Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first multi modal terminal for inland waterways at Varanasi under the Jal Marg Vikas project. On which river is this important terminal located?

Introduction / Context:
As part of efforts to develop inland waterways, India has invested in multi modal terminals that integrate river transport with road and rail networks. One of the most prominent of these is at Varanasi and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister. Questions on this topic test both knowledge of infrastructure projects and basic Indian geography, especially awareness of which river flows through a given city.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question mentions a multi modal terminal at Varanasi.
• It asks on which river this terminal is located.
• The options list Ganga, Godavari, Yamuna and Krishna.
• We assume that the terminal is part of National Waterway 1, which connects the Ganga to other regions.

Concept / Approach:
Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and is famous for its ghats on the river Ganga. For inland water transport, the Ganga is a crucial waterway in northern India. The multi modal terminal at Varanasi is therefore located on the Ganga, as part of a project to develop navigation between Haldia and Varanasi. The approach is to connect the city name to its major river and select that river from the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Note that the terminal in question lies in the city of Varanasi. 2. Recall from basic geography that Varanasi is a historic city situated on the banks of the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh. 3. Understand that the Jal Marg Vikas project aims to improve navigability of the Ganga between Haldia and Varanasi. 4. Among the options Ganga, Godavari, Yamuna and Krishna, only Ganga is the river that flows through Varanasi. 5. Therefore, the multi modal terminal at Varanasi must be located on the Ganga.

Verification / Alternative check:
Any school atlas or map of India confirms that Varanasi is on the Ganga. Official releases about the terminal inauguration also state that it is part of National Waterway 1 on the Ganga. In contrast, the Godavari flows through states such as Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, the Yamuna through cities like Delhi and Agra, and the Krishna through parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh or Telangana. None of these rivers match the location of Varanasi.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Godavari is a major river of central and southern India but does not pass through Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
• Yamuna is an important tributary of the Ganga and flows through Delhi and Agra, but Varanasi lies on the main Ganga channel, not on the Yamuna.
• Krishna is a southern river flowing through Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh or Telangana, and has no connection with Varanasi.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse rivers associated with different cities, especially when multiple famous rivers are listed together. Another pitfall is mixing up river based projects such as those on the Ganga with similar sounding schemes involving the Godavari or other rivers. To avoid these mistakes, it is helpful to fix a few strong associations in memory: Varanasi with the Ganga, Allahabad or Prayagraj with the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, and Hyderabad with the Musi. This makes such questions much easier.

Final Answer:
The first multi modal terminal at Varanasi under the inland waterways project is located on the river Ganga.