Harnessing the Brahmaputra for cargo movement

Efforts to make Haldia jetty operational for sending export, import and inland cargo to Pandu terminal in Guwahati has triggered new hopes in connectivity for the Northeast region. Apart from reducing traffic congestion along the Siliguri corridor, it is also expected to attract the attention of global players to look at the potential of National Waterway (NW)-2 from Sadiya to Dhubri along the Brahmaputra with renewed interest. The NW-2 connects with the NW-1 through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route and deepening bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh has contributed to creating the enabling ecosystem for optimal use of the old river route. Maintenance of navigable depth has been one of the key factors behind the underutilisation of the national waterways, more so in respect of NW 2. Timely execution of the Depth Assurance Contract awarded by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for maintenance of the navigable depth along the two national waterways will be critical to achieving the end result. Official data show that currently six lakh tonnes of cargo is moved along NW 2 annually which include building materials, food grains, fertilisers, and over-dimensional cargos. Inland Waterways Authority (IWAI) Act, 1985 requires the IWAI to develop the waterway. The 891-km long NW 2 from Sadiya to Bangladesh border was declared a National Waterway in 1988 but it failed to gain prominence in the growth story of the region's connectivity over the past three decades. A study conducted by the IWAI in 2017 titled "Modal shift of cargo passing through Siliguri Corridor destined for North East and neighbouring countries" brought to light the huge potential of this waterway. The study found that 49 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) cargo moves in and out of the northeast region and 30 MMTPA of cargo moves out of the region and of the overall cargo volume of about 8 MMTPA have "divertible potential" to inland water transport mode. The push for infrastructure and other projects in the region has fuelled more demand for cargo to the region. Low utilization of inland water transport, in the backdrop of an increase in cargo volume, has only added to traffic congestions along the narrow Siliguri corridor that connects the region and the rest of India through road and railway networks. The IWAI study estimates that about 25 MMTPA cargo related to infrastructure development and household consumption such as FMCG, electronic goods, fruits and vegetables, food grains moves into the northeast region from the rest of the country. An estimated 24 MMTPA cargo moves out of the region which primarily includes limestone supplies to Bangladesh, stone aggregates from Bhutan to Bangladesh through the northeast region, tea, ginger, cashew nuts, spices, petroleum products. The twin problem of flood and erosion caused by the Brahmaputra overshadow the development of the national waterway along the river. The quantum of investment for addressing the twin problem with long term solutions has been quite less as compared to Ganga Rejuvenation Mission. The Central government has already released about Rs 15,000 crores from allocated Rs 20,000 crores under the National Mission for Clean Ganga programme. The Central Government also approved Rs 4633 crore Jal Marg Vikas Project for the development of NW 1 from Haldia to Varanasi (1390km) with technical assistance and investment support from the World Bank. Physical progress of 40% already achieved under this project demonstrates the importance laid by the Central Government for the development of the NW 1. Official status of project implementation as of February 28 last year shows that constructions of multi-modal terminals at Varanasi and Sahibganj were completed and 96.85 % progress was achieved in respect of the construction of a multimodal terminal at Haldia and 80.37% progress in providing a navigational lock at Farakka. Contracts for providing Least Assured Depth of three metres and bottom channel width of 45m on the stretch between Farakka–Kahalgaon, Sultanganj-Mahendrapur and Mahendrapur-Barh of NW 1 were awarded in 2019. The project is set for completion in December 2023 and on completion will facilitate commercial navigation of vessels with 1500 – 2000 Dead Weight Tonnage capacity along NW 1. Ironically, the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly-river system was declared as NW 1 just two years before declaration of the Brahmaputra stretch in Assam as NW 2. Ending the disparity in the attention of the Central government towards two major national waterways is important to improvement in overall inland water transport. State Governments in northeast lobbying for a Jal Marg Vikas Project for NW 2 along the Brahmaputra will impress upon the Central Government to prioritize the water transport in the region. Four years have already elapsed since the IWAI study established the huge potential of the NW 2 for movement of substantial volume of cargo to and from the region. It is time to move beyond potential and possibilities in policy discourse and focus on expediting operationalization of the national waterway to the optimum level.