Which of the following rivers flows through a rift valley in peninsular India before draining into the Arabian Sea?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Narmada River flows westward through a rift valley created by faulting between the Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges before emptying into the Arabian Sea. Other peninsular rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, and Kaveri flow eastward across the plateau into the Bay of Bengal through deltas. This unique rift flow prevents the Narmada from forming a conventional delta. The Tapi is the only other major peninsular river that follows a similar rift valley path westward.