New Delhi : No special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has been proposed by the Government for the development of National Waterways by the major ports. However, five (05) Major Ports were directed to take up development of the National Waterways which are in their proximity through release of grant by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). The list of National Waterways assigned to five Major Ports is at Annex-I. Later, the matter was reviewed and it was decided that the development of NWs allocated to five (05) Major Ports will be undertaken by the IWAI. However, the development of three (03) NWs of Goa viz. NW-68, NW-27 and NW-111 will continue to be undertaken as per the tripartite MoU signed among IWAI, Government of Goa (Caption of Ports) and Mormugao Port Trust (MoPT).
Fairway development works in Vijayawada – Muktyala stretch of river Krishna in NW-4 and installation of four floating pontoons have been completed. Land acquisition process for Ro-Ro terminals (3 nos.) at Ibrahimpatnam, Harischandrapuram and Muktyala has been initiated. The time frame set for completion of these terminals is two years after completion of land acquisition process.
A provision of Rs. 564.31 crore has been made in the Budget Estimate for 2022-23for development of National Waterways (NWs). Development and operational status of the National Waterways is detailed at Annex-II.
Annex-I
National Waterways (NWs) allocated to 05 Major Ports
| Sl. No. | Major Port | Name of Waterway with distance in (km) | NW no. |
| 1. | New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) | i. Kabini (23)
ii. Gurupur (10) iii. Kali (53) iv. Netrawathi (30) v. Sharavati (29) vi. Ghataprabha (112) vii. Malaprabha (94) viii. Tungabhadra (230) ix. Bheema (139) |
NW – 51
NW – 43 NW – 52 NW – 74 NW – 90 NW – 41 NW – 67 NW-104 NW – 21 |
| 2. | Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) | i. Amba river (45)
ii. Arunavati-Aran river (98) iii. Dabhol Creek-Vashisti river (45) iv. Kalyan-Thane-Mumbai Waterway Vasai Creek Ulhas river (145) v. Manjara river (242) vi. Nag river (60) vii. Penganga-Wardha river (265) viii. Revdanda Creek- Kundalika river (31) ix. Bankot Creek – Savita river (46) x. Tapi river (164) xi. Wainganga-Pranahita river (164) |
NW-10
NW- 11 NW – 28 NW- 53
NW- 70 NW- 72 NW- 78 NW- 85 NW- 89 NW- 100 NW- 109 |
| 3. | Deendayal Port Trust, Kandla | i. Mahi river (248)
ii. Narmada river (227) iii. Tapi river (436) iv. Jawai-Luni rivers and Rann Kutch (590) v. Luni river (336) |
NW- 66
NW- 73 NW- 100 NW- 48 NW- 63 |
| 4. | Paradip Port Trust (PPT) | i. Brahmani- Kharsua – Tantighai- PanduaNala- DedheiNala- KaniDhamra- river System, Geonkhali- Charbatia Stretch of East Coast canal, Charbatia- Dhamra Stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi Delta rivers (332)
ii. Baitarni river (49) iii. Mahanadi river (425) iv. Subarnrekha river (314) |
NW- 5
NW- 14 NW- 64 NW- 96 |
| 5. | Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) | i. Mandovi river (41)
ii. Cumberjua (17) iii. Zuari (50) iv. Chapori (33) v. Mapusa (27) |
NW- 68
NW- 27 NW- 111 NW- 25 NW- 71 |
Annex-II
Development and operational status of the National Waterways
- National Waterway (NW) -1 (Ganga – Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system from Allahabad to Haldia), NW – 2 (River Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya), NW -3 (West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals) have already been developed with fairway, navigational aids, jetties and terminals with mechanized equipment handling facilities for loading and unloading of cargo. These waterways including NW-4(Krishna Godavari river system), NW-5 (Brahmani – Mahanadi Delta rivers), NW-10 (river Amba), NW-16 (river Barak), NW-44 (river Ichamati), NW-64 (Mahanadi river ), NW-68 (river Mandovi), NW-73 (river Narmada), NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek), NW-85 (Revadanda Creek – Kundalika River System), NW-86 (Rupnarayan river), NW-91 (Shashtri river- Jaigad creek system), NW-94 (Sone river), NW- 97 (Sunderbans Waterways), NW-100 (river Tapi) and NW-111 (river Zuari) are 19 operational NWs and vessels are plying on these NWs.
- Government is implementing the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) at an estimated cost of Rs. 5369.18 cr. (revised to Rs. 4633.81 cr.) for capacity augmentation of navigation on NW-1 on the Haldia – Varanasi stretch of Ganga-Bhagirathi- Hooghly River System with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank. The salient features of the project are development of various infrastructure like construction of multimodal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj & Haldia, Ro-Ro terminals, navigational lock at Farakka, channel marking systems, integrated vessel repair & maintenance facilities, automated information techniques of DGPS and river information system (RIS), day and night navigation aids, slipways, bunkering facilities, river training and river conservancy works. Projects worth Rs. 2151 crores (approx.) have commenced on ground in a time period of four years after statutory clearances.
- Comprehensive development of NW-2 and NW-16 with Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) Routes has been undertaken at the cost of Rs. 461 crore and Rs. 145 crore respectively.
- Based on the outcome of techno-economic feasibility and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) prepared for NWs, 26 NWs have been found to be viable for cargo and passenger movement out of which developmental activities have been taken up/ initiated in 13 most viable NWs as per list attached.
LIST OF 26 NATIONAL WATERWAYS FOUND FEASIBLE FOR CARGO / PASSENGER MOVEMENT
| Sl. No | National Waterway | Details of Waterways | STATES | Status |
| 1 | National Waterway 1 | Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System (Haldia – Allahabad) | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal | Development taken up with Assistance from World Bank Jal Marg Vikas Project |
| 2 | National Waterway 2 | Brahmaputra River (Dhubri – Sadiya) | Assam | Development taken up as per approved SFC for FY 2020-21 to 2024-25 |
| 3 | National Waterway 16 | Barak River | Assam | |
| 4 | National Waterway 3 | West Coast Canal (Kottapuram – Kollam), Champakara and Udyogmandal Canals | Kerala | Mostly Operational Waterways and development and maintenance work taken up.
|
| 5 | National Waterway 4 | Krishna River (Vijayawada – Muktyala) | Andhra Pradesh | |
| 6 | National Waterway 5 | Dhamra-Paradio via Mangalagadi to Pankopal | Odisha | |
| 7 | National Waterway 8 | Alappuzha- Changanassery Canal | Kerala | |
| 8 | National Waterway 9 | Alappuzha – Kottayam – Athirampuzha Canal | Kerala (Alternate route: 11.5km) | |
| 9 | National Waterway 27 | Cumberjua River | Goa | |
| 10 | National Waterway 68 | Mandovi River | Goa | |
| 11 | National Waterway 86 | Rupnarayan River | West Bengal | |
| 12 | National Waterway 97 | Sunderbans Waterway | West Bengal | |
| 13 | National Waterway 111 | Zuari River | Goa | |
| 14 | National Waterway 10 | Amba River | Maharashtra | Development proposal at appraisal stage. |
| 15 | National Waterway 40 | Ghagra River | Bihar | |
| 16 | National Waterway 44 | Ichamati River | West Bengal | |
| 17 | National Waterway 52 | Kali River | Karnataka | |
| 18 | National Waterway 57 | Kopili River | Assam | |
| 19 | National Waterway 25 | Chapora River | Goa | |
| 20 | National Waterway 37 | Gandak River | Bihar
|
|
| 21 | National Waterway 28 | Dabhol Creek Vasisti River | Maharashtra | |
| 22 | National Waterway 73 | Narmada River | Maharashtra & Gujarat | |
| 23 | National Waterway 85 | Revadanda Creek – Kundalika River System | Maharashtra | |
| 24 | National Waterway 94 | Sone River | Bihar | |
| 25 | National Waterway 100 | Tapi River | Maharashtra & Gujarat | |
| 26 | National Waterway 31 | Dhansiri River | Assam |
This information was given by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Comments are closed.