LENGTH
OF INLAND WATERWAYS
India’s navigable
inland waterways extend to nearly 14,500 km out of which about
5700 km are suitable for mechanized crafts.
No
new national waterway was declared in the 9th Plan.
The important projects
include Annual River Conservancy Works including bandalling, dredging,
channel marking, talweg survey, issue of river notices in national
Waterway-1 and 2, annual maintenance dredging, day channel marking,
issue of river notices on National Waterway-3, construction of
permanent terminal at Gaighat, Patna on NW-1 and Padu on National
Waterway-2, terminals at 11 locations on NW-3, night navigation
facilities on three National Waterways, requisition of dredger,
survey launches, tugs, accommodation boats, acquisition of pontoons
to be used as floating jetties for National Waterway-1 & 2,
construction of National Institute of Inland Navigation at Patna
etc.
This information was
given in the Lok Sabha today by Shri S. Thirunavukkarasar, Minister
of State for Shipping in a written reply to a question by Shri
T.T.V.Dhinakaran.
