Notes »

waterways

  • A waterway is an important mode of transport for both passenger and cargo traffic in India.

  • It is the oldest and also the cheapest means of transport and most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky materials from one country to another.

  • It is a fuel-efficient and ecofriendly mode of transport. The water transport is of two types

  • Inland Waterways

  • Ocean water ways(sea routes)

Inland Waterways

  • India has an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers, canals, lakes and backwaters.
  • It depends upon the depth and width of the waterways and the continuity of the water flow.
  • For the development, maintenance and regulation of national waterways in the country, the Inland water ways Authority was setup in 1986.

The major national waterways are:

National Waterway 1

  • It extends between Haldia and Allahabad, measures 1620 km and includes the stretches of the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system.

National Waterway 2

  • This waterway includes the stretch of the Brahmaputra river between Dhubri and Sadiya a distance of 891 km.

National Waterway 3

  • This waterway extends between Kollam and Kottapuram in the state of Kerala.
  • It is the first national waterway in the country with 24 hour navigation facilities along its entire stretch of 205 km.

Oceanic Routes

  • Oceanic routes play an important role in the transport sector of India’s economy.
  • About 95% of India’s foreign trade by volume and 70% by value moves through ocean routes.
  • Coastal shipping plays an important role in transport of bulk goods in India.
  • Shipping is not only the most economical mode of transport, it is also an environment friendly mode.
  • The sea and oceanic routes are mainly used for international trade and are connected through ports.
  • There are 13 major and 200 minor or intermediate ports in India.
  • The major ports are administered by the Central Government and minor ports are managed and administered by various state governments.
  • The major ports on the east coast are Kolkata (including Haldia Dock), Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Ennore and Tuticorin.
  • The major ports on the west coast are Kandla, Mumbai, Nhava Seva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port), New Mangalore, Marmagao and Kochi.

India has four major shipyards.

  1. Hindustan shipyard in Vishakhapatnam
  2. Garden Reach workshop in Kolkata,
  3. Mazagaon Dock in Mumbai
  4. Kochi Shipyard in Kochi

India is the second largest ship owning country in Asia and ranks 16th in the World.