National Waterways Bill 2015 introduced in Lok Sabha.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari recently introduced The National Waterways Bill 2015 in the Lok Sabha.

The Bill proposes to convert 101 rivers across the country into waterways to promote it as a cheaper mode of transportation, as compared to roads and railways.

So far, the Government has declared only five river stretches as waterways.

In an earlier event, Gadkari had said the Bill would help the Government reduce the traffic burden on the roads by promoting water transportation, where the cost is barely 50 paise a km, compared with Rs. 1 for the Railways and Rs. 1.5 a km for roads.

Inland waterways, comprising rivers, lakes, canals, creeks and backwaters, extend in about 14,500 km across the country.

HBL