Roads built in a colonial setting reflect much more than a pathway for movement. The British introduced an improved network of roads in India during their rule, which contributed to economic power, trade routes, political agendas, and social imbalance. The effects of these shifts, which began with a single colonial road, were borne by generations to come.
Roads are not merely means of transport and conduct; they are an integral part of nations, used by colonial powers as a tool. Road building in colonial India served multitudes of purposes. It enhanced economic partnerships and trade and commerce through connectivity; military expeditions and easier troop movements; high-speed mobility for messengers, traders, or administrative workers; and social connectivity among different tribes, as well as their connection to the authorities. However, the building of infrastructure in colonial states is never truly for community service or as neutral engineering projects. Development and urbanisation serve the colonialists through territorialisation, extracting natural resources, and keeping a check and balance in the tribal areas. It also exploited tribal areas by stripping them of their autonomy and disrupting their livelihoods through surveillance and administrative projects.
Imperial infrastructure in India focused largely on military and export purposes. It was upgraded by introducing Western technology to roads, making them metalled and durable. A strategic move connected the roads from agricultural areas to railway stations, which mitigated the export of raw goods. Lengthy roads like the Grand Trunk Road are a major example of the investment made by the British. Despite their suitability, these advancements occurred on a limited scale. Trade and military-wise logistical areas were given priority, while a majority remained underserved. The ‘public works department’ (PWD) was established in 1865. By 1931, British India had 118,000 miles of metalled roads out of a total road network of 293,000 miles. This indicates that only 40% of the total roads were metalled. The rainy seasons left rural areas undurable and vulnerable. By the early 1940s, even after nearly a whole century of British transport policies, the number did not improve vastly. The metalled-surface roads still only amounted to 40% of the total roads. The unsurfaced roads were mostly used by civilians, and for government workers, they were a seasonal route.
The industrial revolution in Europe and the administrative link of the British crown to India led to the financing of Indian roads and other infrastructure to promote trade and commerce. However, the economy of India during British rule only grew at an average annual rate of 1%, the same as the 1% growth rate of the population. By the 17th century, India had its export largely limited to textiles but also included silk, rice, and spices. But while the British textile industry underwent a technological revolution in the 18th century, the Indian industry’s technological investment was delayed until the 20th century. Roads were strategically constructed from hinterlands to ports for quick transport. But this road network allowed the local handicrafts, artisans, and salesmen to be displaced because British goods penetrated to rural areas. On the other hand, these roads removed the isolation of regional markets.
Roads of India served the British Empire’s political agenda extensively. It facilitated their administrative control and easier taxation. Any act of rebellion was quickly shut down by the rapid deployment of troops through these roads. Police were commonly seen surveilling the streets, and people came under rigid supervision. India valued local customs and traditions through local power structures and tribes. Road building in such regions asserted governmental authority.
A major function of roads in colonial India was the division of white and native areas. White people separated their towns, as an act of superiority, through well-planned roads. This division was not restricted to towns but extended to the upper and lower classes. Colonial roads highlighted the difference between urban centers with modern vehicles and regulated traffic, while rural areas relied on bullock carts and palanquins. The indigenous population was also used for low-priced forced labour in infrastructure development projects. This created social stratification and termed local identities as lowly and their culture as backward.
In essence, the colonial roads in India embodied the strategy of the British Empire to dominate the region through economic extraction, military might, and social hierarchies. On one end, these pathways perpetuated progress and modernity while leaving adverse inequalities behind. Work done under a colonialist will only serve said colonialist, not the people, and not the society.