National waterway development to promote inland navigation

As communicated by the Department for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the national waterways are being developed to encourage environmentally friendly, cost-effective and site-specific alternative modes of inland waterway transport (inland waterways) that complement existing rail and road transport wherever possible.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), an autonomous body of this ministry, is responsible for the regulation and development of the national waterways (NWs) for navigation and shipping, and develops fairways in the deepest part of the river in a width of 35 to 45 m for 2 to 3 m depth for the operation of 200-ton vessels. More water thus made available in the waterway helps improve shallowest available depth (LAD), making navigation smoother, and it directly helps reduce transportation costs.

Also, to encourage inland navigation in the country, 111 inland waterways (including 5 existing and 106 additional waterways) in 24 states have been designated National Waterways (NWs) under the National Waterways Act of 2016. The list of these NWs is attached.

In addition, D/o Water Resource, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation has prepared a National Framework on Sediment Management (NFSM) for comprehensive and holistic sediment management by state governments/project authorities/other ministries. The framework highlights, inter alia, provisions on dredging and desludging in national waterways.

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This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, in a written reply in Lok Sabha