Lok Sabha Question No. 1728 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-28
Subject: Inland Waterways Authority of India
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: Raju Bista

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1728

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28TII NOVEMBER, 2019

## INLAND WATERWAYS  AUTHORITY OF INDIA

1728. SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Manister of SHIPPING be pleased  to state: Trd.rkdrfi++

- (a)  the status of plans to use rlvers for transportation of cargos by lnland WateMays Authority of lndia;
- (b)  whether there is any plan to use rivers from North Bengal for transportation  of goods on the lines of using river Ganga  for the same; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR SHIPPING (SHRI MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

- (a) lnland Wateruvays  Authority of lndia (lWAl) has the mandate  for regulation  and development of inland wateruays for lhe purposes of shipping and navigation and for matters connected therewith or incidental  thereto as per lWAl Act, 1 985.  For development of shipping  and navigation and 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 Watenvays  declared  earlier) were declared as  'National Waterways' under the National  Waterways Act, 2016. The details of projects initiated on these National Waterways  are as under:

National  Waterway  (NW)-1 (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly  river system from Allahabad to Haldia), NW-2 (River Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya), NW-3 (West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals) have been developed with fairway  navigational  aids,  jetties  and terminals  with mechanized  equipment  handling facilities for loading  and unloading of cargo. These  NWs are operational and vessels are plying on them. ln addition, NW-10 (River  Amba), NW-68 (River Mandovi), NW-73 (River Narmada), NW-83 (Raipuri  Creek), NW-85  (Revadanda  Creek-Kundalika  River System),  NW-91 (Shastri river-Jaigad creek system),  NW-97  (Sunderbans Waterways),  NW-100  (River Tapi) and NW111 (River  Zuari) are also operational.

The Jal Marg Vikas Pro,iect (JMVP) is being implemented at an estimated  cost of Rs. 5369.18 crore for capacity augmentation  of navigation on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of NW-1 with the technical and financial  assistance of the World Bank. Projects worlh Rs. 1800 crore (approx.) have commenced on ground in a time period of three years after statutory clearances.

Fairway  development  works on the Vijayawada-Muktyala  stretch of river Krishna (Part of NW4) has commenced at a cost of Rs. 96 crore.

Based on the outcome of techno-economic  feasibility and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) prepared for 106 new NWs, technical  interventions have been planned for safe navigation and shipping on technically  viable NWs by the lwAl. As per the DpRs completed  so far for the new NWs,36 NWs have been found to be technically viable and development  aclivities  have been initiated on 10 NWs viz. NW-9, NW-l6, NW-27, NW-37, NW-40, NW-58, NW-68, NW-86, NW-97 and NW-111.

(b) & (c)  No National Waterway in North Bengal has been found feasible for transportation of goods, and, therefore, there is no plan  in this regard.