India is gifted with a vast network of navigable inland waterways where large rivers such as the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and many others have been the fastest and cheapest mode of transport for moving communities, crop and cattle, sustaining civilizations along their banks from time immemorial. Realising the signi cant thrust that these aquatic routes can give to propel the economy, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, established the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) in 27th October 1986. The move was aimed at augmenting socio-economic development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation within in the country.
Annually, nearly 85 million tonnes of cargo, is reportedly being ferried by Inland Water Transport (IWT) maximising optimum utilization of about 20,236 kms of navigable waterways comprising of 17,980 km of rivers, 2,256 km of canals, and backwaters, creeks etc., that criss-cross the length and breadth of India’s geographic landscape. The Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly rivers, the Brahmaputra, the Barak River, the rivers in Goa, the backwaters of Kerala, inland waters in Mumbai and the deltaic regions of the Godavari - Krishna rivers culminate in the coastal belts of the country where most of the ports are located. Besides these organised operations, various other rivers, tributaries and canals also serve as lifeline for moving signi cant quantum of cargo and passengers, who ply in mechanized vessels, and country boats of various capacities in the unorganized sector as well.
The fuel - effcient and environment -friendly mode of transportation by the national inland waterways of India is grossly under-utilized as compared to other countries in the world such as the United States, China and the European Union. Under the IWAI’s initiatives these inland waterways are headed to become the life-line of the country. Not only will they serve the transportation obligations of the nation, but will also serve as recreational and adventure sports hubs, boosting local tourism at scenic settings along the river.
Headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, the Inland Waterways Authority of India, primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance of infrastructure on national waterways. The Authority has several regional o ces and sub-o ces in major cities and towns along the waterways in the states of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh to name a few.
To further strengthen transport by water, under the directives of the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, followed by National Waterways Act 2016 declaration, IWAI has reportedly identi ed 111 new viable waterways in India for their phased development. These nodal locations would serve to support the ambitious initiatives of smart cities and the Sagar Mala projects linking the entire country to form an unhindered and conducive ecosystem for creating manufacturing hubs and economic zones.
From the ambitious Arth Ganga project of the Namani Gange campaign for cleaning the Ganges, emerged the concept of Jal Marg Vikas Project -II (JMVP-II), for carrying out a number of multi-modal projects based on sustainable development model focused on energising economic activities related to the River Ganga, which is the rst national inland waterway of the country, measuring a distance of 1620 kms from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh to Haldia in West Bengal.
The JMVP-II, under (Arth Ganga Project), will develop and modernise 62 community jetties in cluster-based manner according to the site requirements and tra c potential. A total of 15 community jetties have been identi ed in Uttar Pradesh, 21 in Bihar, 3 in Jharkhand and 23 in West Bengal respectively. These proposed jetties would bene t around 7.5 crore people living in these four states. These jetties will have facilities like ramps, covered waiting area, public amenities, ticketing counter/admin room, solar lights etc. They will be constructed with the best of material and engineering technologies for better stability, durability and load bearing capacity that can take on evolving needs of the future. After IWAI develops and installs these community jetties, it would be handed over to the respective Gram Panchayats for use, operation, management and upkeep that would inculcate community ownership and pride, accelerating the economic growth along the River Ganga.
The JMVP-II, (Arth-Ganga project) is envisaged to boost economic development, inclusive growth for farmers, small traders and villagers, besides creating huge opportunities for employment. Priority would be given to women Self Help Groups and ex-servicemen organizations for these programs. The Inland transport through community jetties will also promote accessibility to local markets, hinterland connectivity, promotion of small-scale industries and tap the ‘hybrid’ tourism potential of the river basin area. Community jetties also help to decongest roads by promoting inland transport, which due to low emission, are more environment friendly than road transport. The Arth Ganga project will bring about a total transformation in mobility through the waterways, enhancing quality of life through ‘Ease of Living’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business.’
Almost half of India’s population lives around the Ganges River belt in which about 1/5th of all India’s freight originates and 1/3rd terminates. Strengthening this potential is the JMVP-II, (Arth Ganga project), which is seen as a sustainable and comprehensive development model having focus on economic activities related to Ganga River. More than 465 JMVP development initiatives are underway that aim to develop river Ganges as a safe mode of navigation and is being implemented with the technical and nancial assistance of the World Bank. Project Arth Ganga envisages to re-engineer the JMVP by involving the local community to energise the economic activity along the Gangariver bank. The Ministry of Shipping is developing Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) Freight Village and Sahibganj (Jharkhand) Industrial Cluster-cum-Logistics Park with an objective of creating synergy with Inland Waterways at the cost of Rs. 200 crores.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has deployed small oating jetties and about ten pairs of Ro-Ro jetties for easier
and cost-e ective transportation of goods/ cargo bene tting small communities along the 1400 km stretch of National Waterway-1 from Varanasi to Haldia at a cost of approximately Rs. 746 crores. National Waterway- 1 will act as a main conduit of connection with Nepal in a trilateral manner, i.e., from Varanasi to Nautanwa (280km), Kaughatto Raxaul (204km) and Sahibganj to Biratnagar (233km). Earlier Nepal was connected by Kolkata and Visakhapatnam Ports for transporting cargo. Now, Inland Waterways, particularly NW-1 will be allowed under the Treaty for Transit of Cargo between Government of India and Government of Nepal.
The IWAI, a dedicated wing of the Ministry of Shipping, is expected to streamline the waterways and ensure its maintenance, and through its several socio-economic initiatives will build a healthy synergy of symbiotic existence between local communities and inland waterways.