RAS question
National Waterway-5 (NW-5) is on which river system?
Correct answer: (B) Brahmani River along with East Coast Canal (Talcher to Paradip).
National Waterway-5 is on the Brahmani River system along with the East Coast Canal, running from Talcher towards Paradip and Dhamra in Odisha.
Explanation
National Waterway-5 is identified with the Brahmani River system and the East Coast Canal. This 588 km waterway lies in Odisha, running from Talcher to Paradip and Dhamra. That matters because the route is not just a river-name fact; it links the Talcher industrial and coal belt with the port-side logistics of Paradip and Dhamra. The Inland Waterways Authority of India page for National Waterways-5 associates NW-5 with the Brahmani-based waterway system, so option B captures both the river system and the canal component needed for the full identification.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Barak River is associated with NW-6, so choosing it confuses a north-eastern national waterway with NW-5 in Odisha.
- (C) Subarnarekha River is not the river system identified for National Waterway-5 in this numbering.
- (D) Mahanadi is not the best answer because the tested identification of NW-5 is the Brahmani River along with the East Coast Canal, from Talcher towards Paradip and Dhamra.
Concept
This tests the geography of India's national waterways, especially matching numbered waterways with their river-canal systems. RAS repeats such items because transport corridors link physical geography with industry, ports and regional development.