India's Inland Waterways
National Waterway 1: The Ganga
How National Waterway 1 runs about 1,620 km on the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly from Prayagraj to Haldia, and the challenges of shallow water and silt.
National Waterway 1 (NW-1) runs on the Ganga.
Route
About 1,620 km from Prayagraj to Haldia, through Varanasi, Patna and Kolkata.
Declared
NW-1 was declared in 1986.
Challenges
- Shallow water in the dry season.
- Siltation shifts channels.
- Bridges with low clearance.
Dredging
Keeping channels deep requires constant dredging, which raises environmental concerns.
Cargo
Coal, fertiliser, cement and food grains.
The dry season
In April, parts of the Ganga become too shallow for loaded barges, forcing lighter loads.
Thinking the Ganga is always navigable
Dry seasons and silt limit it.
Key takeaways
- NW-1 runs about 1,620 km on the Ganga.
- It was declared in 1986.
- Shallow water and silt are challenges.
- Dredging is needed.
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