India
has a wide network of inland waterways
in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks. The total length
of these waterways is 14,500 km, out of
which about 4503 km of river and
485 km of canals can be used bymechanized
crafts. However, India has no such significant development in freight
transportation by waterways,as compared to other developed countries like
USA, China and European countries.
National Waterway No.1
Allahabad–Haldia
stretch of the Ganges–Bhagirathi–Hooghly river system.
Established: October 1986.
Length : 1620 kms
National Waterway No.2
Sadiya
— Dhubri stretch of Brahmaputra river.
Established: September 1988.
Length : 891 kms
National Waterway No.3
Kottapuram-Kollam
stretch of the West Coast Canal, Champakara Canal and Udyogmandal Canal.
Established:February 1993
Length : 205 km
National Waterway No.4
Kakinada–Pondicherry
stretch of canals and the Kaluvelly Tank, Bhadrachalam – Rajahmundry stretch of
River Godavari and Wazirabad – Vijayawada stretch of River Krishna.
Established:November 2008
Length:
1078 kms
National Waterway No.5
Talcher–Dhamra
stretch of the Brahmani River, the Geonkhali - Charbatia stretch of the East
Coast Canal, the Charbatia–Dhamra stretch of Matai river and the Mangalgadi -
Paradip stretch of the Mahanadi River Delta.
Established : November 2008
Length
: 588 kms
National Waterway No.6
In
Assam, Lakhipur to Bhanga of river Barak.
Established 2013
Length: 121 km