Parliament Question: Jal Marg Vikas Project

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4629 ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026 JAL MARG VIKAS PROJECT

4629. SHRI LUMBARAM CHOUDHARY:

SMT. SHOBHANABEN MAHENDRASINH BARAIYA:

DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:

SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:

SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:

SMT. POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM:

SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI:

SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYSbe pleased to state: प(cid:517)न,पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी

(a) the details of infrastructure created under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) on National Waterway–1, including multimodal and inter-modal terminals developed so far;

(b) the details of the Dredging Management Plan (DMP) implemented for fairway capacity enhancement;

(c) the status of fairway development and maintenance works contracted under the said Project, Section-wise;

(d) whether the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is working on a project to constructa 262 km Waterway from Kandla Port in Gujarat to Jalore and develop it as National Waterways-48, if so, the details thereof indicating the estimated expenditure incurred thereon and timeline for its completion;

(e) the efforts being made by the Government for a waterway in the Chambal River in Rajasthan;

(f) the cargo movement on National Waterway–1 since the year 2014–15 and the percentage growth recorded in this regard, year-wise; and

(g) whether any steps have been taken to further enhance vessel capacity, cargo handling capacity cargo throughput and private sector participation under JMVP, if so, the details thereofand if not, the plan of the Government to explore such routes?ANSWER MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) The details of infrastructure created under Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) on National Waterway–1 (NW-1) areas below:

1. Multimodal Terminals (MMTs) at Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia

2. Intermodal Terminal at Kalughat (77000 TEU)

3. New Navigational Lock, Farakka

4. Community Jetties: 15 in Uttar Pradesh, 21 in Bihar, 2 in Jharkhand & 22 in West Bengal

5. Onshore facilities at 8 Community Jetty locations in Uttar Pradesh

6. Quick Pontoon Opening Mechansim (QPOM): One each in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

(b) & (c) As per the Dredging Management Plan (DMP), the following Least Assured Depth (LAD) and bottom channel width are to be maintained across NW-1:

(i) Haldia to Barh:Depth: 3.0 metres; Bottom width: 45 metres

(ii) Barh to Ghazipur: Depth: 2.5 metres; Bottom width: 45 metres

(iii)Ghazipur to Varanasi:Depth: 2.2 metres; Bottom width: 45 metres The stretch wise status of fairway development and maintenance works awarded under

JMVP is as under:

Sl. Stretch Type of dredging contract Date of award of work No.

1 Varanasi-Ghazipur (130 Km) Quantity based 21.01.2025 2 Majhaua – Ghazipur (115 km) Quantity based 28.06.2024 3 Digha – Majhaua (95 km) Quantity based 31.01.2024 4 Barh -Digha (74 km) Quantity based 09.05.2024 5 Sultanganj - Mahendrapur – Barh Performance (LAD) based 25.10.2024 6 Farakka- Kahalgaon (146 km) Performance (LAD) based 08.03.2024 7 Farakka - Katwa (199 km) Performance (LAD) based 08.03.2024 8 Katwa - Tribeni (152 km) Performance (LAD) based 15.03.2024 9 Haldia Access Channel (Deposit Quantity based 05.08.2024 basis) 10 Kalughat Access Channel Quantity based Being maintained departmentally(d) Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterwaysis preparing DPR for the stretch from Kori Creek to Jalore. Any development activity in the said stretch will depend on the findingsof the DPR and its viability.

(e) The declared portion of Chambal River as NW-24does not fall within Rajasthan and hence no development activity hasbeen undertaken/planned in Rajasthan on Chambal River.

(f)Details of cargo movement on NW-1 since 2014-15 are given below:

National 2014-2015-2016-2017-2018-2019-2020-2021- 2022- 2023- 2024- Waterways 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

(NW) Cargo Movement [in

5.05 10.93 13.17 12.82 16.38 Million Metric 6.48 4.89 5.48 6.79 9.11 9.21 Tonne (MMT)] Compounded Annual Growth Rate during 12.49% 2014-15 to 2024-25

(g)Measures taken to enhance vessel capacity, cargo throughput and private sector

participation under JMVP includes:

(i) Low draft with high carrying capacity (tug-barge combination) vessels have been procured.

(ii) Infrastructures like MMT, IMT, jetties etc.have been developed.

(iii) Modern navigation infrastructure including River Information System (RIS), Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), Navigation Aids viz. channel marking and night navigation aids have been provided.

(iv) Jalvahak scheme is being implemented to provide incentives to promote the utilization of Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) Sector by cargo owners and for establishing Schedule Services for cargo movement on NW-1 and NW-2 via Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route.(v) MMTHaldia, IMT Kalughat and G.R. Jetty on NW-1 are being operated by private entities on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

(vi) Fairway maintenance under progress to provide LAD of about 2.2–3.0 m and adequate channel width to enable navigation of 1,500–2,000 DWT vessels. *****