Bihar will develop its seven declared national waterways, including the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi and Sone rivers, to strengthen trade and position the state as a major hub for inland water transport, Rural Development and Transport Minister Shrawan Kumar said on Friday.
Addressing the third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) in Kochi, Kumar said Bihar’s national waterways span a combined length of 1,187 km and offer a cost-effective alternative to road and rail transport. He noted that the average cost of freight movement through waterways is ₹1.3 per tonne-km, compared with ₹2.41 by rail and ₹3.62 by road.
“This will not only reduce transportation costs but also help decongest roads by 30–40 per cent,” the minister said, adding that inland water transport can play a key role in boosting trade and economic activity in the state.
Kumar said the Bihar government is making rapid progress towards developing the state as a water transport hub. To create a skilled workforce, he announced that inland waterway navigation training institutes will be set up in Buxar, Bhagalpur and Darbhanga under the guidance of the Patna-based National Inland Navigation Institute (NINI). The initiative is aimed at generating employment opportunities for local youth in the inland water transport sector.
Highlighting infrastructure requirements, the minister stressed the need for dredging in the Kosi and Sone rivers to ensure adequate water depth for smooth navigation. “Dredging is also essential to achieve navigational clearance, create freight corridors for cargo movement and link them with national highways,” he said.
He added that inland waterways are being promoted under the Sagarmala programme, with port lands to be developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and NINI.
“There are also plans to reorganise the Inland Water Transport Department in Bihar and establish a Bihar Maritime Board,” Kumar said.