Centre plans to redesign waterways project.

The Central government is firm in taking up the National Waterway (NW) 4 connecting Kakinada with Puducherry.

So much so, the Centre wants the waterway to facilitate movement of 1000-tonne capacity vessels against the earlier proposed 500-tonne capacity vessels. Following Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari's instructions officials are now redesigning the entire project, according to MP and BJP State president K. Haribabu.

'The project is estimated to cost Rs. 3,200 crore and it could see cost escalation owing to the proposed changes in the design. Officials are in the process of preparing a blueprint and it is expected to be ready soon. Once the blue print receives the government's nod, tenders would be called for launching works on the project,' he said. The NW-4 runs along the Coromandel Coast through Kakinada, Eluru, Commamur and Buckingham canals connecting Kakinada with Puducherry and stretches more than 1,000 km. Given the rising fuel prices and consumption of time in transporting different products like coal, rice, cement and others, political leaders have been insisting on harnessing the inland waterways that will not only ease the movement of the goods, but also reduce pollution to a large extent. But this is turning out to be a challenge for irrigation department as the canals do not have uniform bed width and depth that is essential for inland waterways. The existing width of Eluru canal is 28 metres and it has to be widened to 40 metres to ensure free movement of 1,000-tonne capacity vessels, said a senior official from the department. More than geographical issues, task of clearing encroachments and sewage inlets can be even more challenging. There has to be lot of coordination between Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, PCB, energy departments, he said.


THE HINDU