SURVEY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INLAND
WATERWAYS
Techno-Economic Feasibility
studies including surveys have been carried out on several inland
waterways including Sunderbans, Barak river, Kakinada-Mercaunam
canals integrated with Godavari and Krishna rivers, and DVC canal.
Three waterways namely (i) Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system
from Allahabad to Haldia (1620 kms) (ii) The Brahmaputra from
Sadiya to Dhubri (891 kms) and (iii) The West Coast Canal from
Kollam to Kottapuram along with Champakara and Udyogmandal canals
(205 kms) have been declared as National Waterways and are being
developed for shipping and navigation by providing basic infrastructural
facilities i.e. navigational channel, navigational aids, terminals.
This was stated by Shri Dilipkumar Mansukhlal Gandhi, Minister
of State for Shipping in a written reply to Shri Manoj Bhattacharya
in Rajya Sabha today. He further added that the Government was
aware that there was a tremendous potential and scope for the
development of inland water transport system within the country
both for passengers and cargo.
The Minister
further stated that in inland water transport sector the Government
of India was committed to the creation of a facilitative environment
in which greater movement of cargo and passengers could take place
on National Waterways, State Governments were encouraged to assist
in this task and to ensure greater popularity of this mode of
transportation. A Centrally Sponsored Scheme in which larger amounts
of Central assistance flow to the States had been put in place.
An Inland Water Transport (IWT) Policy which envisages greater
involvement of private sector had also been approved.
