Development activities on 8 NWs
The Inland-Waterway Authority of India (IWAI) is implementing the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) at an estimated cost of Rs.5,369.18 crore for capacity augmentation of navigation on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of Ganga. The World Bank has extended technical and financial assistance to the development.
Under JMVP projects worth Rs.1,800 crore have commenced on ground in a time period of three years after statutory clearances. These include Multimodal Terminals at Varanasi and Sahibganj and three contracts for dredging.
Fairway development works in Vijayawada-Muktyala stretch of river Krishna in Andhra Pradesh (Part of NW-4) have been completed.
Fabrication of four floating pontoons and land acquisition for fixed four terminals at Ibrahimpatnam, Harischandrapuram, Muktyala and Madipadu has been taken up.
This update was given by Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha on 16 Mar 2020.
Development activities have been initiated on eight new National Waterways (NWs), he said.
River Barak (NW-16) in Assam
Development at a cost of Rs.76.01 crore for Phase-1 of NW-16 from Silchar to Bhanga has commenced. This includes maintenance dredging, upgradation of terminals at Badarpur and Karimganj. Waterway is operational with limited infrastructure facility.
River Gandak (NW-37) in Bihar
Initial development process has been completed as per requirement. Further development process will be synchronized with cargo demand.
Waterways in Goa
NW-27-Cumberjua, NW-68 – Mandovi and NW-111 – Zuari.
A Tripartite MoU has been signed with Government of Goa and Mormugao Port Trust for development of NWs in Goa at an estimated cost of Rs.22.65 crore. The NWs of Goa are operational.
Installation of 3 floating Jetties amounting to Rs.11.33 crore on river Mandovi and one on river Chapora has been taken up on EPC basis.
Alappuzha – Kottayam – Athirampuzha Canal (NW-9) in Kerala
Waterway is already operational for ferry services. Maintenance scheme for development at a cost of Rs.0.82 crore was approved in May 2019 for execution during 2019-20. Night navigation facilities have been installed.
River Rupnarayan (NW-86) in West Bengal
Development of the waterway at an estimated cost of Rs.24.00 crore has commenced. Work has been awarded for setting up of floating terminal. Waterway is operational.
Sunderbans Waterways (NW-97) in West Bengal
Development of waterway at an estimated cost of Rs.18.10 crore has commenced. Upgradation of infrastructure at Hemnagar has been taken up to handle Cargo, Passenger or Customs/Immigration requirements. Waterway is part of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route and already operational for vessels.
The Minister has also highlighted significant savings in cost of transportation are expected by using Inland Water Transport (IWT) mode of transport.
As per RITES Report of 2014 on “Integrated National Waterways Transportation Grid”, the cost comparison on the modes of surface transport is: Highways: Freight (Rs./T.km) 2.50, Railways: 1.36 and IWT: 1.06.
National Waterway-1 (river Ganga), NW-2 (river Brahmputra) and NW-3 (West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals) are operational with vessels plying.
Other operation waterways are:
NW-10 (river Amba) in Maharashtra, NW-68 (river Mandovi) in Goa, NW-73 (river Narmada) in Gujarat, NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek) in Maharashtra, NW-85 (Revadanda Creek – Kundalika River System) in Maharashra, NW-91 (Shastri river-Jaigad creek system) in Maharashtra, NW-97 (Sunderbans Waterways) in West Bengal, NW-100 (river Tapi) in Gujarat & Maharashtra and NW-111 (river Zuari) in Goa. fiinews.com
