NEW DELHI: The Minister of State for Shipping(I/C) Shri Mansukh Mandaviya has informed parliament that significant savings in cost of transportation are expected by using Inland Water Transport (IWT) mode of transport. As per RITES Report of 2014 on “Integrated National Waterways Transportation Grid”, the cost comparison on the modes of surface transport is given below:

Mode    Highways             Railways               IWT

Freight (Rs./T.km)           2.50        1.36        1.06

National Waterway-1 (river Ganga), NW-2 (river Brahmputra) and NW-3 (West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals) are operational and vessels are plying on them.  In addition, NW-10 (river Amba) in Maharashtra, NW-68 (river Mandovi) in Goa, NW-73 (river Narmada) in Gujarat, NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek) in Maharashtra, NW-85 (Revadanda Creek - Kundalika River System) in Maharashra, NW-91 (Shastri river-Jaigad creek system) in Maharashtra, NW-97 (Sunderbans Waterways) in West Bengal, NW-100 (river Tapi) in Gujarat & Maharashtra and NW-111 (river Zuari) in Goa are also operational.

  IWAI is implementing the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) at an estimated cost of Rs.5369.18 crore for capacity augmentation of navigation on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of Ganga with technical and financial assistance of the World Bank.  Under JMVP projects worth Rs.1800 crore (approx.) have commenced on ground in a time period of three years after statutory clearances. These include Multimodal Terminals at Varanasi and Sahibganj and three contracts for dredging.

Fairway development works in Vijayawada-Muktyala stretch of river Krishna in Andhra Pradesh (Part of NW-4) have been completed.  Fabrication of four floating pontoons and land acquisition for fixed terminals (4 nos.) at Ibrahimpatnam, Harischandrapuram, Muktyala and Madipadu has been taken up.