Which one of the following is the correct sequence of major rivers encountered from Chennai to Kolkata when travelling by road along the shortest route?

Introduction / Context:
India's eastern coastal plains are drained by several major rivers that flow from west to east into the Bay of Bengal. When travelling by road from Chennai to Kolkata along the coastal corridor, you cross these rivers in a definite geographical order. This question tests your ability to mentally map the east coast and place five major rivers Penneru, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi and Subarnarekha in the correct sequence from south to north, which corresponds to the road journey from Chennai to Kolkata.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The journey is from Chennai in Tamil Nadu to Kolkata in West Bengal. - The route follows approximately the shortest practical road path along the east coast. - The rivers mentioned are Penneru, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi and Subarnarekha. - We need the order in which these rivers are encountered from south to north or from Chennai to Kolkata.

Concept / Approach:
From Chennai, as you move northwards along the coast into Andhra Pradesh, you first cross the Penneru (Penna) River. Continuing north, you then encounter the Krishna River in coastal Andhra Pradesh, followed by the larger Godavari River further north. As you enter Odisha, the next major river you cross is the Mahanadi near cities like Cuttack. Finally, before reaching Kolkata in West Bengal, you cross the Subarnarekha River, which flows through Odisha and West Bengal. Therefore, the correct order is Penneru, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi and Subarnarekha.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Starting from Chennai, the nearest major northward river is Penneru in southern Andhra Pradesh; this must be first in the sequence. Step 2: Moving further north, you reach the Krishna River which flows into the Bay of Bengal near cities like Vijayawada and Machilipatnam. Step 3: Continuing north, the next great river is Godavari, entering the Bay of Bengal near Rajahmundry and Yanam. Step 4: As you proceed into Odisha, the major river you cross is Mahanadi, which forms a delta near Cuttack and Paradeep. Step 5: Finally, closer to the West Bengal border and before reaching Kolkata, you cross the Subarnarekha River. Step 6: This south to north order is Penneru, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha, matching option "Penneru, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha".

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify the sequence using state boundaries. Penneru lies in southern Andhra Pradesh, Krishna in central Andhra Pradesh, Godavari in northern Andhra Pradesh, Mahanadi in Odisha and Subarnarekha near the Odisha–West Bengal region. The road journey from Chennai to Kolkata broadly tracks these states in this order: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. This consistent state wise progression supports the river order chosen and rules out options that include west coast rivers like Periyar or rivers that lie south of Chennai like Kaveri after Chennai in the sequence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The option with Kaveri is wrong because Kaveri lies to the south of Chennai; you would cross it before reaching Chennai, not after departing Chennai for Kolkata.

The option including Periyar is incorrect because Periyar is a west flowing river in Kerala and does not lie on the Chennai–Kolkata east coast route.

The option starting with Penneru, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha, Godavari, Krishna is wrong as it violates the correct south to north ordering of these rivers.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates ignore the directional clue and only recognise famous rivers, picking an option that lists familiar names without checking the latitude order. Others mix up west coast and east coast rivers, mistakenly including Periyar or misplacing Kaveri. To avoid such errors, always picture the map of India's coastline and remember that as you move northward along the east coast you encounter, in sequence, rivers draining Andhra Pradesh first, then Odisha, and finally those near West Bengal.

Final Answer:
The correct sequence of rivers encountered from Chennai to Kolkata by road is Penneru, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha.