Lok Sabha Question No. 629 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-04
Subject: RoRo Barges and Boating Vessels
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Mahua Moitra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 629

ANSWERED ONO4IO2I2O22

## RORO BARGES AND BOATING VESSELS

## 629. SHRIMATI MAHUA MOITRA:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS  be pleased to state q-f,{, qtd qffs-f,{  .lilt s-f,qrrf {*

- (a)  whether it is true that many of the Roll on Roll off (RoRo) barges and boating vessels sailing across various waterways regularly  get stuck, often for long periods,  in the State  of West Bengal and other  parts of the country  and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the details  of steps taken by the Kolkata Pori Trust and lnland Waterways Authority of lndia to prevent this;
- (c)  whether there are reports of siltation and other issues taking place  in the watemrays;  and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and corrective steps taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) & (b) Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK), erstwhile  Kolkata Port Trust undertakes  regular maintenance  dredging in its navigational  channel  for movement of large vessels to Haldia, Kolkata. As a result, adequate  draft is maintained for movement of small vessels  in the shipping channel. No report regarding  RoRo barges and boating vessels sailing across the river getting  stuck within the limits of SMPK has been received.

No incidence of Roll-on Roll-off barges or vessels getting stuck on the National Waterways in the State of West Bengal and other parts of the country in the  jurisdiction of lnland Waterways  Authority of lndia (lWAl) has been reported.

(c)&(d)Mostoftherivers/NationalWatenrvays(NWs)arealluvialriverswithsemipermanent nature of earthen/ sandy banks vulnerable to severe erosion due to annual floods and have a heavy silt load. Besides, inadequate  discharges  in the rivers during lean season results in inadequate fainaray  availability'  Further'  meandering and braiding of alluvial rivers/ National  watenruays  (NWs) and the erosion  of their banks causes excessive siltation which reduces the depth/ draft for the vessel movement'  To address these issues, alignment of navigation channel is identified by regular computerized  hydrographic  surveys along the NWs after floods/  monsoons'  lWAl conducts fortnightly/ monthly  hydrographic  surveys  regularly  along the navigation channel of NWs for identification of shallow  portion due to siltation'  Based on the feedback, maintenance activities for sustained  fainruay are undertaken  through dredging,  River conservancy  works like bandalling,  river training  works as per the field conditions.

Toavoidsiltation,sMPKhastoundertakeconsiderablemaintenance dredging  on regular  basis in its navigational  channels  leading  to Haldia Dock complex (HDC) and Kolkata Dock System  tkOSl  so as to avert/ minimize dead freighting of vessels. Details  oiOredging  activity'at  SMPK is summarized  in the table below:

| Year     |   Quantity Dredged in | Cost incurred in Rs. Crore   |   Annual Average Draft |
|----------|-----------------------|------------------------------|------------------------|
| 2009-1 0 |                25.81  | 335 13                       |                    7.3 |
| 2010-11  |                23.74  | :J13.5U                      |                    7   |
| 2011-12  |                14.57  | 289.t6                       |                    7.2 |
| 2012-13  |                16.89  | 3U9.UV                       |                    7.3 |
| 2013-14  |                19.09  | 33U.JU                       |                    7.2 |
| 2014-15  |                17.9   | 396.28                       |                    7.2 |
| 2015-16  |                16.165 | 366.1U                       |                    7.5 |
| 2016-17  |                 7.683 | 2s5.11                       |                    7.5 |
| 2017-18  |                 9.917 | 25'2.O9                      |                    7.7 |
| 2018-19  |                10.815 | Z6U.UU                       |                    7.9 |
| 2019-20  |                 7.844 | 205.15                       |                    8.1 |
| 2020-21  |                 6.866 | 18U.Je                       |                    8.2 |

SMPK has been able to tackle the problem of siltation in efficient  manner. The cost of dredging  and quantity of dredged  materials whereas the annual average draft has increased  over the years' effective  and have reduced