Which one of the following set of cities falling on the 'Golden Quadrilateral' are arranged in a clock-wise direction from Delhi?
Which one of the following set of cities falling on the 'Golden Quadrilateral' are arranged in a clock-wise direction from Delhi?
Options
The correct option is D — Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai.
Why this is correct:
- On the map, Delhi lies in the north, Kolkata in the east, Chennai in the south and Mumbai in the west.
- Moving clockwise from Delhi means going north → east → south → west, i.e., Delhi → Kolkata → Chennai → Mumbai.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: correct identification of Option D (Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai) as the clockwise sequence.
Hint
Visualise Delhi at the top of the map; clockwise motion goes toward the east (Kolkata) first, not the west (Mumbai).
Quick Oral Answer
Moving clockwise from Delhi (north) the order is Kolkata (east), Chennai (south), then Mumbai (west), tracing the Golden Quadrilateral's four corner cities.
Analysis & Explanation
The Golden Quadrilateral is India's largest national highway project, connecting the four major metropolitan cities — Delhi (north), Mumbai (west), Chennai (south) and Kolkata (east) — in a quadrilateral shape, with a total length of about 5,846 km.
Tracing the clockwise direction:
- Starting at Delhi (top/north of the quadrilateral) and moving clockwise means the next city encountered must be to the east, which is Kolkata.
- Continuing clockwise from Kolkata (east) leads south to Chennai.
- Continuing clockwise from Chennai (south) leads west to Mumbai, completing the loop back to Delhi.
Why the distractors fail:
- Option A (Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai) incorrectly places Mumbai before Chennai, which would require jumping from east directly to west, skipping the southward leg — this is not a continuous clockwise path.
- Option B (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai) starts by moving west (to Mumbai) from Delhi, which is the anti-clockwise/counter-clockwise direction.
- Option C (Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata) also starts in the wrong direction and does not trace a consistent rotational path.
Only Option D traces an unbroken clockwise loop: north → east → south → west.
Common Mistakes
- 1Reading the quadrilateral in the order it is commonly written/named (Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata) without checking whether that direction is actually clockwise or anti-clockwise on the map.
- 2Confusing clockwise with anti-clockwise direction when visualising the map mentally instead of physically tracing it.
Interesting Facts
The Golden Quadrilateral, completed largely by 2012 under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), is the fifth-longest highway network in the world.
The Golden Quadrilateral was launched in 2001 and, together with its later extensions, connects the four largest metros while also linking many state capitals and major ports along its route.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Golden Quadrilateral?
The Golden Quadrilateral is a national highway network connecting India's four largest metropolitan cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata — forming a quadrilateral of about 5,846 km, built under the National Highways Development Project.
How long is the Golden Quadrilateral highway network?
The Golden Quadrilateral covers roughly 5,846 km connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, making it one of the largest highway projects in India.