The Government has identified 10 important waterways to declare them as National Waterways to promote the development of inland navigation in the country. Of these the stretch of the Ganga between Haldia and Allahabad (1,620 km) on 27. Oct. 1986, of Brahmaputra between Sadiya and Dhubri (891 km) on 26 Oct. 1988, of the West Coast Canal between Kollam and Kottapuram (168 km) along with the Champakara Canal (14 km) and Udyogmandal Canal (22 km) in Kerala on I Feb. 1993 have already been declared as national waterways.
The inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing these national waterways. The Haldia- Allahabad waterway has already become operational and the first cargo ship laden with 1,000 bales of gunny bags (C. Rajagopalachari) reached Allahabad on Oct. 13, 2000. On its return journey it transported stones and other material of the Forest Department.
The Government is also planning to begin similar regular transport services from Allahabad to Kanpur in the river Ganga, from Allahabad to Mathura on Yamuna, from Faizabad to Ballia on Ghaghara, and from Lucknow to Aurihar on Gomti Rivers.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
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The Inland Waterways Authority of India (H. Q. Noida) has been constituted on 27 October, 1986 as a statutory body. It is entrusted with the responsibility of development, maintenance and regulation of national waterways and also to advise the Central and the state governments on matters relating to the development of inland water transport.
Central Inland Water Transport Corporation (CIWTC)
The Central Inland Water Transport Corporation (CIWTC) with its headquarters at Kolkata was set up as a public undertaking in May 1967. It is mainly engaged in the transporation of goods by Inland Waterways in the Ganga-Bhagirathi- Hugli, Sunderbans and the Brahmaputra rivers. It is operating regular cargo services between Kolkata and Pandu (near Guwahati), between Kolkata and Karimganj (Assam), Kolkata- Bangladesh and between Haldia and Patna. The Corporation also owns Rajabagan Dockyard in Kolkata to build and repair inland cargo vessels and crafts.
Vision 2000
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The IWAI has drawn up a plan of Vision 2000 to make an investment of about Rs. 8,000 crores over the next 20 years for the development of inland water transport. Private sector under BOT package has been invited to make its contribution in this respect.
The role of private sector will be largely focused the fleet of vessels and ware housing facilities while the Centre and states will take up the dredging and desalting works besides building the barrages and terminals.