The Gazetteers Department

Trade Routes.—Old Trade Routes: The district was almost totally devoid of any means of communication except the rough country track prior to the cession of Vidarbha in 1853. The opening of the Nagpur branch of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway in 1863-64 was the first important change. This railway line was of immense benefit to trade and commerce in the district as it established a trade link with Bombay, Nasik, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati, Nagpur and a number of other market places. In addition, a branch line from Jalamb on the main line to Khamgaon, 8 miles in length was opened in 1870. In connection with the construction of the Khamgaon branch the remarks of the Settlement Officer in 1865 are interesting. 'Most of the cotton is still carried across the line of rail south to Khamgaon, the great cotton emporium of West Berar, which contains the dwellings of the principal native merchants of the country. These wealthy natives, rather than inconvenience themselves by shifting their quarters, have made a proposal to bring a branch rail down to Khamgaon, which scheme has, I believe, been sanctioned by Government.'

The old District Gazetteer of Buldhana (1910) gives an account of the railway line and its importance from the point of view of trade which is reproduced below: —

" The Nagpur Branch of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway runs a distance of about 47 miles through the District from west to east, and is connected with Khamgaon by a branch from Jalamb 8 miles in length. The railway stations in the District are Khamkhed, Malkapur, Biswa, Nandura, Jalamb, Khamgaon, Shegaon and Nagjhari. Of these the leading stations for exports and imports are Khamgaon, Shegaon and Malkapur. The first two stations despatch to Bombay mainly cotton and grain produced in the Khamgaon and Mehkar talukas and the greater portion of that produced in the Chikhli taluk; Malkapur sends away grain, linseed, cotton, gur and other articles which it receives from the Malkapur taluk and from the north-west portion of the Chikhli taluk. Nandura is the principal outlet of the Jalgaon taluk although it also exports certain produce from the Malkapur taluk. The average quantity of the articles exported from Malkapur during the six years 1902—1907 was 503,000 maunds or 25 per cent of the average exports of the District and this proportion has been nearly maintained throughout except in 1904 when the exports fell off by 16 per cent. The imports of this station amounted to an average of 423,000 maunds during the same period, or 29 per cent of the total import trade. The three stations of Malkapur, Shegaon and Khamgaon do not differ much in the extent of their import trade, but Khamgaon is easily ahead in its export trade which amounts annually on an average to 765,000 maunds or 37 per cent of the total export trade of the District. This average contrasts ridiculously with the average exports of 1879—84. The proportion in which the latter stands with the former is 7.5 to 1. A similar fall is also, marked in the import trade the imports of 1879—84 being as high as five times the average imports of 1902—07. The results cannot be considered unsatisfactory in the face of the present improved communications. Formerly Khamgaon was the chief centre either for export or import trade; but circumstances have since changed, and the District produce finds its way to the nearest railway station available and thus the trade which was centred in one place has been divided. The average annual exports of Shegaon are less than Khamgaon by 6 per cent. The average annual imports of Nandura are nearly double the average annual exports and this faet may be attributed to the large weekly market held at that place. Jalamb has no trade of its own, but only passes goods in transit intended for or received from Khamgaon." [Buldhana District Gazetteer, Vol. A, 1910, pp. 274—76.]

The want of easy and perennial communications did much to offset the other physical advantages of the district. During the rainy season the fertile oil used to turn into a black big impassable for goods vehicles.

After 1870, some progress was made towards improvement of roads. A few roads were metalled with hard indurated basalt obtained from the local trap. At the beginning of this century the principal road routes in the district were: (1) Malkapur-Mehkar road, (2) Chikhli-Jalna road, (3) Khamgaon-Chikhli road, (4) Lavhala-Amdapur-Khamgaon road, (5) Nandura-Jalgaon road, and (6) Khamgaon-Patur road. The old Nagpur road though of inferior surface was of much use in the fair season.

Present Trade Routes.—The Bombay-Nagpur-Calcutta railway line, referred to earlier, is the most important trade route in the district. The line which touches important commercial centres, such as, Malkapur, Shegaon and Jalamb affords quick commercial transport to Bombay, Nagpur and a number of markets in Western Maharashtra as well as Eastern India. The majority of the villages and towns in the three tahsils in the district through which this route passes are within an easy reach from the railway line. The Khamgaon-Jalamb route linking Khamgaon with the Bombay-Nagpur line is very much useful for a huge bulk of commercial traffic.

Of late road transport has become extremely popular because of the quickness and convenience that it affords. Though the freight charges by road are slightly higher than the railway rates the traders prefer to carry their goods by road. Hence road routes have assumed considerable importance.

Of the road routes the Bombay-Nagpur national highway which passes from west to east in this district facilitates transport to big commercial centres, such as, Bombay, Nasik, Dhulia, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur. It is by far the most important artery of trade second in importance only to the Bombay-Nagpur railway route. The Malkapur-Buldhana-Jalna road serves the needs of goods transport from the rich fertile tracts in this district to Jalna in Marathwada. It serves an important link between Jalna on the Manmad-Kacheguda railway line and Malkapur on the Bombay-Nagpur rail route. The Akola-Aurangabad road which passes through Khamgaon and Chikhli is a vital trade link between the fertile tracts in Berar and Marathwada. It also serves traffic to Poona and Ahmadnagar.

Besides the main routes, there are three other roads which connect big wholesale trade centres and which help goods transport from villages to the main centres and railway stations. They are: (1) Khamgaon-Shegaon-Akot road, (2) Chikhli-Mehkar road, and (3) Mehkar-Akola road.

It may. however, be noted that the road system in the district has certain drawbacks in the sense that the roads are not laid out vertically and horizontally across the district. Besides, the areas lying between Khamgaon, Lonar and Mehkar do not get the advantages of through and direct road routes.

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