December 03, 2008

Facilities to be provided on national waterways

Mr TR Baalu union minister of shipping, road transport & highways said that union government has declared 3 rivers or canal systems as national waterways.

They are
1) Ganga from Allahabad to Haldia – 1,620 kilometer
2) Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri – 891 kilometer
3) West Coast canal from Kollam to Kottapuram along with Champakara and Udyogmandal canals – 205 kilometer

Mr Baalu said that basic infrastructural facilities for shipping and navigation, such as navigational channel, navigational aids, and terminals are being provided on these national waterways. He added that "Three rivers or canal systems Kakinada Puducherry canals, along with rivers Godavari and Krishna, East Coast canal along with river Brahmani and Mahanadi delta and River Barak would all soon be declared as national waterways."

Mr Baalu further added that an action plan had been drawn up to make the 3 existing national waterways fully functional by March 2010.