The waterway on Andhra Pradesh side process is still on
Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu
Hyderabad: In a setback to National Waterway-4, the Inland Waterway Authority of India (IWAI) has cancelled the tender for Buckingham Canal dredging as the Tamil Nadu government refused to cooperate. The waterway on Andhra Pradesh side process is still on. However, it will be only half of the project. AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been stressing on the need for the development of waterways.
A latest report of IWAI , copy of which is available with this newspaper, mentioned, “In the absence of response from the Tamil Nadu Government for extending assistance and cooperation for smooth execution of the project sanctioned for developing South Buckingham Canal of NW-4 for a stretch of 37 km between Sholinganallur and Kalpakkam, the tender floated in January 2015 for carrying out the dredging activities, the major activity, has been cancelled. However, the IWAI is pursuing with the AP government to sort out the issues on the acquisition of land for widening of the canal, construction of terminals, demolition and reconstruction of existing cross structures as well as identification of dumping area.”
The report also said, “In the meanwhile, the action for obtaining necessary clearance of environment and CRZ as per the requirement of MoEF is being taken. With regard to development of NW-4 in AP, the state government has floated the tender for conducting delineation survey and assessment of the land required for widening, construction of terminal etc., for developing the existing canal system for navigation.
Action has been initiated for obtaining the environment and CRZ clearance before the commencement of developmental activities,” National Waterway No. 4 is on Godavari , Krishna rivers and Canals between Kakinada and Puducherry to a stretch of 1027 km.
Infographic
Nationalwaterway 4
River portion (328 km),
Irrigation canals (302 km)
salt water canals (397 km)
Estimated Cost (at 2009 prices)- Rs 1515 Cr
Phase - 1 - Rs. 609 crore
Phase - 2 - Rs .906 crore
Period of Completion - 7 years
Land Acquisition
In Tamil Nadu - 300 Ha
In Andhra Pradesh -1380 Ha
In Puducherry - 27 Ha
Estimated cost of land acquisition - Rs. 391 Crore
Details of dredging:
In canals - 20 million cum at an estimated cost of Rs. 333 Crore
Potential Cargo - 11 million tonne per annum
Coal on Godavari river,
Cement on Krishna river
Rice in both Krishna and Godavari
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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