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The shipping ministry has identified 37 of the recently notified 106 inland waterways to develop them for transport of cargo and passengers in the next 2-3 years. These include rivers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Assam and West Bengal.
“Eight of these waterways have high potential and are financially viable for development. We have already initiated works for developing these waterways. The rest will be taken up in the next two phases,” Inland Waterways Authority of India (IAWI) chairman Amitabh Verma said on Wednesday.
According to sources, the tendering for Barak, Ghaghra, Gandak and Kosi rivers has already been initiated for fairway development. The tenders for terminal development will be rolled out by year end. “In case of other short-listed waterways, detailed project reports are being prepared. About 18 of the newly declared 106 waterways may not be technically viable due to traffic issues. The feasibility report of another 52 are being assessed to take a final call,” said a shipping ministry official.
Officials said that since the IWAI was set up in 1986, only Rs 1,500 crore was spent till last year, indicating how developing waterways was never a priority of the earlier governments. “This year we are targeting to spend Rs 1,300 crore and it will be Rs 1,500 crore next year. As we develop more stretches and create facilities, this can become a supplement to road and rail as a mode of transport for cargo and passenger movement as well since it’s cheaper and safer,” an official said.
Verma said that they are also keen to develop a portion of Yamuna in Delhi in navigation. It has already floated three tenders for ferry vessels, dredging and the setting up of terminals on 16 km stretch of the river in the national capital.
“We have worked out and surveyed about 16 km of Yamuna. I believe by December you would see construction and dredging activities…We have filed application with NGT to get permission from them,” Verma said.
He said the government is also planning to come out with a new policy on dredging and a new Inland Vessel Act is also being prepared.
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