**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1252 regarding inland water transport along National Waterway-I (Ganga) in Uttar Pradesh, answered on February 6, 2026. It details the infrastructure present, disruptions to cargo and passenger operations, accountability for dredging and maintenance, and measures taken to ensure reliable operations. There are no specific deadlines or action items mentioned within the response itself.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Infrastructure Development:**
* One permanent Multi-Modal Terminal (MMT) at Varanasi.
* Two floating terminals at Prayagraj.
* Three floating terminals at Varanasi.
* One floating terminal each at Gazhipur and Ballia.
* Fifteen Community Jetties (floating) at various locations.
* All are developed and operational along NW-1 (River Ganga) in Uttar Pradesh.
* **Operational Disruptions:**
* No disruption of cargo or passenger operations reported/observed in the last two years on NW-1, except for an instance of instant grounding of MV Aai (Cargo vessel) in February 2025.
* The grounding occurred due to adopting an alternate channel instead of the main navigation channel.
* **Accountability and Penalties:**
* Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) fixed penalties on executing agencies for failure to meet dredging obligations.
* M/s Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works (KMEW) Ltd. penalized Rs. 3,09,93,150/-.
* M/s Dharti Dredging & Infrastructure Ltd. (DDIL) penalized Rs. 3,73,21,990/-.
* Penalties were due to non-mobilization of dredgers on time per contract provisions.
* **Fairway Development and Maintenance:**
* NW-1 is divided into 10 stretches for fairway development.
* Contracts awarded for all 10 stretches.
* Fairway maintenance activities are ongoing, including two stretches in Uttar Pradesh: Varanasi – Ghazipur and Ghazipur-Majhaua.
* The goal is to provide end-to-end fairway, assured depth, time-bound maintenance, and predictable year-round operations.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)**
* **Impact:** IWAI's role in overseeing infrastructure development, maintenance, and operational accountability is highlighted. IWAI's decision to fix penalties on contractors demonstrates their commitment to ensuring contract obligations are met.
* **Action Required:** Continue oversight of fairway development and maintenance activities, enforce contract provisions, and ensure reliable operation of inland water transport infrastructure.
**Stakeholder: Executing Agencies (KMEW, DDIL)**
* **Impact:** Affected financially by penalties imposed for non-compliance with contract provisions related to dredging operations.
* **Action Required:** Fulfill contract obligations, including timely mobilization of dredgers and adherence to operational requirements.
**Stakeholder: Users of National Waterway-I (cargo operators, passengers, etc.)**
* **Impact:** The focus on fairway development and maintenance aims to improve the reliability and predictability of inland water transport, potentially benefiting cargo operators and passengers by reducing disruptions.
* **Action Required:** No immediate action required, but potentially benefit from the improved fairway.
Key Entities Referenced
National Waterway-I (Ganga): A major inland waterway in Uttar Pradesh relevant to the questions asked.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI): The authority responsible for the development and regulation of inland waterways in India.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: The ministry responsible for matters related to ports, shipping and waterways.
Jal Marg Vikas Project: A project concerning cargo/passenger operations on waterways.
Uttar Pradesh: Indian state where the projects and terminals are located.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1252
ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026
INLAND WATER TRANSPORT
1252. SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ:
Will the MINISTER of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state:
प(cid:517)न,पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी
(a) the number of inland waterway terminals, multimodal terminals and river ports
developed or operated under National Waterway-l (Ganga) in Uttar Pradesh;
(b) the Jal Marg Vikas Project where cargo or passenger operations were disrupted
during the last two years due to dredging delays, maintenance backlogs or navigational
depth constraints;
(c) the terminal-wise duration and frequency of such disruptions;
(d) the impact on cargo volumes handled, vessel turnaround time and utilisation of
sanctioned terminal capacity;
(e) whether accountability or penalties were fixed on Inland Waterways Authority of India
(IWAI) executing agencies, contractors or concessionaires for failure to meet dredging
and maintenance obligations, if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the measures taken to ensure assured depth, time-bound maintenance and
predictable year-round operations to improve the commercial viability of inland water
transport infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
(SHRI SARBANNDA SONOWAL)
(a) One permanent Multi-Modal Terminal (MMT) at Varanasi; 2 floating terminals at
Prayagraj, 3 floating terminals at Varanasi, one each at Gazhipur & Ballia and 15
Community Jetties (floating) at various locations on the National Waterway(NW)-l (River
Ganga) in Uttar Pradesh have been developed and are operational.
(b) to (d) No disruption of cargo or passenger operations were reported / observed
during the last two years on NW-1 except an incident of instant grounding of MV Aai(Cargo vessel) in February 2025, which was due to adoption of alternate channel other
than main navigation channel.
(e) Accountability or penalties fixed by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on
executing agencies namely M/s Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works (KMEW) Ltd.
for Rs. 3,09,93,150/- & M/s Dharti Dredging & Infrastructure Ltd. (DDIL) for Rs.
3,73,21,990/- due to non-mobilization of dredgers on time as per contract provisions.
(f) To provide end to end fairway and to ensure assured depth, time-bound maintenance
and predictable year-round operations, NW-1 has been divided into 10 stretches for
fairway development works. Contracts for all 10 stretches have been awarded and
fairway maintenance activities are ongoing including two stretches in Uttar Pradesh i.e.
Varanasi – Ghazipur and Ghazipur-Majhaua.
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