Lok Sabha Question No. 2137 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-01
Subject: National Waterways in Kerala
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Shri Kodikunnil Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2137

ANSWERED ON 01.08.2025

## NATIONAL WATERWAYS IN KERALA

2137.  SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

## Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: पȅन , पोत पįरवहन एवं जलमागŊ मंũालय

(a) the total length and number of notified National Waterways (NWs) in the State of Kerala; (b) the current operational status of each of these waterways, including passenger and cargo traffic handled during the last three years; (c) the details of developmental works undertaken on these waterways-such as dredging, terminal development, night navigation facilities and modernization projects in the State along with their physical and financial progress; (d) the action taken by the Union Government in this regard based on the requests from the Member of Parliament and the State Government; (e) whether there are any delays or bottlenecks in implementation of such works due  to  environmental  clearance,  land  acquisition  or  coordination  with  the  State Government and if so, the measures taken to resolve them; and (f) the  steps  being  taken  to  improve  multimodal  connectivity  and  promote  ecofriendly and cost-effective water transport systems under the Sagarmala or Jal Marg Vikas Project in Kerala?

## ANSWER

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

(a) There are5 National Waterways (NWs) in the State of Kerala as detailed below and the total length of these 5 NWs is 465 .89 km:i.  NW-3 (West Coast Canal including Champakkara and Udyogmandal Canal). ii. NW-8 (Alappuzha - Changanassery Canal ). iii.NW-9 (Alapphuzha - Kottayam Canal ).

- iv. NW-13 (AVM Canal ).
- v.  NW-59 (Vechoor - Athirampuzha Canal ).

(b)& (c)Three NWs namely NW-3, NW-8 and NW-9 are operational and the details of passenger/cargo movement during the last three years is as under:

| Year    | Passenger   |   Cargo (Lakh Tonne) |
|---------|-------------|----------------------|
| 2022-23 | 95,79,806   |                32.07 |
| 2023-24 | 1,10,78,569 |                33.25 |
| 2024-25 | 1,12,76,234 |                35.59 |

Details  of  developmental  works  undertaken  on  these  waterways  with  Physical  & Financial progress is given in the Annexure-I.

- (d) Government of Kerala requested the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways for initiating steps to declare the Kovalam to Kollam and Kozhikode to Bekal stretches of West Coast Canal as appropriate class (Class-I/Class-III) of NW according to the standards  available.NW-3  stretch  from  Kottapuram  to  Kozhikode  in  Kerala  vide National Waterways Act, 2016 has already been extended. Thus, NW-3 covers a total feasible  stretch  from  Kozhikode  in  the  north  to  Kollam  in  the  south,  out  of  entire waterway  stretch  from  Bekal  to  Kovalam.  The  remaining  stretch  from  Bekal  to Kozhikode  in  north  and  Kollam  to  Kovalam  in  south  could  not  be  considered  for declaration as National Waterway as per findings of the studies completed by National Transport Planning & Research Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.
- (e) There are issues pertaining to non availability of dumping grounds for dredged material  required  for  fairway  development  and  removal  of  fishing  nets  from  the navigation  channel  earmarked  by  Inland  Waterways  Authority  of  India  (IWAI),  an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, which are regularly taken up with the Government of Kerala for resolution.
- (f)   Details of steps taken by IWAI to improve multimodal connectivity and promote eco-friendly and cost effective water transport system in the country including Kerala are given in the Annexure-II. Jal Marg Vikas Project is for augmentation of navigation capability of NW-1 (Ganga River) from Varanasi to Haldia.

## Details of developmental works undertaken on these waterways with Physical & Financial progress

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has constructed nine (9) terminals in NW-3 and has provided Ro-Ro service between Willingdon Island and Bolghatty Island. Additionally, IWAI funded the work for modernization of Navigation lock at Thrikunnapuzha and the construction of Kovilthottam foot over bridge through Government of Kerala on deposit basis. IWAI also undertakes bank protection works in NWs in Kerala at vulnerable locations. The status of various ongoing activities is as follows:

|   S.N. | Name of Development work                                                                             | Physical Progress   | Financial Progress   |
|--------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
|      1 | Fairway Development Works (carried out annually)                                                     | 15%                 | 11.78%               |
|      2 | Operation & Maintenance of Terminals (carried out annually)                                          | 25%                 | 17.50%               |
|      3 | Modernization of Thrikunnapuzha Lock Gate                                                            | 41%                 | 100%                 |
|      4 | Reconstruction of Kovilthottam Foot over Bridge (50 : 50 share of IWAI and the Government of Kerala) | 78%                 | 50%                  |

Details  of  steps  taken  by  Inland  Waterways  Authority  of  India  (IWAI),  an autonomous organisation  under Ministry  of  Ports,  Shipping  &  Waterways  to improve multimodal connectivity and promote eco-friendly and cost effective water transport system

- (i)  Fairway  maintenance  works  (river  training,  maintenance  dredging,  channel marking  and  regular  hydrographic  surveys)  are  taken  up  in  various  National Waterways (NWs) for providing a navigation channel of 35/45 m width and 2.0 / 2.2 /

2.5 / 3.0 m least available depth (LAD) for operation of vessels. (ii) 53 community jetties, 20 floating terminals, 3 Multi-Modal Terminals (MMTs) and 1 Inter-Modal Terminal (IMT) have been constructed on NW-1 (River Ganga) in addition to 5 pre-existing permanent terminals. (iii) 13 floating terminals provided on NW-2 (River Brahmaputra) along with MMTs at Pandu, Jogighopa and terminals at Bogibeel and Dhubri. Four dedicated Jetties for cruise  vessels  have  been  provided  at  Jogighopa,  Pandu,  Biswanath  Ghat  and Neamati. In addition to this, Jetties for cruise and passengers have been constructed at Sadiya, Lyka and Orium Ghat in Assam. (iv) 9 Permanent Inland Water Transport terminals with godowns and 2 Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax terminals have been constructed on NW-3 (West Coast Canal in Kerala). (v) 04 floating concrete jetties were provided to Govt. of Goa and installed in Mandovi River (NW-68). (vi)  04  Tourist  Jetties  on  NW-4  (River  Krishna)  in  Andhra  Pradesh  have  been commissioned and 12 Nos. floating jetties on NW-110 (River Yamuna) in MathuraVrindavan stretch in Uttar Pradesh, 2 Jetties on NW-73 (River Narmada) & 2 Jetties on NW-37 (River Gandak) in Bihar are under execution.

- (vii)  A  new  Navigation  Lock  at  Farakka  and  2  Nos.  Quick  Pontoon  Opening Mechanisms (QPOMs) have been constructed on NW-1 to facilitate smooth & faster movement of vessels.

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