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Comparative study of the impact of Indian transportation infrastructure on firm-level performance in inland waterways

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  • Srivastava, Archana
  • Mathur, Somesh Kumar
  • Chauhan, Manish
  • De, Prabir

Abstract

The present study attempts to analyze the impact of transportation infrastructure like new roads, railway routes and inland waterways on firm-level performance in India. We use World Enterprise Survey data to analyze the same using Difference-in-Difference (DID) methodology. This allows us to assess the policy intervention over time and across treatment and control groups. In transportation and network studies, firms operating near to the infrastructure are qualified as treatment group and all others operating faraway as control group. We cover in our study (i) the inland waterways connecting Allahabad with Haldia, (ii) Golden Quadrilateral infrastructure connecting 19 cities of India, (iii) the Delhi-Meerut expressway, and (iv) Eastern and Western freight railway routes connecting eastern and western part of India. Results reveal that it is only Delhi-Meerut expressway and Western freight rail routes which bring dividends to firms operating near to the infrastructure over the years. It is evident that for other rail and road routes and inland waterways, the firms which operate further away from the infrastructure bring more businesses to firms and create less obstacles to transportation.

Suggested Citation

  • Srivastava, Archana & Mathur, Somesh Kumar & Chauhan, Manish & De, Prabir, 2025. "Comparative study of the impact of Indian transportation infrastructure on firm-level performance in inland waterways," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 764-802.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:171:y:2025:i:c:p:764-802
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.06.025
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    References listed on IDEAS

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