Minster of State for Road Transport and Highways & Shipping Shri Pon Radhakrishnan has informed that the Government undertakes studies on Inland/ National Waterways (NWs) from time to time. Some of the recent studies are as follows:
i) Under the Jal Marg Vikas Project for augmentation of capacity of National Waterways (NW) -1 from Allahabad to Haldia, Detailed feasibility/ detailed engineering for ancillary works; Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Study including Environment Management Plan (EMP) and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP); IWT Sector Development Strategy and Market Development study.
ii) DPR for development of the National Waterways-4 & 5 were completed in 2010. The DPR for NW -5 was updated in 2014.
iii) Techno-economic feasibility studies on rivers in Goa, Narmada, Kosi, Gandak, Ghagra and Barak as part of development of 106 new NWs.
To promote water transport in the country, the following five waterways were declared as National Waterways over the period 1986 to 2014.
(i) Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system (Allahabad-Haldia-1620 km) as NW-1.
(ii) River Brahmaputra (Dhubri-Sadiya – 891 km) as NW-2.
(iii) West Coast Canal (Kottapuram-Kollam) as NW-3.
(iv) Kakinada- Puducherry canals along with Godavari and Krishna rivers (1078 km) as NW-4.
(v) East Coast Canal integrated with Brahmaniriver and Mahanadi delta rivers (588 km) as NW-5.
Thereafter, 106 new NWs have been declared under the National Waterways Act, 2016.
The Government of India has launched the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for basic infrastructure development of 500 cities/ towns across the country. Urban Transport is eligible for coverage under the Mission. In the urban transport sector, ferry vessels for inland waterways is an eligible activity.