Question

Which among the following is the cheapest mode of transportation?
A. Air transportation
B. Water transportation
C. Road transportation
D. Rail transportation

Answer 1

Hint: A mode of transport is considered cheap if the transport over long distances requires less maintenance, large space is available to transport large bulks of goods and risk of accidents, mishaps or breakdowns are less compared to other means of transport.

Complete Step-by-Step solution:
Transportation is movement of humans or goods from one place to another through means other than by foot. There are four basic means of transportation:
1. Air transportation: It offers high speed and large distances of thousands of kilometres can be covered but it is very costly and there is always some risk involved
2. Water transportation: It is very suitable for transport over very long distances and a large bulk of goods can be transported. There is no need for any waterway construction and risk is also low with new technology. It is the cheapest mode for transportation over long distances.
3. Rail Transportation: Railways are a good alternative for transportation over long distances on land. But rails require a lot of maintenance and cannot access remote or mountainous regions. Due to its cost it is raised but it is mostly more suitable than road transport.
4. Road Transportation: This mode is preferred for shorter distances and plays an important role in economic development of a region. But roads require a lot of maintenance and accidents are common. It is rather costlier for transportation over long distances.
We can conclude that water transportation is the cheapest means of transportation for long distances. Hence, the correct answer is option B.

Note: Water transportation is cheap but they have some disadvantages also.
1. This mode is slow where time restrictions are important.
2. Their access is limited and transportation is possible only to coastal areas.
3. This mode is unreliable and easily affected by seasons and sea conditions.