Current Context: The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) inaugurated its first Srinagar office to develop navigation on River Chenab (NW-26), Jhelum (NW-49), and Ravi (NW-84).

About IWAI

• Statutory Body: Established on October 27, 1986, under the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985.
• Ministry: Operates under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
• Mandate: Responsible for the development, maintenance, and regulation of inland water transport (IWT) infrastructure on designated national waterways.
• Headquarters: Located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

National Waterways in India

India has an extensive network of inland waterways, with 111 officially notified National Waterways (NWs) identified for the purposes of inland water transport, as per the National Waterways Act, 2016.

Major National Waterways:

1. NW-1: Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system from Haldia (West Bengal) to Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), spanning 1,620 km.
2. NW-2: Brahmaputra river from Sadiya to Dhubri in Assam, covering 891 km.
3. NW-3: West Coast Canal from Kollam to Kottapuram in Kerala, including Champakara and Udyogmandal canals, totaling 205 km.
4. NW-4: Kakinada-Pondicherry stretch of canals along with Godavari and Krishna rivers, covering 1,095 km.
5. NW-5: East Coast Canal along with Brahmani river and Mahanadi delta, spanning 623 km.