CARGO MOVEMENT THROUGH NATIONAL WATERWAYS
CARGO MOVEMENT THROUGH NATIONAL WATERWAYS
The steps taken by the Government to increase cargo movement through National Waterways (NWs) are at Annexure-1.
The details of cargo movement through National Waterways since 2019-20 till 2023-24, year-wise are attached as Annexure-2.
In addition to development of 5 NWs (NW-1 to NW-5), Phase-I development of 14 new NWs sanctioned by the Government in the States of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra & Assam as detailed at Annexure.-3.
Fairway development works to ensure Least Available Depth (LAD) of 3.0 meter in Haldia- Barh, 2.5 meter in Barh-Ghazipur and 2.2 meter in Ghazipur-Varanasi stretches on NW-1 are in progress under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) which has been undertaken by IWAI with technical and financial assistance from World Bank. Similarly, to improve the connectivity between NW-1 and NW-2/NW-16 via the Indo Bangladesh protocol route, fairway development in the critical and shallow stretches between Sirajganj and Daikhowa on protocol route No.1 & 2 and Ashuganj and Zakiganj on protocol rote no 3 & 4 in Bangladesh are taken up by India and Bangladesh for round the year navigability (with targeted LAD of 2.5 mtrs). Similarly, fairway development works are carried out on NW-97 in Sunderbans to allow smooth navigation of vessels on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.
IWAI has identified 26 new NWs through techno-economic feasibility studies for undertaking technical interventions to make the waterways navigable for transportation purpose. Once ready, these new waterways may provide an alternate mode of transportation in respective geographies.
The Operation of Ro-Ro / Ro-Pax vessels inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minster during February 2021 for the following routes:
Vessel Name
Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax Services between
Date of Inauguration by Hon’ble Prime
Minister
MV Rani Gaidinliu &
MV Sachin Dev Barman
Neamati and Kamalabari (Majuli)
18.02.2021
MV JFR Jacob
Guwahati and North Guwahati
18.02.2021
MV Bob Khathing
Dhubri and Fakirganj (U/S Hatsingimari)
18.02.2021
MV Adi Shankara &
MV C.V. Raman
Wellingdon Island and Bolghaty
14.02.2021
Hybrid Electric Catamaran Vessels MV Nishadraj & MV Guh has been handed over to Tourism Department, U.P. on 13.03.2024 and 15.03.2024 respectively by IWAI for operations in Varanasi & Ayodhya.
Taking ahead the vision of the Government of India to promote Inland Waterways as a supplementary mode of transport, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has considered waiver of waterway user charges initially for a period of three years.
It provides detailed information of various features of National Waterways and the assets such as fairway, infrastructure facilities, cross-river structures, connectivity at jetties, emergency services for facilitating transportation of cargo.
These solutions increase collaboration across divergent stakeholders, improve organizational consistency, increased resource agility, enhances ownership and accountability for each stakeholder leading to improved management of activities. By having public access to key work being done by IWAI for the sector, will enhance IWAI’s standing in the market and will increase trust in the sector.
The list of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for various National Waterways which are available at IWAI website is as given below:
Swami Paramhans on 24.07.2023
JMVP-II (Arth Ganga) is a project for the socio-economic upliftment of the population living around River Ganga i.e. NW-1 and has been undertaken for development on an approach based on the principles on the sustainable development model to energize economic activities which will impact on overall ecosystem along the riverbank.
This can lead to inclusive growth and play a key role in improving the livelihoods of the populations with the transportation of goods and passengers (including tourist) through National Waterway-1. The project envisages a cost of Rs. 746.00 Crore.
The Details of Cargo Movement
National Waterways (NW)
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
NW-1 {Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River
System (Haldia-Allahabad)}
9.11
9.21
10.93
13.17
12.82
NW-2 {Brahmaputra River (Dhubri-Sadiya)}
0.39
0.31
0.43
0.63
0.59
NW-3 (West Coast Canal)
0.55
0.73
1.70
3.23
3.29
NW-4 (Krishna Godavari River Systems)
0.08
6.83
11.23
8.42
4.30
NW-5 (East Coast Canal And Matai River/Brahmani-Kharsua-Dhamra
Rivers/Mahanadi Delta Rivers)
–
0.02
0.40
0.64
NW-8 (Alappuzha-Changanassery Canal)
0.03
0.04
NW-9 (Alappuzha-Kottayam Athirampuzha
Canal)
0.02
0.02
NW-14 (Baitarni River)
–
0.001
NW-16 (Barak River)
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.003
NW-23 (BudhaBalanga)
0.03
0.02
NW-31 (Dhansiri/Chathe)
0.01
NW-44 (Ichamati River)
0.90
0.28
0.82
0.46
0.48
NW-64 (Mahanadi River)
–
–
0.02
0.45
0.67
NW-86 (Rupnarayan River)
–
0.00
0.00
0.09
0.10
NW-94 (Sone River)
0.80
–
–
–
1.16
NW-97 (Sunderbans Waterway)
3.46
3.86
6.10
5.47
5.19
Sub Total (National Waterways
1,2,3,4,5,16,44,64,86,94,&97)
15.30
21.22
31.24
32.41
29.34
Maharashtra Waterways
NW-10 (Amba River)
22.01
17.69
20.23
28.54
30.17
NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek)
0.67
0.21
0.23
0.24
0.45
NW-85 (Revadanda Creek-Kundalika River
System)
1.59
1.08
0.70
0.50
0.99
NW-91 (Shastri River – Jaigad Creek System)
0.12
9.24
22.45
33.87
37.05
TOTAL Maharashtra Waterways
24.39
28.21
43.61
63.15
68.66
Goa Waterways
NW-68 (Mandovi River)
1.58
4.00
2.62
2.54
2.42
NW-111 (Zuari River)
1.36
4.47
1.96
0.39
1.10
TOTAL Goa Waterways
2.93
8.46
4.58
2.93
3.52
Gujarat Waterways
NW-73 (Narmada River)
0.10
0.08
0.05
0.04
0.06
NW-100 (Tapi River)
30.92
25.63
29.32
27.62
31.46
TOTAL Gujarat Waterways
31.02
25.71
29.37
27.66
31.51
Grand Total Million Tonnes
73.64
83.61
108.79
126.15
133.03
IBP
3.46
3.60
5.43
5.20
4.70
List of new NWs sanctioned under Phase-I development
S/N
National Waterways (NWs)
Investment Sanctioned (Rs. in cr.)
1.
NW-8- Alappuzha-Changanassery Canal in Kerala
3
2.
NW-9- Alappuzha-Athirampuza Canal in Kerala
3
3.
NW-27-Cumberjua River in Goa
15
4.
NW-68- Mandovi River in Goa
5.
NW-111- Zuari River in Goa
6.
NW-86- River Rupnarayan in West Bengal
20
7.
NW-97- Sundarbans Waterways in West Bengal
20
8.
NW-40- Ghaghra River in U.P. & Bihar
15
9.
NW-44- Ichamati River in West Bengal
10
10.
NW-10- Amba River in Maharashtra
10
11.
NW-28-Dabhol Creek Vashisthi River in Maharashtra
12.
NW-57- Kopili River in Assam
32
13.
NW-31- Dhansiri River in Assam
84
14.
NW-16-River Barak in Assam
148
This information was given by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
- Fairway development works: