Western Coastal Plains of India

• Coastal plains are formed by the consolidation of sediments brought by rivers.
• These plains are stable, similar to the peninsular plateau.

Western Coastal Plains of India

• They extend from Rann of Kachchh to Kanyakumari.
• The average width of these plains is 65 km.
• They are narrow in the middle and broader towards the north and south.
• Rivers flowing through this coastal plain do not form deltas.
• The Western Coastal Plains are a submerged coastal plain which provides natural conditions for developing ports and harbors.
• Kandla, Mazagaon, JLN Port Nava Sheva, Marmagao, Mangalore, and Cochin are important natural ports located along the West Coast.

Kutch and Kathiawar Region

• Kutch and Kathiawar are extensions of the Peninsular plateau in Gujarat.
• They are part of the Western Coastal Plains with flat terrain.
• The Kutch Peninsula was once an island surrounded by seas and lagoons.
• Sediment brought by the Indus River filled these water bodies, transforming the landscape into an arid and semi-arid environment.
• Key features of this region:
  • Great Rann and Little Rann: The Great Rann lies north of Kutch, while the Little Rann is southeast of Kachchh. These are salt-soaked plains.
  • Kathiawar Peninsula: South of Kachchh features the Mandav Hills with radial drainage.
    • Mt Girnar (1,117 m) is the highest point of Gujarat with Volcanic origin.
  • Gir Range: Located in the southern Kathiawar Peninsula and is known for the Gir lion.

Gujarat Plain

• The Gujarat Plain is east of Kachchh and Kathiawar.
• Rivers Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, and Sabarmati shape the plain.
• The plain covers southern Gujarat and the coastal areas of the Gulf of Khambhat.
• Most coastal areas are covered by a semi-arid landscape, while the eastern part is fertile.

Konkan Plain

• The Konkan Plain is located south of the Gujarat Plain and stretches from Daman to Goa.
• This coastal plain exhibits marine erosional features.
• It covers Maharashtra and Goa.
• Thane Creek near Mumbai is a significant embayment.
  • It serves as an excellent natural harbor.

Karnataka Coastal Plain

• It extends from Goa to Mangalore.
• Marine topography is marked along this coast.
• Western Ghats streams cascade down steep slopes, forming waterfalls.
  • The Sharavati River forms the Gersoppa (Jog) Falls.

Kerala (Malabar) Plain

• The Kerala Plain extends from Mangalore to Kanyakumari.
• It is wider than the Karnataka Plain and has low-lying terrain.
• The Kerala coast has lakes, lagoons, backwaters, and spits.
• Kayals (backwaters) are shallow lagoons or inlets of the sea that run parallel to the coastline.
  • The largest among these is Vembanad Lake, which is 75 km long and 5-10 km wide.
  • The Nehru Trophy Vallamkali (boat race) is held annually in Punnamada Kayal, a southern extension of the Vembanad Lake.

Eastern Coastal Plains of India

• The Eastern Coastal Plains stretch from the Subarnarekha River along the WB-Odisha border to Kanyakumari.
• Known as the Northern Circars between the Mahanadi and Krishna rivers.
• Also known as Carnatic between the Krishna and Cauvery rivers.
• The eastern plains result from alluvial deposits in the littoral zone due to rivers like Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery.
  • These rivers form large deltas.
• The eastern plains are extensive, with an average width of 120 km.
• The east coast has few natural harbors.
• The eastern coastal plain is an emergent coast with an extensive continental shelf extending up to 500 km into the sea.
• The sea is not sufficiently deep, posing challenges for port development.