Many of India’s oldest and busiest towns grew on the banks of rivers. Rivers gave early settlers water, fertile soil, and easy travel routes. Today, questions on cities on the banks of rivers in India appear regularly in Railway, SSC and UPSC exams, so students need to match each city with its river quickly and correctly. This article gives you 20 original MCQs on riverbank cities of India. The questions cover the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Gomti, the Godavari, the Krishna, the Narmada, the Brahmaputra, and the Hooghly. Each question comes with a clear answer and a short Extra Information note that adds useful facts. You can attempt the set in one sitting, check your score, and then revise your weak areas. Keep reading, test yourself, and strengthen your Indian geography preparation.
Cities on the Ganga River: Riverbank Cities MCQs
Q1
Which holy city in Uttarakhand sits where the Ganga leaves the hills and enters the plains?
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Answer: B) Haridwar
Haridwar sits in Uttarakhand on the Ganga. The river leaves the Shivalik hills here and enters the northern plains. Moreover, the city hosts the Kumbh Mela every twelve years and draws millions of pilgrims. Besides, devotees gather at Har Ki Pauri for the evening aarti.
Q2
Patna, the capital of Bihar, lies on the southern bank of which river?
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Answer: D) Ganga
Patna lies on the southern bank of the Ganga in Bihar. Several rivers, such as the Gandak and the Son, join the Ganga near the city. As a result, the surrounding plains hold fertile soil and plenty of water. Furthermore, the Mahatma Gandhi Setu links Patna with Hajipur across the Ganga.
Q3
Which city lies at the Sangam, where the Ganga and the Yamuna meet?
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Answer: C) Prayagraj
Prayagraj stands at the Sangam, where the Yamuna joins the Ganga. Tradition adds a third river, the Saraswati, which flows unseen. Therefore, pilgrims call the spot the Triveni Sangam and bathe there during major festivals. Moreover, the city carried the name Allahabad until 2018, when authorities renamed it Prayagraj.
Q4
Varanasi, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities, stands on the western bank of which river?
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Answer: A) Ganga
Varanasi lies on the western bank of the Ganga, where the river turns northward for a short stretch. The Varuna and Assi streams meet the Ganga near the city. Many scholars therefore believe these two streams gave the city its name. Moreover, historians count Varanasi among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Q5
Which Uttar Pradesh city, a major centre of leather and textile industries, lies on the Ganga?
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Answer: C) Kanpur
Kanpur lies on the right bank of the Ganga and ranks as a major industrial centre of Uttar Pradesh. For example, its leather and textile industries employ many workers. The 2011 Census counted about 2.9 million people in its urban area. As a result, the city puts heavy pressure on the river’s water quality.
Cities on the Yamuna, Gomti, Saryu and Other Northern and Central Indian Rivers
Q6
Which river flows past both Delhi and Agra?
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Answer: A) Yamuna
The Yamuna rises at the Yamunotri glacier in Uttarakhand and flows past Delhi, Mathura and Agra. In Agra, the Taj Mahal rises on its right bank. Moreover, the Yamuna ranks as the longest tributary of the Ganga. In addition, Delhi draws much of its water supply from the river.
Q7
Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, lies on the bank of which river?
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Answer: D) Gomti
The Gomti rises in the Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh and joins the Ganga in the eastern part of the state. Jaunpur also stands on its banks. Moreover, the river passes through the centre of Lucknow, the state capital. As a result, the city has built a long riverfront along the Gomti.
Q8
Ayodhya, a major pilgrimage city in Uttar Pradesh, lies on the bank of which river?
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Answer: B) Saryu
Ayodhya lies in eastern Uttar Pradesh on the bank of the Saryu. The Saryu belongs to the Ghaghara river system, a major part of the Ganga basin. Moreover, the Ram Mandir held its consecration ceremony in January 2024. Consequently, the city now draws more visitors than before.
Q9
Kota, a well-known coaching hub in Rajasthan, lies on the bank of which river?
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Answer: C) Chambal
The Chambal rises near Mhow in Madhya Pradesh and later joins the Yamuna. Moreover, the Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar and Jawahar Sagar dams stand on this river. In addition, the Kota Barrage supplies irrigation water to nearby farmland. Meanwhile, the National Chambal Sanctuary protects gharials along the river.
Q10
Ujjain, home to the Mahakaleshwar temple, lies on the bank of which river?
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Answer: D) Kshipra
Ujjain lies on the Kshipra, a tributary of the Chambal, in Madhya Pradesh. For instance, the Mahakaleshwar temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines, draws devotees from across India. Moreover, the city hosts the Simhastha Kumbh Mela every twelve years. People also spell the river’s name as Shipra.
Attempt free mock test exactly same interface of RRB NTPC exams.
Cities on Peninsular Rivers: Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Mahanadi and Musi
Q11
Which Maharashtra city, famous for its Kumbh Mela, lies on the Godavari?
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Answer: A) Nashik
The Godavari rises at Trimbakeshwar near Nashik and stretches about 1,465 km. Therefore, it ranks as the longest river of peninsular India. Moreover, people often call it the Dakshin Ganga. Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh also lies on its banks.
Q12
The Prakasam Barrage spans the Krishna at which city?
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Answer: B) Vijayawada
Vijayawada lies on the Krishna, and the Prakasam Barrage spans the river there. The Krishna rises near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. Then it flows through Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh before entering the Bay of Bengal. As a result, the barrage supplies water to the fertile Krishna delta.
Q13
Tiruchirappalli and the island town of Srirangam lie on which river?
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Answer: D) Cauvery
The Cauvery rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri hills of Karnataka. Furthermore, it flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before reaching the Bay of Bengal. Near Tiruchirappalli, the Kallanai, or Grand Anicut, still regulates its water. In addition, tradition credits the Chola king Karikala with building it, so it stands as one of the oldest water-regulation structures still in use.
Q14
Cuttack, the former capital of Odisha, lies on the delta of which river?
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Answer: A) Mahanadi
Cuttack sits on the Mahanadi delta between the main river and its branch, the Kathajodi. The city served as the capital of Odisha until 1948, when Bhubaneswar took over. Moreover, the Hirakud Dam, one of the longest earthen dams in the world, stands on the Mahanadi near Sambalpur. Therefore, the river supports both power generation and irrigation.
Q15
Hyderabad lies on the bank of which river, a tributary of the Krishna?
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Answer: C) Musi
The Musi rises in the Anantagiri hills near Vikarabad and joins the Krishna in Telangana. Moreover, it divides Hyderabad into the Old City on the south and newer areas on the north. In addition, the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs, built on the Musi and its tributary Esi, once supplied the city with drinking water.
Riverbank Cities of Western, Central, Northeastern and Eastern India
Q16
Gandhi set up his ashram on the bank of which river in Ahmedabad?
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Answer: B) Sabarmati
The Sabarmati rises in the Aravalli range of Rajasthan and flows into the Gulf of Khambhat. Gandhi moved his ashram to its bank in Ahmedabad in 1917. Moreover, the Dandi March started from the Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930. Furthermore, a large riverfront project now lines both banks of the river in the city.
Q17
Surat, a major textile and diamond centre, lies near the mouth of which west-flowing river?
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Answer: A) Tapti
The Tapti rises near Multai in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. It then flows west through Maharashtra and Gujarat and meets the Arabian Sea near Surat. Similarly, it forms an estuary instead of a delta, as the Narmada does. Moreover, the Ukai Dam in Gujarat stores its water for power and irrigation.
Q18
The Marble Rocks gorge at Bhedaghat, near Jabalpur, belongs to which river?
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Answer: C) Narmada
The Narmada rises at Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh and flows west through a rift valley. Meanwhile, the Marble Rocks gorge at Bhedaghat and the Dhuandhar Falls lie near Jabalpur on this river. Furthermore, the river meets the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Khambhat. Finally, the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat holds back its water.
Q19
Guwahati, the largest city of Assam, lies on the bank of which river?
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Answer: D) Brahmaputra
Guwahati lies on the south bank of the Brahmaputra, and the Kamakhya Temple stands on the nearby Nilachal Hill. The river rises in Tibet, where people call it the Yarlung Tsangpo. Moreover, Majuli, one of the largest river islands in the world, sits on the Brahmaputra in Assam. In addition, Dibrugarh also stands on its banks.
Q20
Kolkata lies on the east bank of which river?
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Answer: B) Hooghly
Kolkata lies on the east bank of the Hooghly, which acts as a distributary of the Ganga. The river keeps the port open to ships, but silt makes navigation difficult. Therefore, India built the Farakka Barrage to send more Ganga water into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly channel. Moreover, the port now carries the name Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.