Question

The finest natural harbour in India is
A. Chennai
B. Mumbai
C. Kolkata
D. Cochin

Answer 1

Hint: This state is a heavily populated state on the West Coast of India. As the heart of the Bollywood film industry, this city is renowned and is also India's largest port. This is the biggest town and the nation's financial capital as well.

Complete Answer:
- Natural Harbor: A body of water covered by natural/artificial barriers. Harbors can provide safe anchorage & allow cargo & passenger ship-to-shore transfers.
- The word port is used interchangeably with port, a man-made facility designed to load, unload ships, drop off and pick up passengers. Harbors - natural/artificial.
- An artificial harbour may have deliberately constructed breakwaters, sea walls/jetties/may be constructed by dredging, which needs to be maintained by additional routine dredging.
In the southern part of the Ulhas River estuary, Mumbai Harbour is a natural deep-water harbour. Thane Creek is considered the smaller northern section of the estuary. The harbour opens south to the Arabian Sea. Mumbai Port is situated in the centre of Mumbai Harbour's western shore. In the nineteenth and 20th centuries, the port was India's pre-eminent commercial port.

Let us analyse the options given:
- Chennai is India's second largest port for containers, but it is an artificial port. Option 1 is therefore the wrong choice.
- In India, the finest natural harbour is Mumbai. It is a beautiful natural harbour on India's West Coast.
- The port of Kolkata is located on the Hugli river and, due to the diversion of exports, has substantially lost its importance.
- Kochi is a natural harbour in Kerala. Exports of tea, coffee and spices and imports of petroleum oil and fertilisers are handled. But in terms of its finesse, Mumbai stands slightly higher and is the finest natural harbour.

Hence, Option B is the right option.

Note: Visakhapatnam is also a natural harbour in India, in addition to Mumbai and Kochi. Often referred to as "Front-Bay Harbour" is Mumbai Harbour. In the port of Mumbai, there are six islands, such as Butcher Island, Cross Island, Elephanta Island, Middle Ground Coastal Battery, Oyster Rock and Salsette Island.