Movement of coal through waterways a big opportunity: IWAI

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) today said it sees great opportunity of expanding transportation of coal through waterways in the Ganga basin with several upcoming power plants in the area.
"There are around ten coal-based power plants in the Ganga area and about ten more are scheduled to come up," IWAI chairman Amitabh Verma said at a programme here.
"Coal movement for these can itself be a big opportunity," he said.
Verma said with road and rail transportation facilities clogging up, use of waterways for transportation of goods as well as for tourism purpose has a rosy prospect.

"Three million tonnes of coal are being transported to the NTPC thermal power plant at Farakka, while a similar amount will be transported to the Barh plant of NTPC in the near future through National Waterway 1 (NW1)," he said.
Verma said talks have also been initiated for supply of coal to the proposed Katwa thermal power plant of NTPC, adding 101 new central waterways would also come up.
A Bill regarding this is likely to be passed in the Parliament by December, he added.