is important to note that India renumbered its national highways in 2010; however, even under the old numbering system, these pairings do not match the primary routes.Analysis of the Pairs:
- NH 4 — Chennai and Hyderabad (Incorrect):
- Old NH 4: Connected Mumbai to Chennai via Pune and Bangalore.
- New NH 4: Now runs from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Mayabunder to Port Blair).
- Actual Connection: Chennai and Hyderabad are primarily connected by NH 16 (part of the Golden Quadrilateral) and NH 65.
- NH 6 — Mumbai and Kolkata (Incorrect):
- Old NH 6: Connected Surat to Kolkata (passing through Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha). While it reached the east coast, it did not start in Mumbai.
- New NH 6: Now refers to a highway in the North-East (connecting Meghalaya, Assam, and Mizoram).
- Actual Connection: Mumbai and Kolkata are connected via the NH 53 (formerly part of old NH 6) and NH 48.
- NH 15 — Ahmedabad and Jodhpur (Incorrect):
- Old NH 15: Connected Pathankot (Punjab) to Samakhiali (Gujarat), running along the Indo-Pak border through Rajasthan.
- New NH 15: Now runs from Baihat (Assam) to Wakro (Arunachal Pradesh).
- Actual Connection: Ahmedabad and Jodhpur are connected via NH 48 and NH 62.
Summary of Major Historical NH Routes:| Old NH No. | Major Cities Connected | New NH No. (Approx) |
| NH 1 | Delhi to Amritsar (Indo-Pak Border) | NH 44 |
| NH 2 | Delhi to Kolkata | NH 19 |
| NH 7 | Varanasi to Kanyakumari (Longest Old NH) | NH 44 |
| NH 8 | Delhi to Mumbai | NH 48 |
The Renumbering Logic: In the new system implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways:
- Even Numbers: Run East to West (increasing from North to South).
- Odd Numbers: Run North to South (increasing from East to West).
- NH 44: Is currently the longest National Highway in India, running from Srinagar to Kanyakumari.