The Palghat Gap

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The Palghat Gap

The Palghat Gap

News: Often called as a significant discontinuity in the Western Ghats, the Palghat Gap is about 40 km wide,
with the steep Nilgiris and Anamalai hills, both rising above 2,000 msl, on either side.

Basis	Key points
Evolution	The Palghat Gap originated due to the drift of continental shelves after the separation of Australia and Africa from the Gondwana landmass. The splitting of India and Madagascar led to the formation of the Gap approximately 100 million years ago
River flowing through the Gap	Bharathapuzzha River
Vegetation	Dry evergreen forest
Historical significance	Entry point to Kerala
Geographical	The Palghat Gap is a geological shear zone, running from east to west, which represents a weak region in the earth's crust.
Southern region of Gap	It boasts abundant species richness and phylogenetic diversity.
Other important Gaps	Thal Ghat Pass (Kasara Ghat) (connects Mumbai to Nashik); Bhor Ghat Pass (connects Mumbai to Pune via Khopoli); Amba Ghat Pass (connects: Ratnagiri district to Kolhapur); Naneghat Pass (connects Pune district with Junnar city); Amboli Ghat Pass (connects Sawantwadi of Maharashtra to Belgaum of Karnataka)