UPSC 2013: The Narmada river flows to the west, while most other large peninsular rivers flow to the east. Why? 1. It occupies a linear rift valley. 2. It flows between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras. 3. The land slopes to the west from Central India. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

The Narmada flows westward because it occupies a geologically-formed linear rift valley that opens towards the Arabian Sea; this structural control is the decisive factor. While the river does run between the Vindhyan range (north) and the Satpura range (south), that fact does not explain its westward flow, and the general regional slope is actually eastwards, not westwards. Hence only statement 1 is correct. ([edukemy.com](https://edukemy.com/blog/upsc-prelims-2013-question-paper-with-answer-key-general-studies-paper-1/?utm_source=openai))