Yamuna water link may get government nod

NEW DELH: Palla to Wazirabad stretch of Yamuna river in Haryana and Delhi will be the first few waterways that the shipping ministry will announce in the next 5-6 months. Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said this portion will be developed for navigation.

TOI on December 26 had first reported how a ministry sponsored study had found that only the section between Palla and Wazirabad is navigable since the water level is good during most part of the year upstream of Wazirabad barrage. The rest of Yamuna falling in Delhi — Wazirabad to Okhla — is not suitable for navigation. It had suggested Palla-Wazirabad stretch can be used for recreation facilities such as boating and other water sports besides limited transportation.

“We will maintain three meter draft and width of 45 meters on this stretch. It can be used for transportation of goods and passenger as well,” Gadkari said while addressing a conference of industry body CII. Last month Parliament had passed the bill to convert 111 rivers including Yamuna to national waterways. Once a stretch is declared a national waterway, shipping ministry can make investments for their improvement.

Gadkari said he is confident that this stretch is used for landing and take off of sea planes. He added efforts are being made to make the rest of Yamuna stretch from Delhi to Agra navigable.

Sources said the ministry will launch the first waterway project in NCR in August or September. The ministry-sponsored report had also suggested how the passenger vessels plying on Yamuna can work as a feeder service to major Metro stations from the river front such as at Kashmere Gate and Indraprastha.