Officials from the World Bank Group visited Farakka in West Bengal to assess the progress of renovation and modernisation works being carried out by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) at the existing navigational lock on National Waterway-1 (NW-1). The visit focused on reviewing ongoing efforts to enhance navigational efficiency and strengthen inland water transport infrastructure along the Ganga waterway.
The works are being undertaken under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP), which is being implemented with technical and financial assistance from the World Bank. The project aims to improve the reliability, capacity and efficiency of cargo movement on NW-1, India’s longest inland waterway connecting Haldia and Varanasi.
Modernisation of the Farakka navigational lock is a key component of the JMVP, designed to facilitate smoother vessel movement and support growing inland waterway traffic on the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system. The initiative forms part of broader efforts to develop world-class inland water transport infrastructure and boost sustainable logistics across northern and eastern India.