Physiography of Punjab, Landforms and Classification

Located between the Yamuna River to the east and the Indus River to the west (even extending beyond the Indus), Punjab is a vast alluvial plain bordered by a rugged foothill region and the Shivalik Hills in the northeast and north. The plain slopes gently from an elevation of around 350 meters above sea level in the northeast to approximately 180 meters in the southwest. The southwestern edge of Punjab is arid and uneven but has been gradually levelling due to increased cultivation and irrigation efforts.

Physiography of Punjab

At the macro-regional level, the Punjab Plain is a predominantly flat and featureless land. However, there is a lot of diversity of relief when viewed from micro-regional levels. The whole Punjab region may be divided into the following landform types:

1. The Shivalik Hills
2. The Kandi
3. The Alluvial Plains
4. The South-Western Sand Dunes

The Shivalik Hills

The outermost low-lying Shiwalik hills of the Himalayas occupy the Northeastern part of Punjab. These are the deposits of the Indus River and comprised of alluvial, derived from the higher mountains, which were swept down by their numerous river systems and part of Shiwalik rock formations have been involved in the latest Himalayan tectonic movements by which they have been folded, faulted and elevated into their outermost foothills. Covering about 2.6% of Punjab’s total area, the Shivaliks stretch from the Ravi River in the north to the Ghaggar River in the south, spanning approximately 280 km.

• They serve as a natural boundary separating the Himalayas from the Great Plains of India.
• The hills run from North-West to South-East and form the boundary with nthe eighbouring State of Himachal Pradesh.
• They pass through five districts: Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, and Roopnagar, with slopes steep towards Himachal Pradesh and gentle towards Punjab.
  • In the Gurdaspur district, the hills extend from the Ravi River on the northwest to the Beas River on the southeast. 
  • In Hoshiarpur and Nawanshehar districts, the hills cover nthe ortheast parts and extend from the Beas to Satluj rivers.
• The Shivalik hills generally range between 300 metres and 900 metres above sea level. 
  • They provide a sharp contrast to the predominantly level topography in much of the region.
  • The hills are quite denuded and dissected and generally covered with only bush and stunted vegetation, primarily due to deforestation in the later part of the nineteenth century, 
  • At present, there are no extensive forests.
• The Shivaliks are subdivided into three segments:

1. 1. Pathankot Shivalik: Between the Ravi and Beas rivers.
   2. Hoshiarpur Shivalik: Between the Beas and Sutlej rivers.
   3. Roper Shivalik: Between the Sutlej and Ghaggar rivers.

The Kandi

The Kandi region serves as a transitional zone between the Shivalik Hills and the plains. It is a narrow sub-mountainous belt along Punjab’s northeastern border, consisting of uneven terrain located below the hills in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, and Ropar districts. 

• The region stretches approximately 160 km in length and 10 km in width, with an elevation ranging from 300 to 400 meters above sea level, covering about 8.5% of Punjab’s total area.
• The area experiences heavy rainfall, reaching up to 125 cm during the July-August southwest monsoon. This intense rainfall often causes severe soil erosion and results in the formation of numerous small seasonal streams known as choes and khads (streambeds). 
• Due to the coarse soil and elevated topography, these streams mostly vanish within the area, leading to inland drainage. The region is further characterized by shifting deposits of sand and pebbles.
• Despite receiving significant rainfall and having abundant vegetation, the area is not highly fertile or densely populated compared to the plains. Consequently, agricultural activities remain limited.
• The Kandi region is known by different names in various areas:
  • Changar: In the Anandpur Sahib block of Ropar district.
  • Ghar: West of the Shivaliks in the Ropar district and south of the Sirsa Nadi.

Alluvial Plains

To the west of the Kandi region lies the fertile alluvial plain, which forms part of the larger Indo-Gangetic plains. However, it is important to note that Punjab’s alluvial plains are part of the distinct Punjab Plains. This extensive plain in northwestern India spans approximately 99,200 square kilometres, covering Punjab, Haryana, and parts of the Delhi Union Territory.

The western portion of the Northern Plain extends into Pakistan, shaped by the Indus River and its tributaries. The depth of these alluvial deposits remains largely undetermined but reaches around 8,000 meters at Ambala, Haryana. The average elevation of these plains ranges from 200 to 300 meters above sea level, with a gentle slope declining from the northeast to the southwest.

Punjab Plains are divided into three regions

1. Majha: Covers the districts of Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran.
2. Doaba: Spans Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, and Nawanshahr districts.
3. Malwa: Comprises the remaining 15 districts except those in Majha and Doaba.

Classification of the Alluvial Plains

The Alluvial Plains can be further classified into four types:

Southwestern Riverine Sand Dunes

These occupy the southwestern part of the state which experiences a semiarid type of climate and constitute about 28 per cent of the area. These are spread over about 10-15 per cent of the area and cover parts of Ferozepur, Mansa, Bathinda, Muktsar, Kapurthala, Sangrur, Faridkot and Patiala districts. This region, influenced by the proximity to the Thar Desert, features wind-blown sand dunes. Despite the flat landscape forming part of the alluvial plains, the continuous presence of sand dunes has created a unique physiographic category. 

• The dunes, locally called Tibbas, are characterized by coarser sand with stronger wind activity at the top compared to the base. 
• They are most prominent in districts such as Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Mansa, Muktsar, and parts of Sangrur and Patiala.
• Historically, this desert-like feature was more common but has largely diminished due to agricultural expansion. 
• Farmers, with government support for irrigation and drainage, have transformed the dunes into productive farmland, showcasing successful agricultural development in the region.

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