UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 56
Between India and East Asia, the navigation-time and distance can be greatly reduced by which of the following ?
- Deepening the Malacca straits between Malaysia and Indonesia.
- Opening a new canal across the Kra isthmus between the Gulf of Siam and Andaman Sea.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B
Explanation: A Kra Isthmus canal would provide a potentially shorter alternative to the route around the Malay Peninsula through the Malacca Strait; merely deepening Malacca does not materially shorten it.
Statement / Item-wise Analysis:
1: Incorrect - Incorrect as a distance-cutting measure: deepening a strait does not relocate or shorten the route.
2: Correct - Correct: a canal across southern Thailand could avoid the detour around the peninsula.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - includes unsupported item 1; omits supported item 2.
B: Correct - includes the supported statements and excludes the unsupported ones.
C: Incorrect - includes unsupported item 1.
D: Incorrect - omits supported item 2.
Review Note: Kra Canal was a proposed rather than operational route; feasibility, shipping traffic and time benefits depend on design.