India to Augment Capacity Along Inland Waterways

 

Sagarmala is the flagship programme of the Ministry of Shipping to promote port-led development in the country by harnessing India’s 7,500 km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways. 

 

It aims to reduce the logistics costs by doubling the share of domestic waterways in the modal mix from current 6 per cent.

 

The Coastal Berth Scheme being implemented since March 2015 to promote the development of infrastructure for movement of passengers and cargo at major and non-major ports has been merged with the Sagarmala Programme and extended up to March 2020. 

 

Under the scheme, 26 projects costing INR 12.07 billion have been sanctioned for total financial assistance of INR 4.626 bln and INR 2.753 bln has been released to Major Ports/State Maritime Boards/State Governments.

 

The Government has declared 111 ‘National Waterways’ (including 5 existing NWs) under the National Waterways Act, 2016. It is implementing the Jal Marg Vikas Project, JMVP for augmenting the navigation capacity of NW-1 from Haldia to Varanasi at a cost of INR 53.69 bln with technical and financial support of the World Bank. Development of 8 new National Waterways has been taken up.

 

The traffic projections and forecast models in the feasibility studies and DPRs prepared for the development of viable National Waterways indicate an enhanced demand for low draft – high carrying capacity and tug-barge flotilla vessels. 

 

Inland Waterways Authority of India has engaged a reputed agency in the field of vessel design to make appropriate designs for (NW-1) with emphasis on low draft high carrying capacity and fuel efficient vessels.