UP Govt to set up Inland Waterways Authority to promote Water Transport

Lucknow, India (Urban Transport News): The Uttar Pradesh would soon create an Inland Waterways Authority (IWA) to promote and manage water transport in the state and boost the transportation sector. The proposed statutory agency, which will be called the Inland Waterways of Uttar Pradesh and have a separate office and infrastructure, will be established along the same lines as the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), which was founded in 1986.

The idea is scheduled to be presented to the Chief Secretary by the end of the week before being brought to the Cabinet for approval by the transport department, which is currently in charge of regulating water transport in the state.

“To promote and manage freight and passenger travel in the State’s many rivers, the Government has decided to create an Inland Waterways Authority. A proposal in this regard will be sent to the cabinet soon for approval,” said L. Venkateshwar Lu, principal secretary for transportation.

According to the state’s transport commissioner, Chandra Bhushan Singh, the government would also pass legislation outlining the authority, duties, and other responsibilities of the planned body that will investigate ways to encourage river travel.

He said that certain states, such as Kerala, had already created comparable organizations. “We think there is lots of space to expand water transportation beyond Varanasi to other rivers and bodies of water, especially because there are cruises that can operate in shallow water,” Singh noted.

According to the plan, creating policies, directives, and rules for water transportation will fall within the purview of the Inland Waterways Transport Authority of Uttar Pradesh. In order to establish standardised procedures and guarantee compliance with safety and other standards, it will engage closely with a variety of stakeholders, including boat operators, cargo handlers, and other businesses involved in the industry.

The authority will also make efforts to build the essential infrastructure, such as terminals, jetties, and navigational aids, to support smooth operations for water transportation. The improvement of communication between various regions, including hinterland areas, industrial zones, and major cities, would receive special attention.

To improve the water community between Varanasi and other districts like Chandauli, Ghazipur, and Ballia, Union Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and UP Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath launched seven community jetties in November of last year. The government’s intentions to create the Inland Waterways Authority to encourage water travel in the state’s rivers are part of a larger effort to diversify the transport system and ease the strain on the road infrastructure.

With the establishment of the Inland Waterways Transport Authority of Uttar Pradesh, a significant step will be taken towards exploiting the potential of these waterways. The authority will concentrate on creating and maintaining navigable routes, assuring safe and effective boat operations, and luring investors into the industry.

Between Haldia (Sagar) and Allahabad (1620 km), the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hoogly river system was designated as National Waterway-1 (NW-1) in 1986. Since then, IWAI has been carrying out different development projects on the waterway to increase its navigability as well as the creation and upkeep of additional infrastructure, such as terminal facilities and navigational aids.