Uttar Pradesh planning to make use of eight rivers as inland waterways

On the 2nd of July, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that the Yogi Adityanath-led state authorities is engaged on a plan to make use of eight rivers as inland waterways. The intention is to enhance connectivity and transport items, particularly bulk cargo similar to foodgrains and fertilisers. 

Senior state authorities officers have knowledgeable that the Yamuna, Gomti, Assi, Ghaghra, Rapti Betwa, Chambal, and Varuna rivers will likely be used as waterways to move items and other people. On the first of July, Transport Minister, Dayashankar Singh confirmed experiences about this plan in an interplay with PTI. 

Singh mentioned, “Mother Nature has blessed Uttar Pradesh with so many rivers. The potential of these rivers has been neglected in the past. We are making an effort to make the rivers more useful for the public. The plan to develop waterways is a step towards this.”

Minister Singh said that the plan is within the preliminary survey part. The modalities of it is going to be determined as per the survey and the feasibility of various rivers. However, they’re transferring forward with the intention to understand the intention to strengthen and increase the waterways.

Singh additional added, “The work on the waterways will be expedited following the formation of an inland waterways authority. Work is underway to get it cleared by the state cabinet in the coming months.”

Reportedly, the proposed waterways authority will comprise officers from the transport, irrigation, and tourism departments. However, the transport division officers have been given accountability for the preliminary work to survey potential waterways.

The officers concerned highlighted that this transfer of the state authorities is according to the Union authorities’s Maritime India Vision 2030. Under this initiative, the Union authorities desires to extend the share of inland waterways to 5 per cent by 2030. Apparently, work to attain this said goal of 5% has already began. 

Currently, inland water transport has a share of two per cent in India’s modal combine. Since Inland waterways are thought of essentially the most economical mode of transportation, the Union authorities has been making an attempt to extend its share considerably. 

For this, the Union authorities has deliberate to extend the share of Inland waterways to 5 %, in keeping with the Maritime India Vision 2030.

Inland waterways will boast Public mobility

Earlier on 28 February 2023, the world’s longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas, accomplished its maiden voyage in Dibrugarh, Assam. The luxurious river cruise began its journey on January 13 from Varanasi in UP. During its journey, it coated the unbelievable inland waterways of 27 river methods spanning over 3,200 km throughout 5 Indian states (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Assam). 

Transport Minister Singh additionally emphasised utilising this side of inland waterways. He mentioned, “Apart from looking at the waterways’ potential to ferry cargo, we are also planning to boost public mobility, both for short and long distances. The transport department will run water taxis in the rivers where it is feasible. We will get further clarity on this once the survey is completed.” 

After the survey course of, the authorities will develop fairways to make sure that the cargo boats and water taxis have the least accessible depth for motion all all through the journey. 

At current the Ganga and Hooghly rivers from Prayagraj to Haldia are designated as National Waterways 1, Brahmaputra in Assam as NW2, amongst a number of rivers designated as nationwide waterways.

As a part of the Maritime India Vision 2030, efforts are presently underway to attain a minimal accessible depth of two.5 meters within the Barh-Ghazipur stretch and a pair of.2 meters within the Ghazipur-Varanasi stretch of National Waterway 1 alongside the Ganga River. This work falls below the Jal Marg Vikas Project, which is being carried out by the Inland Waterways Authority of India, with technical and monetary help from the World Bank.