Investment in Inland Waterways
India is set to invest about ₹50,000 crore over the next five years to enhance its inland waterways. This decision follows a meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC).
Key Initiatives
- Funding Allocation:
- Approximately ₹23,000 crore has been allocated for the New National Waterways Development and Green Shipping initiatives.
- Shipbuilding and Ship Repair:
- The government plans to develop facilities for shipbuilding and repair across all national waterways, aiming to reduce logistics costs and support ancillary industries.
- Riverine Community Development Scheme:
- This scheme aims to improve the socioeconomic well-being of coastal communities by enhancing infrastructure, promoting trade and tourism, and providing skill training.
Infrastructure Developments
- Floating Jetties:
- Six floating steel jetties on the Godavari River (NW 4) in Andhra Pradesh.
- Ten community jetties on the Mandovi (NW 68), Cumberjua (NW 27), and Zuari (NW 111) rivers in Goa.
- Additional jetties on Sal (NW 88) and Chapora (NW 25) rivers.
- Technology and Maintenance:
- Proposals for fairway maintenance in NW 68, NW 27, and NW 71 have been approved.
- A Quick Pontoon Opening Mechanism (QPOM), designed by IIT-Kharagpur and tested on the River Ganga (NW 1), is to be extended to all National Waterways (NWs). Two QPOMs have been launched for deployment in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Planned Developments in Uttar Pradesh
- Inland Waterways Transport:
- Eight floating jetties will be built in Mathura, along with two steel jetties and an electric catamaran in Ayodhya.
- A ship repair facility is being developed in Ghazipur to minimize vessel downtime due to maintenance.
