Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways will be investing Rs. 4,633 crore for upgradation of national waterways -1, a 1,390-km stretch between Varanasi (in Uttar Pradesh) and Haldia (in West Bengal). Cargo movement on the National Waterways has increased by 16 per cent in FY23, over the previous fiscal.
Traffic between Varanasi and Haldia (NW-l) increased 20.52 per cent to 13.17 million tonnes in 2022-23, from 10.93 million ton in 202l–22.
The investments include development of multi-modal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia, an intermodal terminal at Kalughaq fairway development, navigational facilities that include channel marking day/ night navigational aids, river information systems; setting up of community jetties; a new navigational lock at Farakka; and modernisation of the existing navigational lock at Farakka, among others.
A techo-economic feasibility committee of the Ministry had previously decided that 111 of the 400-odd river systems in India can be developed into National Waterways. Of these 111, 26 are “already navigable”. In order to improve waterways connectivity with the North-East and to enhance trade with the neighbourhood, the Ministry is working on five projects at a total cost of Rs 1,126 crore.
