Consider the following pairs:
| National Highway | Cities connected | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | NH 4: Chennai and Hyderabad | |
| 2. | NH 6: Mumbai and Kolkata | |
| 3. | NH 15: Ahmedabad and Jodhpur |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) None
None of the three pairs is correct. The Schedule to the National Highways Act, 1956 defines each highway by its route. Under that Schedule, NH 4 ran from Thane to Chennai (then Madras) via Pune and Bangalore. NH 6 ran from Dhule to Kolkata, with an extension to Hazira near Surat. NH 15 ran from Pathankot to Samakhiali in Gujarat.
- ✗ 1. NH 4 started at a junction near Thane. It ran through Pune, Belgaum, Hubli, Bangalore and Ranipet to Chennai. Hyderabad was not on its route.
- ✗ 2. NH 6 started at a junction near Dhule and ran through Nagpur, Raipur, Sambalpur and Baharagora to Kolkata. Its western end was later extended to Hazira near Surat. Mumbai was never on its route, so it is correctly called the Hazira–Kolkata highway.
- ✗ 3. NH 15 ran from Pathankot through Amritsar, Bhatinda, Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer. It ended at its junction with NH 8A near Samakhiali. It touched neither Ahmedabad nor Jodhpur.
Remember · Old NH 4: Thane–Chennai. Old NH 6: Hazira–Kolkata. Old NH 15: Pathankot–Samakhiali. Check a highway's actual route, not its popular tag.
Sources
- The National Highways Act, 1956, Schedule (Government of India copy): NH 4, Thane to Madras ↗ “The highway starting from its junction near Thana with the highway specified in serial No. 4 and connecting Poona, Belgaum, Hubli-Bangaiore, Ranipet and Madras. … The highway starting from its junction near Dhulia with the highway specified in serial No. 4 and connecting Nagpur, Raipur, Sambalpur, Baharagora and Calcutta. … The highway starting from its junction near Surat on National Highway No. 6 and terminating at Hajira … Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer to its junction with National Highway No. 8A near Samakhiali”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
