World Bank has indicated its readiness to support the 1,620 km Haldia to Allahabad stretch with an initial loan assistance of $50 million, including technical assistance for  Phase-I of the project.

The Haldia-Allahabad National Waterway project will make the riverine trade route navigable for the entire year and will also increase cargo handling capacity of vessels to 1,200-1,500 Dead Weight Tonnage (DWT). Presently, the route is navigable only for six months of a year.

The project, which is proposed to be implemented in 5-6 years, will include dredging to offer three mtr of draft, strengthening of open river navigation techniques, river training and conservancy, structural improvement, modern river information system (RIS), Digital GPS, night navigation facilities and modern methods of channel marking.

The Rs 4,700 crore project on Ganga will have terminals at Allahabad, Varanasi and Gazipur in Uttar Pradesh; Sahibganj in Bihar; and Katwa in West Bengal, to facilitate transshipment and movement of bulk cargo on the riverine trade route.

More Project Info:
Haldia-Allahabad National Waterway-1 (NW-1)