IIT Roorkee Signs MOU with Inland Waterway Authority of India for Stabilization of Navigational Channel along the Ganga River, NW-1
Roorkee : IIT Roorkee signed an MOU with Inland Waterway Authority of India (IWAI), Noida, to carry out a project on Stabilisationof Navigational Channel at 17 locations along a stretch of the Ganga river from Varanasi to Sahibganj. Prof. Z. Ahmad, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Roorkee, was the signatory to the agreement on behalf of IIT Roorkee. This follows an earlier morphological study of the Ganga river by the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Roorkee, sponsored by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India, New Delhi.
Under this project, IIT Roorkee will carry out the Channel Stabilization (River Training) Works on 17 locations along river Ganga for development of Navigation Channel with Eco-friendly Techniques for capacity augmentation of navigation on NW-1. The work would help in preventing shifting of deeper channel, siltation resulting in formation of secondary channels, erosion of banks and other factors affecting the depth of flow in the main navigable channel, and thus will result in stabilizing the main channel by containing the flow to get desirable flow and discharge patterns,which would ultimately reduce the need for dredging.The project work is to be completed in 25 months.
This work is a part of ongoing Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) of IAWI, which is sponsored by the World Bank. The JMVP envisages the creation and improvement of integration opportunities with other surface transport modes, such as roads and railways, so as to improve the overall efficiency of the logistics chain by linking the waterways through various well-equipped terminals and jetties. Shri Jayant Singh, Vice Chairman; Shri Ashutosh Gautam, Member, Technical; Shri Ravikant, Chief Engineer; and Shri A K Mishra from IWAI; Prof Z. Ahmad, Prof P K Garg, Prof A A Kazmi, Prof. P K Sharma, and Prof. Z Rahman from IIT Roorkee were present at the signing of MoU. On this occasion, Prof Z Ahmad made a presentation on the methodology to be used in the project for stabilization of the channel.
According to Prof. Z. Ahmad, “IIT Roorkee is a premier institution in the field of research, innovation and technology. Wefeel a sense of pride and responsibility while partnering with the IWAI towards the development of the nation’s waterways. We are dedicated to the development of cost-efficient, reliable, safe and environmentally friendly inland waterways and economical to the nation”.
“This collaboration would ensure advancement of the waterways of the nation, and specially benefit the farmers and the people residing in the entire Ganga belt. It would boost the growth of small-scale industries, create employment opportunities, and facilitate transportation of cargo, thus improving logistics through small jetties leading to the overall development of the region.”,said Director, IIT Roorkee, Prof Ajit K Chaturvedi.