India has one of the largest networks of water channels in the
form of rivers, creeks, canals and backwaters, and it provides an
effective and economical means of transport. Being environment
friendly and inherently cost efficient because of lower
construction, operation and maintenance costs, waterborne traffic
is an attractive transportation option. The cost of moving one
tonne of cargo through inland waterways is approximately one-third
of that of railways and half of that of roads. India has more than
14,000km of navigable waterways capable of taking motorized
craft.
In 1980, a National Transport Policy Committee determined that
the sector was underutilized and inadequately funded. The committee
recommended guidelines for declaring watercourses as national
waterways. These required navigation by mechanically propelled
vessels, the passage through, and service of the interests of more
than one state, connections between hinterlands and major ports,
and the
