Waterways Authority To Introduce Cargo Service On Haldia-Allahabad Route

In a bid to revive inland water transport (IWT) in the country, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), is seeking to introduce a regular cargo service on National Waterways-1 (Haldia to Allahabad) using four shallow draft cargo vessels.

IWAI would be developing IWT infrastructure for this service under a renewed initiative under chairman B N Jha, sources said.

The service will be launched on a promotional basis to create awareness among shippers and consignees about the advantages of IWT. IWAI, the nodal government agency to develop IWT infrastructure in the country, is also offering a special package for the initial promotional runs. IWAI will bear berthing charges and other port charges wherever possible and will offer concessional rates on case-to-case basis.

The authority is angling for cargoes that can be sent without hurry. "In the absence of night navigation on the best part of 1,620 km long waterway, the travel time would be seven days from Kolkata to Patna and another seven days from there to Allahabad," sources said.

The vessels would not carry containers, but are designed to carry loose or bagged cargoes. China clay from and silica sand from Patna, petroleum coke and jute products, log and plywood from Kolkata, cement from UP, fertilisers and consumer products from Haldia are some of the potential cargo items IWAI is looking at. The vessels are also capable of carrying over dimensional cargo (ODC) and petroleum products such as furnace oil used in NTPC power plants.

The IWAI-owned Hungarian vessel SDV Rajagopalachari and three other vessels owned by the Central Inland Waterways Transport Corporation (CIWTC) will be used for the service. The foreign vessel is effective where permanent terminal facilities are lacking, as cargo can be unloaded using makeshift bamboo terminals as well.

However, there are number of good jetties available along NW-1. Moreover, IWAI is planning to build at least two more terminals, one at Patna and the other in Kolkata. The Patna terminal is to be built on pile foundation with conveyor belt, crane and other advanced equipment, while the Kolkata terminal would be built on pontoon.

However, even though facilities are in place, cargo is yet to pick up because of various reasons. Primarily, shippers and consignees are unaware of the development and secondly, it is facing stiff resistance from the road operators lobby, sources said.