IWAI signs MoUs with Dredging Corp, Paradip and Mormugao ports for waterways development

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on Wednesday signed separate memoranda of understanding with Dredging Corporation of India (DCI), Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) to ensure the development of the National Waterways in a time-bound and effective manner.

IWAI signed three separate MoUs in the presence of minister of shipping and road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari.

While the MoU with DCI will enable IWAI to maintain navigable depth in National Waterways, the MoUs with PPT and MPT will help IWAI to develop National Waterway-5 in Odisha and various National Waterways in Goa, respectively.

With the declaration of 106 new national waterways, in addition to the existing five, the IWAI has the increased responsibility of ensuring development of the fairways in the next few years.

Under the MoU, DCI will supplement the asset base of IWAI by purchasing / leasing shallow depth dredgers and operating them in national waterways. DCI will also prepare cost estimates and determine the duration of the dredging projects.

Under the MoU with MPT, the port trust will assist IWAI in the development of national waterways like Mandovi river (NW-68), Zuari river (NW-111), Chapora river (NW-25), Cumbharjua canal (NW-27), Mapusa river (NW-71), and Sal river (NW-88) in Goa.

IWAI and MPT will jointly work to achieve fairway development of the 182-km stretch in Goa, which includes dredging, river training works, bank protection, navigation aids, Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) etc. MPT will also provide project management supervision services related to the infrastructure works in the NWs.

The MoU between IWAI and PPT will result in a collaboration between IWAI and PPT to develop a viable navigation system on NW-5 in Odisha for Phase-1 (Pankapal-Paradip/Dhamra-212 Km on the Brahmaniand Mahanadi river system) to facilitate the movement of cargo vessels of economical size and viable capacity.

The development activities in Phase-I of NW-5 will include fairway development of 212 Km stretch which includes dredging, river training works, bank protection works; terminal construction with cargo handling facilities, off shore structures and related activities; and navigational aids including DGPS, RIS (River Information System)/VTMS.

PPT will cooperate and assist IWAI in project management, supervision, services including planning, designing, consultancy in respect of the works related to fairway development, terminal construction and other related infrastructure works on NW-5.