India boosts dredging of inland waterways
Photo Credit: Dredging Corporation of India (DCI)
The Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) is expanding its operations into inland waterways with a project worth Rs 200 crore (£22 million). In September 2022, DCI and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed an agreement to initiate the dredging project. The planned project involves dredging over 120 kilometres of waterways in Assam to create an all-weather, unobstructed passage for ships and ferries. With a provision for expansion, it is set to commence this year and last until at least 2026.
Amongst the major waterways, multiple stretches of the Brahmaputra River, Dhansiri River, Kopili River and Barak River will be developed. In order to unlock the potential of inland waterways transportation within the region, fairways will be maintained. Throughout these stretches, the DCI will need to dredge a minimum draft of 2.5 metres to allow larger vessels to navigate.
This project is expected to have a significant impact on the economic and trade movement in the region by generating more employment opportunities for the local population. Inland waterways also offer a cost-effective mode of transportation for goods and commodities, and the project will improve the connectivity of the Assam region with the rest of the country. Furthermore, this project is expected to include beach nourishment as well as additional reclamation activities in addition to maintenance dredging operations.
DCI recently announced larger open-water dredging projects in Visakhapatnam and Kochi and has made arrangements to strengthen its fleet. The DCI fleet currently consists of nine dredgers capable of dredging around 60 million cubic metres of sand, whereas India currently requires 100 million to 125 million cubic metres of dredging. DCI recently acquired a Beagle Series-12 Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) with a capacity of 12,000 cubic meters to add to their existing fleet at a cost of Rs 850 crore (£93 million).
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