Question

Which of the following is not true with regard to the coastal plains of India?
A. The west coast has a narrow alluvial margin interspersed by hilly terrain
B. The eastern coast has a wide plain with well-developed deltas of the major rivers.
C. The west coast has little indentation except towards the south.
D. The west and east coasts have the same alluvial features.

Answer 1

Hint: The western coastal plain of length 1400 km lies between Gujarat and Kerala whereas the eastern coastal plain extends from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu. Our eastern plain is wider than the western plain.

Complete Answer:
The western coastal plains spread between the west coast of India and western ghats. Its width is around fifty kilometers thus a narrow margin. The hills of western ghats make the plain hilly with an average elevation of 1200 meters. Option A is incorrect.
Our eastern plain is wider than the western plain. The rivers of Mahanadi, Godavari, Kaveri, and Krishna drain the eastern plains and form deltas at the mouth because of a slightly higher tilt towards the east. So, option B is wrong.
The western coastal plain is highly uneven and broken. Thus, it is indented with rocky headlands, estuaries, etc. The western coast is divided into three parts- Konkan(Mumbai-Goa), Karavali, and Malabar Coast. The southern stretch of Malabar has little or negligible indentations. The southernmost Malabar coast Option C is incorrect.
The coastal plains of the eastern side have a fine texture of alluvial soil making the areas fertile. The western coast on the contrast is formed of coarse and grained alluvial soil. Thus, the alluvial features of the two coasts are different.
So, the correct answer is Option D.

Note: On either side of the Peninsular plateau, the coastal plains are low relief features that lie between highlands and seas. The western and eastern coastal plains are along the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal respectively.