What will be the correct sequence of cities on the bank of river Ganga if someone moves from west to east? (a) Prayagraj, Kanpur, Bhagalpur, Patna (b) Prayagraj, Kanpur, Patna, Bhagalpur (c) Kanpur, Prayagraj, Bhagalpur, Patna (d) Kanpur, Prayagraj, Patna, Bhagalpur

The river Ganga flows generally in a south-easterly and then easterly direction through the plains of India [1]. Moving from west to east, the sequence of cities begins in Uttar Pradesh. Kanpur is located upstream of Prayagraj [3]. The river passes through Kanpur before reaching Prayagraj (Allahabad), where it meets the Yamuna [3]. Continuing eastward into Bihar, the river reaches Patna, the state capital [3]. Further downstream to the east of Patna, the river passes through Bhagalpur before eventually entering West Bengal [3]. This geographical progression is confirmed by the National Waterway-1 segments, which list the stretch from Prayagraj to Patna as a major developmental section, followed by the downstream flow towards Bhagalpur and Farakka. Therefore, the correct west-to-east sequence is Kanpur, Prayagraj, Patna, and Bhagalpur.

Sources

1. [1] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > The Ganga System > p. 21
2. [3] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Five Confluences in the upper reaches of Ganga > p. 12