The Palakkad Gap

For over 1,600 kilometres, the Western Ghats form an almost unbroken wall. One gap cuts clean through it, in Kerala.

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Indian Geography · IndGeo0051

The One Break in the Western Ghats

Nilgiri Hills

Palakkad Gap — ~32 km wide

Anaimalai Hills

~140 m

Average elevation, far below the Ghats

NH 544

Highway + Coimbatore-Shoranur rail line

~100 Mya

Possible Gondwana-breakup origin

One gap, two climates

The same low corridor that funnels monsoon rain from Kerala into Tamil Nadu also sends hot Tamil Nadu winds back into eastern Kerala — and its steady, high-velocity winds now power wind farms near Kanjikode.

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Must Know

• The Palakkad Gap, also called the Palghat Gap, is the only major natural break in the Western Ghats.
• It lies between the Nilgiri Hills to its north and the Anaimalai Hills to its south.
• The gap is about 32 kilometres wide, at an average elevation of around 140 metres.
• It connects Palakkad district in Kerala with Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu.
• Being far lower than the surrounding ranges, it forms the easiest natural crossing point between the two states.

Good to Know

• The gap channels moisture-laden southwest monsoon winds from Kerala into Tamil Nadu and the Deccan Plateau beyond.
• It also lets hot, dry winds from Tamil Nadu reach eastern Kerala, moderating temperatures on both sides.
• Strong, funnelled winds through the gap make Kanjikode, in Palakkad, and parts of Coimbatore prime sites for wind-energy generation.
• National Highway 544 and the Coimbatore-Shoranur railway line both run through the gap, making it a vital transport corridor between the two states.

Test Yourself

Please wait…

1. The Palakkad Gap is the only major natural break in which mountain range?

The Aravalli Range

The Western Ghats

The Vindhya Range

The Satpura Range

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Great to Know

• Geologists debate exactly how the Palakkad Gap formed.
• One theory links it to the ancient breakup of Gondwana, when India separated from Madagascar roughly 100 million years ago.
• A separate theory attributes it to river erosion and landslides, from rivers once flowing in opposite directions through the same weak zone.
• The gap has served as a trade and migration route since ancient times, long before it became a modern highway and rail corridor.