Commercial Towns

Commercial towns are settlements whose primary function is trade and commerce. Unlike administrative or industrial centres, these towns grow around the exchange of goods — wholesale, retail, or both — and often serve as regional market hubs.

The textbook classifies towns and cities that specialise in trade and commerce under this category. Their economy depends on the movement of agricultural produce, manufactured goods, or raw materials between producers and consumers. Such towns typically develop at strategic locations: along transport routes (railways, highways, rivers), near resource-rich hinterlands, or at the meeting point of different economic regions.

Examples given in the textbook include:

• Kolkata — historically a major port and commercial capital of eastern India, handling jute, tea, and other exports.
• Saharanpur — a key trading centre in western Uttar Pradesh, known for agricultural trade (especially wood products and crops).
• Satna — a commercial hub in Madhya Pradesh, dealing in cement, limestone, and agricultural goods. …