(a) whether the Government is implementing any schemes to promote inland water transport in the country, if so, the details and the current status thereof; and
(b) the name of rivers of the country through which such transportation is likely to be operational and the rivers to be included under these schemes in future?
(a) & (b) To promote inland water transport in the country as an economical, environment friendly supplementary mode of transport to rail and road, 111 inland waterways (including 5 National Waterways declared earlier) have been declared under the National Waterways Act, 2016. The details of work undertaken on these National Waterways is given below.
(i) The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) for capacity augmentation of navigation on the Haldia – Varanasi stretch of National Waterway-1 (NW-1) is being implemented at an estimated cost of Rs. 5,369.18 crore with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank. Projects worth Rs. 1800 crore (approx.) have commenced on ground in a time period of three years after statutory clearances.
(ii) National Waterway-2 from Dhubri to Sadiya on River Brahmaputra and National Waterway-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 are operational and vessels are plying on these National Waterways.
(iii) In NW-4 on the Vijayawada – Muktyala stretch of river Krishna, fairway development works and construction of terminals are in progress at a cost of Rs.96 crore.
(iv) Development activities have been undertaken in 10 new National Waterways as per list attached at Annex.
Annex
Status of work on development of 10 National Waterway.
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Sl. No Name of the Waterway Status
1. River Barak (NW-16) Development works at a cost of Rs. 76.01 crore for Phase -1 from Silchar to Bhanga has commenced. This includes maintenance dredging, upgradation of terminals at Badarpur and Karimganj. NW is operational with limited infrastructure facility.
2. River Gandak (NW-37) Development works at a cost of Rs. 12.91 crore including fairway maintenance work has commenced. NW is operational with limited infrastructure facility.
3.
4.
5. Waterways in Goa
NW-27-Cumberjua
NW 68 – Mandovi
NW 111 – Zuari Development of NWs in Goa at an estimated cost of Rs. 22.65 crore has commenced. Work is being executed through Government of Goa with the assistance of Mormugao Port Trust. A Tripartite MoU has been signed for the commencement of works. NWs of Goa are operational.
6. Alappuzha – Kottayam – Athirampuzha Canal
(NW-9) Development of the waterway at an estimated cost of Rs.1.60 crore has commenced. Night navigation facilities have been procured and installed. Dredging is proposed departmentally. Waterway is already operational for ferry services.
7. River Rupnarayan
(NW-86) 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. Tendering for dredging is at an advanced stage. Waterway is operational.
8. Sunderbans Waterways (NW-97) Development works at an estimated cost of Rs.18.10 crore has commenced. Dredging work is in progress. NW is part of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route and already operational for vessels.
9. River Kosi (NW-58) Project sanctioned for Rs. 15.68 crore to develop the NW with minimum required infrastructure (bandalling, channel marking, floating terminals and conducting monthly survey etc.). Tender for river conservancy works and floating pontoon facility are in progress for making the waterway operational.
10. River Ghagra (NW-40) An amount of Rs. 11.60 crore has been approved for fairway development by bandalling and day channel marking, creation of floating terminals and monthly surveys. Tender for river conservancy works and floating pontoon facility are in progress for making the NW operational.
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