The Ganga – Bhagirathi – Hooghly river system between Haldia (Sagar) and Prayagraj (1620 km) was declared as National Waterway-1 (NW-1) in 1986. Since then IWAI has carried out various developmental works on the waterway for improvement of its navigability and also development and maintenance of other infrastructure such as navigation aids and terminal facilities as laid down in the IWAI Act, 1985 (82 of 1985).
To augment the capacity of National Waterway-1 (from Haldia to Varanasi 1390 Kilometer stretch), Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) is being implemented with technical and financial support of the World Bank. The Jal Marg Vikas Project on NW-1 from Haldia to Varanasi was approved by the CCEA on 3rd January, 2018 at a cost of Rs. 5369.18 crore (US$ 800.00 million). The loan agreement with the World Bank was signed on 2nd February, 2018. The project cost has been revised to Rs. 5061.15 cr. The project is expected to be completed in December 2025.
The development objective of JMVP is to enhance transport efficiency and reliability of NW-1. The project comprises several components viz. development of multimodal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia; intermodal terminal at Kalighat; fairway development/ maintenance (Haldia to Barh-3m, Barh to Ghazipur – 2.5m and Ghazipur to Varanasi – 2.2m); navigational facilities (Channel marking, Day/Night Navigational Aids, River Information System etc.); Community jetties (Uttar Pradesh – 15, Bihar – 20, Jharkhand – 3, West Bengal – 22); New navigational lock at Farakka, Modernization of existing navigational lock at Farakka; Quick Pontoon Opening System etc.
Vessels berthed at Low Level Jetty, Gaighat, Patna on NW-1
Permanent terminal at GR jetty-2, Kolkata is operational since November, 2013 for handling of General Cargo.
Terminals
Floating terminals at 20 locations and two fixed RCC Jetty / permanent terminals at GR Jetty-2 Kolkata & Gaighat Patna are being maintained for handling / berthing of cargo vessels, tourist vessels and others IWT vessels etc. In addition there are two fixed jetties at Farakka and Pakur which belong to Farakka Barrage Project (FBP) but these can be used by common users. The detail of facilities available on each of these terminals is given in following table:
| A. Floating Terminals | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S. No. | Name of terminal with chainage (In km) | Land area (in Sq. m) | Size of berth, water front (In mtr.) | No. of Pontoon Barge & Gangway | Cargo Handling equipment | Storage area | Link approach road | Security (in each shift) | Water/ Lighting facility | Remarks |
| 1 | Haldia (Ch. 35.0) | 10930 | 70 m berth & 200 m WF | 04 Pontoons 01 Gangway | NIL | One Godown of size 12 x 30 m and Open space 1630 m2 | 3.5 km via HDC | 01 nos. armed 03 no. unarmed | Drinking Water Sodium Vapour Lamps | Land taken from Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) on lease basis. |
| 2 | Botanical Garden Jetty (Ch. 134.5) | 996 | 35 m berth & 50 m WF | 01 Pontoon 01 Steel Gangway | NIL | To be stored on Pontoon | 150 m | 03 nos. unarmed | Sodium Vapour Lamps (Full Illumination) | Land belongs to KoPT being used by IWAI. |
| 3 | BISN Jetty & G.R. Jetty-1 (Ch. 135.0) | 30409.64 | 70 m berth & 100 WF | 03 Pontoons 01 Steel Gangway | NIL | Open Space area 6000 m2 | 1 km | 01 nos. armed 03 no. unarmed | Sodium Vapour Lamps (Full Illumination) | Land taken from KoPT on lease basis |
| 4 | Tribeni (Ch. 196.0) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon 01 Bamboo Gangway | NIL | To be stored on Pontoon | Along the road | 01 nos. armed 02 no. unarmed | NIL | Land not available pontoon placed on water front |
| 5 | Shantipur (Ch. 241.0) | 8000 | 35 m berth & 100 WF | 01 Pontoon 06 Modular Pontoons Gangway | NIL | To be stored on Pontoon and open space of IWAI’s land 2000 Sq. m | 3 km | 03 nos. unarmed | NIL | Land belongs to State Govt. of W.B. being used by IWAI. |
| 6 | Swaroopganj (Ch. 280) | 2337 | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon 01 Bamboo Gangway | NIL | One Godown of size 4.5 x 5 m and Open space 290 m2 | 500 m | 01 nos. armed 03 no. unarmed | Drinking Water Sodium Vapour Lamps | Land taken from KoPT on lease basis |
| 7 | Katwa (Ch. 334.50) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon 01 Bamboo Gangway | NIL | To be stored on Pontoon. | 1.5 km | NIL | NIL | Land not available pontoon placed on water front |
| 8 | Hazardwari (Ch. 439.0) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon 01 Bamboo Gangway | NIL | To be stored on Pontoon. | 100 m | NIL | Street Lights provided by Local Administration | Land not available pontoon placed on water front |
| 9 | D/s Farakka (Ch. 542.0) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon 01 Bamboo Gangway | NIL | To be stored on a Pontoon. | Along the road | NIL | Street Lights provided by Local Administration | Land not available pontoon placed on water front |
| 10 | U/s Farakka (Ch. 545.0) | 4800 | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon 01 Bamboo Gangway | NIL | To be stored on Pontoon & land of FBP | 100 m | 01 nos. armed 03 no. unarmed | Drinking Water Sodium Vapour Lamps | Land belongs to FBP being used by IWAI. |
| B. Fixed RCC Jetties | ||||||||||
| S. No. | Name of terminal with chainage (In km) | Land area (in Sq. m) | Size of berth, water front (In mtr.) | No of Pontoon Barge & Gangway | Cargo Handling equipment | Storage area | Link approach road | Security | Water/ Lighting facility | Remarks |
| 1 | G.R.Jetty-2 (Ch. 134.5) | 14,557 | 70 m berth | – | – | One Transit shed of size 25 x 46 m and Open space 4000 m2 | 500 m. | 01 nos. armed 03 no. unarmed | Drinking Water Sodium Vapour Lamps (Full Illumination) | Land taken from KoPT on long term lease basis. RCC Jetty completed and being operational since Nov., 2013. |
| 2 | Farakka RCC Jetty (Ch. 542 km) | – | 115 m berth | – | – | – | Along the road | – | Drinking Water Sodium Vapour Lamps | Owned by FBP this can be used by the common users. |
| 3 | Pakur RCC Jetty (Ch. 522 km) | – | 60 m berth | – | – | – | 1 km | – | – | Owned by FBP this can be used by the common users. |
| II. Details of Terminals in Rajmahal – Allahabad stretch of NW-1 | ||||||||||
| A. Floating Terminals | ||||||||||
| S. No. | Name of terminal with Chainage | Land area | Size of berth, water front | No of Pontoon Barge & Gangway | Cargo Handling equipment | Storage area | Link approach road | Security | Water/ Lighting facility | Remarks |
| 1 | Manglahat (Rajmahal) (Ch. 588Km.) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Nil | To be stored on Pontoon. Private land could be made available if required | Kachcha Rasta 100m and connected with NH 80 | – | Drinking Water facility available | Generator could be provided for lighting whenever required |
| 2 | Samdaghat (Sahebganj) (Ch.617Km.) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Crane on pontoon | To be stored on Pontoon. Private land could be made available if required | Kachcha Rasta300m and Pucca road 1km connected with NH 80 | – | Drinking Water facility available | Generator could be provided for lighting whenever required |
| 3 | Bateshwarsthan (Ch. 683Km.) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Nil | To be stored on Pontoon. | Kachcha Rasta 200m and Pucca road 5km connected with NH 80 | – | Drinking Water facility available | Generator could be provided for lighting whenever required |
| 4 | Bhagalpur (Ch715Km.) | 3.86 Acre Land | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Nil | To be stored on Pontoon and open space of IWAI’s land 1000 Sq. m | Pucca Rasta 300 m and metalled road 2 km connected with NH 80 | 01 no. armed 02 nos. unarmed | Drinking Water Sodium Vapour Lamps (Full Illumination) | DGPS Station is operational and being utilised since 2010. |
| 5 | Munger (Ch.793Km.) | 3.40 Acre Land | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Nil | To be stored on Pontoon and open space of IWAI’s land 1000 Sq. m | Pucca Rasta 100 m and metalled road 5 km connected with NH 80 | 01 no. armed 01 no. unarmed | Drinking Water facility available and Street Lights available provided by Local Administration | Generator could be provided for lighting whenever required |
| 6 | Semaria (Ch. 850 Km) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Crane on Pontoon available | To be stored on Pontoon. Private land could be made available if required | Kachcha Rasta 200m and Pucca road 300 m connected with NH 31 | – | Drinking Water facility available | |
| 7 | Buxar (Ch. 1124 Km) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Nil | To be stored on Pontoon. Private land could be made available if required | Kachcha Rasta100m and Pucca road 400 m connected with NH 84 | – | Drinking Water facility available and Street Lights available as provided by Local Administration | |
| 8 | Ghazipur (Ch. 1177 Km) / Rajghat (Varanasi) | – | 35 m berth | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Nil | To be stored on Pontoon. Private land could be made available if required | Kachcha Rasta100m and Pucca road 100 m connected with NH 19 | – | Drinking Water facility available | Generator could be provided for lighting if required |
| 9 | Ramnagar (Varanasi) (Ch. 1315) | 5.586 Hectare Land | 35 m berth & 300 WF | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Nil | To be stored on Pontoon and open space of IWAI’s land 2000 Sq. m | Land acquisition in process for approach road of about 700m connecting with NH 07 | 01 no. armed 01 no. unarmed | – | |
| 10 | Allahabad (Ch. 1535) | 8.759 Hectare Land | 35 m berth & 300 WF | 01 Pontoon Barge 01 Pontoon Gangway | Nil | To be stored on Pontoon and open space of IWAI’s land 5000 Sq. m | Pucca Rasta 500 m and metalled road 2 km connected with NH 76 | 01 no. armed 01 no. unarmed | Drinking Water facility available | Generator could be provided for lighting if required |
| B. Fixed RCC Jetty | ||||||||||
| S. No. | Name of terminal with Chainage | Land area | Size of berth, water front | No of Pontoon Gangway Pontoon | Cargo Handling equipment | Storage area | Link approach road | Security | Water/ Lighting facility | Remarks |
| 1 | Patna (Gaighat) (Ch. 955Km.) | 2.93 Acre | 46.0 m berth 100 m WF | Nil | Shore Crane-2 with capacity of 01 – 20 tonnes subject to radius | 45m x 14m Transit shed and open space of IWAI’s land 1000 Sq. m | Pucca Rasta 500 m and metalled road 2 km connected with NH 30 | 01 no. armed 03 no. unarmed | Drinking Water Sodium Vapour Lamps (Full Illumination) | Permanent High level Jetty and DGPS Station is operational and being utilised since 2012. |