On the 2nd of July, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that the Yogi Adityanath-led state government is working on a plan to use eight rivers as inland waterways. The aim is to improve connectivity and transport goods, especially bulk cargo such as foodgrains and fertilisers.
Senior state government officials have informed that the Yamuna, Gomti, Assi, Ghaghra, Rapti Betwa, Chambal, and Varuna rivers will be used as waterways to transport goods and people. On the 1st of July, Transport Minister, Dayashankar Singh confirmed reports about this plan in an interaction with PTI.
Singh said, “Mother Nature has blessed Uttar Pradesh with so many rivers. The potential of these rivers has been neglected in the past. We are making an effort to make the rivers more useful for the public. The plan to develop waterways is a step towards this.”
Minister Singh stated that the plan is in the initial survey phase. The modalities of it will be decided as per the survey and the feasibility of different rivers. However, they are moving ahead with the intention to realise the aim to strengthen and expand the waterways.
Singh further added, “The work on the waterways will be expedited following the formation of an inland waterways authority. Work is underway to get it cleared by the state cabinet in the coming months.”
Reportedly, the proposed waterways authority will comprise officials from the transport, irrigation, and tourism departments. However, the transport department officials have been given responsibility for the initial work to survey prospective waterways.
The officials involved highlighted that this move of the state government is in line with the Union government’s Maritime India Vision 2030. Under this initiative, the Union government wants to increase the share of inland waterways to five per cent by 2030. Apparently, work to achieve this stated target of 5% has already started.
Currently, inland water transport has a share of two per cent in India’s modal mix. Since Inland waterways are considered the most economical mode of transportation, the Union government has been trying to increase its share significantly.
For this, the Union government has planned to increase the share of Inland waterways to five percent, according to the Maritime India Vision 2030.
Inland waterways will boast Public mobility
Earlier on 28 February 2023, the world’s longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas, completed its maiden voyage in Dibrugarh, Assam. The luxury river cruise started its journey on January 13 from Varanasi in UP. During its journey, it covered the incredible inland waterways of 27 river systems spanning over 3,200 km across five Indian states (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Assam).
Transport Minister Singh also emphasised utilising this aspect of inland waterways. He said, “Apart from looking at the waterways’ potential to ferry cargo, we are also planning to boost public mobility, both for short and long distances. The transport department will run water taxis in the rivers where it is feasible. We will get further clarity on this once the survey is completed.”
After the survey process, the authorities will develop fairways to ensure that the cargo boats and water taxis have the least available depth for movement all throughout the journey.
At present the Ganga and Hooghly rivers from Prayagraj to Haldia are designated as National Waterways 1, Brahmaputra in Assam as NW2, among several rivers designated as national waterways.
As part of the Maritime India Vision 2030, efforts are currently underway to achieve a minimum available depth of 2.5 meters in the Barh-Ghazipur stretch and 2.2 meters in the Ghazipur-Varanasi stretch of National Waterway 1 along the Ganga River. This work falls under the Jal Marg Vikas Project, which is being carried out by the Inland Waterways Authority of India, with technical and financial support from the World Bank.
