(a) whether the Government proposes to set up National Sea Waterways;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether some major ports are to be deepened for the said purpose;
(d) if so, the major ports where dredging is to be undertaken for the purpose; and
(e) the steps taken/being taken to develop the National Sea Waterways alongwith the financial implications in this regard?
MINISTER OF SHIPPING, ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI T.R. BAALU)
(a) to (e) Declaration of port channels as National Sea Waterways in a phased manner beginning with major ports and their development and maintenance through Central Government funding is envisaged in the draft Policy for the Maritime Sector (Ports, Merchant Shipping and Inland Water Transport).
Capital dredging for deepening of port basins and channels is undertaken by the major ports from time to time to keep pace with the draught requirements of vessels calling at these ports. This is a part of an on-going process to improve port infrastructure.
A list of capital dredging projects included in the Tenth Plan is Annexed.
ANNEXURE
CAPITAL DREDGING PROJECTS DURING TENTH PLAN
Name of the Port Scheme
Kolkata River Regulatory Measures
Mumbai Deepening of Approach Channel to Indira Dock and New Offshore container berths
Jawaharlal Nehru Deepening of Channel
Chennai Deepening of the Dr. Ambedkar Basin and Entrance
Cochin Capital Dredging for Vallarpadam International Container Terminal Project and LNG/LPG Terminal at Puthuvypeen
Visakhapatnam
(i) Deepening of Port Waterways, including slope protection
(ii) Strengthening the East Quay Berths to accommodate vessels of deeper draught upto (-)12 mtrs. dredging depth of inner harbour including dredging of harbour basin entrance channel.
Kandla
(i) Deepening & Widening of Sogal Channel
(ii) Deepening of Approaches to Sogal Channel
(iii) Deepening of Navigational Channel in the northern portion of Kandla Creek.
(iv) Deepening alongside cargo jetties by capital dredging
(v) Deepening of navigational channel in the southern portion of Kandla Creek.
Mormugao Deepening of approach channel, basin area and Berth No.9.
Paradip Deepening of Channel
New Mangalore
(i) Capital Dredging for Deepening the Channel and Lagoon
(ii) Improvement, Strengthening and Deepening of General Cargo Berths.
Tuticorin
(i) Dredging in front of cargo berth
(ii) Improvement of draught in Approach channel and port basin.
Ennore Deepening of the Approach Channel and Port basin to handle VLCCs and super cape size vessels.
Tuticorin Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project
(Nodal Agency)