Which one of the following is the correct sequence of occurrences of rivers from Chennai to Kolkata when travelled by road (shortest distance)?

When traveling by road from Chennai to Kolkata via National Highway 16 (NH16), the shortest route follows the eastern coastal plain. Starting from Chennai, the first major river encountered is the Penneru (Pennar), which flows through Andhra Pradesh [1]. Moving north, the route crosses the Krishna River at Vijayawada [3]. Continuing through Andhra Pradesh, the road crosses the Godavari River at Rajahmundry [2]. Upon entering Odisha, the highway crosses the Mahanadi River near Cuttack [1]. Finally, before reaching Kolkata in West Bengal, the route crosses the Subarnarekha (Subamarekha) River, which flows through Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal. Other options are incorrect because the Kaveri and Periyar rivers are located south or west of Chennai and do not lie on the northward route to Kolkata [2].

Sources

1. [1] https://indiawris.gov.in/downloads/Pennar%20Basin.pdf
2. [3] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Table 3.4 > p. 20
3. [2] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > River Systems of the Peninsular Drainage > p. 23