VIJAYAWADA, October 23 — The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, alongside the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board, has approved a ₹1,200-crore capital dredging and riverine infrastructure upgrade for the Muktyala–Vijayawada stretch (82 km) of National Waterway-4 (NW-4) on the Krishna River.
Key engineering and logistics dimensions: 1. Assured Draft Navigation: Execution of capital dredging to guarantee a permanent 2.5-meter Least Available Depth (LAD), facilitating all-weather transit for 1,000-tonne river-sea cargo barges. 2. Terminal Infrastructure: Construction of state-of-the-art floating Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminals and container jetties at Muktyala, Harischandrapuram, and Ibrahimpatnam. 3. Industrial Freight Corridors: Connects the extensive cement and limestone industrial belts of Jaggayyapet and Palnadu directly with coastal seaports (Machilipatnam and Kakinada Deep Water Port), cutting bulk freight costs by 35% compared to road and rail routes. 4. Night Navigation: Deployment of DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) transponders and solar-powered smart beacon buoys for 24x7 navigation.
Statutory provisions of the National Waterways Act 2016, multi-modal logistics green transition, and port-led inland industrialization under the Sagarmala Mission represent pivotal examination questions for APPSC Group-1 and Group-2 candidates.