State PCS - Rajasthan (RAS)

• 12 Jun 2025

Banas River in Rajasthan

Why in News? 

Several individuals lost their lives due to drowning in the Banas River in Rajasthan's Tonk district.

Key Points 

• About Banas River:  
  • Location and Origin: 
    • The Banas River is located in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan. 
    • It originates near Kumbhalgarh in the Aravalli hills. 
  • Course and Flow: 
    • It flows northeastward onto the plains before merging with the Chambal River just north of Sheopur. 
    • The total length of the river is approximately 310 miles (500 km). 
  • Seasonal Nature and Use: 
    • The Banas is a seasonal river, often running dry during the hot summer months. 
    • Despite its seasonal nature, it serves as an important source of irrigation in the region. 
  • Tributaries: 
    • The main tributaries of the Banas River are the Berach River and the Kotari River. 
  • Dams: 
    • The Bisalpur Dam is located on the Banas River. It is a gravity dam constructed for irrigation and drinking water supply. 
      • A gravity dam is a dam made of concrete or masonry and withstands the pressure of water by its own weight. Its stability is entirely based on gravity. 

Chambal River  

• Chambal River originates at the Singar Chouri peak in the northern slopes of the Vindhya mountains (Indore, Madhya Pradesh). From there, it flows in the North direction in Madhya Pradesh for a length of about 346 km and then follows a north-easterly direction for a length of 225 km through Rajasthan.  
  • It enters Uttar Pradesh and flows for about 32 km before joining the Yamuna River in Etawah District.  
• It is a rainfed river and its basin is bounded by the Vindhyan mountain ranges and the Aravallis. The Chambal and its tributaries drain the Malwa region of northwestern Madhya Pradesh.  
• The Hadauti plateau in Rajasthan occurs in the upper catchment of the Chambal River to the southeast of the Mewar Plains.  
• Tributaries: Banas, Kali Sindh, Sipra, Parbati, etc.  
• Main Power Projects/ Dam: Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, Jawahar Sagar Dam, and Kota Barrage.  
• The National Chambal Sanctuary is located along River Chambal on the tri-junction of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.   
  • It is known for the critically endangered gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle, and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.