Inland waterways

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Introduction

Inland water transport includes natural modes as navigable

rivers and artificial modes such as canals. The Inland
waterways have played an important role in the Indian
transport system since ancient times. However, in recent
times the importance of this mode of transport has declined
considerably with the expansion of road and rail transport.

India has identified 6 routes as National Waterways, NW1, 2,

3 are being developed for shipping and navigation. NW4,5,6
are under development consideration.

There is huge potential for private sector participation for

improving the navigational facilities and physical
infrastructure along the waterways.

Inland waterways

India has an extensive network of inland waterways in the

form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks.

The total navigable length is 14,500km, out of which about

5200km of river and 4000km of canals .

India has identified 6 routes as National Waterways, on rivers

Ganga, Brahmaputra, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi,
Brahmani and their linked west and east coast canals.

Freight transportation by waterways is highly under utilized in

India compared to other large countries and geographic areas
like the United States, China and the European Union.

National Waterway -1

Allahabad Haldia stretch of the Ganga-BhagirathiHooghly river system.

Estd = October 1986.

Length = 1620km

Fixed terminals = Haldia, BISN (Kolkata), Pakur, Farrakka

and Patna.

Floating terminals = Haldia, Kolkata, Diamond Harbour,

Katwa, Tribeni, Baharampur, Jangipur, Bhagalpur, Semaria,
Doriganj, Ballia, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chunar and Allahabad.

Function and distance

At present the waterway is being used by tourism

vessels,

(Pandaw cruise from Kolkata to Varanasi and VIVADA

cruise vessel from Kolkata to Murshidabad) were
recorded to have moved through the waterway during
2009-10.

minimum depth of 3.0 meters in Haldia(Sagar)

Farakka, 2.50 meters in Farakka Patna, 2.0 meters in
Patna Varanasi and 1.5 meters in Patna Allahabad
sector during 2010-11.

Jetty

Farrakka entrance

National Waterway 2

Sadiya Dhubri stretch of Brahmaputra river.

Estd = September 1982.

Length = 891km

Fixed terminals = Pandu.

Floating terminals = Dhubri, Jogighopa, Tezpur,

Silghat, Dibrugarh, Jamgurhi, Bogibil, Saikhowa
and Sadiya

Function and distance

The river Brahmaputra having a length of 891 Km

between Bangladesh Border to Sadiya was
declared as National Waterway no. 2 (NW-2) on
1st September, 1988.

Depth of 2.0 meters between BBorder to

Dibrugarh (768 Km) and 1.50 meters in
Dibrugarh- Sadiya sector (123 Km).

At present the waterway is being used by vessels

of Govt of Assam, CIWTC, Border Security Force,
tourism vessels, and other private operators.

National Waterway 3

Kottapuram-Kollam stretch of the West Coast Canal,

Champakara Canal and Udyogmandal Canal.

Estd = February 1993

Length = 205km

Fixed terminals = Aluva, Vaikom, Kayamkulam,

Kottappuram, Maradu, Cherthala, Thrikkunnapuzha,
Kollam and Alappuzha.

Floating terminals =

Type and operator

Transit type
Bulk Cargo, General Cargo

Owner
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)

Operator
Central Inland Water Transport Corporation
(CIWTC)

Gate, unloading &tourism

National Waterway 4

Kakinada - Puducherry stretch of Canals

and the Kaluvelly Tank, Bhadrachalam
Rajahmundry stretch of River Godavari and
Wazirabad Vijayawada stretch of River
Krishna.

Estd = November 2008

Length = 1095km

National Waterway 4

National Waterway 4 (NW-4) is a

1,095kilometers (680mi) long waterway in India.

It connects the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh,

Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry
.

The NW-4 runs along the Coromandal Coast

through Kakinada, Eluru, Commanur, Buckingham
Canals and also through part of Krishna and
Godavari rivers in South India.

Potential traffic

NW-4 has been divided into four major cargo belts, namely
Kakinada belt, Krishna belt, South Andhra Pradesh belt, and
Chennai belt.

Based on the survey conducted , the 11 million tones of

cargo is expected to be transported through NW-4 every year.

Types of cargo include coal, rice, foodgrains, cement,

fertilisers, forest products, salt, and other bulk cargo.

Estimated Cost (at 2009 prices)- Rs 1515 Cr

Period of Completion - 7 years

National Waterway 5

Talcher- Dhamra stretch of river Brahmani,

Geonkhali- Charbatia stretch of East Coast
Canal, Charbatia- Dhamra stretch of Matai
river and Mangalgadi Paradip stretch of
Mahanadi delta rivers.

Estd = November 2008

Length = 623km

National Waterway 5

Declared as National Waterway 5 (NW 5) on

25.11.2008

Total Cost Rs. 4209 crore

Period of Completion - 7 years

Cargo potential
Coal from Talcher to Dhamra and Paradip ports is the most
important potential cargo for this waterway. Immediately after
the development of the waterway, that about 11 million
tonne of cargo can be transported per year which can go up
to 23 million tonne in next 15 years or so.

National Waterways (NW-6)

Transit type
Bulk Cargo, General Cargo
Owner
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
Operator

Central Inland Water Transport Corporation (CIWTC)

National Waterways 6 is a proposed waterway between
Lakhipur and Bhanga of river Barak.

Length = 121 km

IWAI

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) came into

existence on 27th October 1986 for development and
regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.

The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development

and maintenance of IWT infrastructure on national waterways
through grant received from Ministry of Shipping.

The head office of the Authority is at Noida.

The total cargo moved by inland waterways is just 0.15% of

the total inland traffic in India, compared to the corresponding
figures of 20% for Germany and 32% for Bangladesh.

Money spend IWT

Development of inland water transport

commenced from the Second Five Year Plan
and up to the end of Fifth Plan the total
expenditure on this sector was Rs. 34 crores.
It was only in the Sixth Plan that this sector
was given priority and specific schemes of
inter-State and national importance
The Seventh Plan was an important landmark
in the development of inland water transport.
The expenditure on this sector in the Plan (at
Rs. 131.85 crores)

Uses of inland waterways

tremendous savings in fuel consumption

reduce greenhouse gas emissions
reduce air pollution
reduce traffic congestion
less noise and disruption in cities and towns.
fewer accidents on railways and highways
environment friendly and safe modes of
transport such as inland waterways
suitable for bulk, containerized and
hazardous cargo

Inland waterways of the United

States

The inland waterways of the United States include

over 25,000 miles (40000km) of navigable waters.

the commercially important waterways of the

United States consist of the Mississippi River System

The inland and intracoastal waterway system handles

about 630 million tons of cargo annually, or about 17
percent of all intercity freight by volume.

Inland and intra coastal waterways directly serve 38

states

Thank You...