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Analysis
Compare Waterways
Select two National Waterways to compare side by side — length, depth, facilities, cargo and more.
VS
NW-1
Ganga–Bhagirathi–Hooghly River System
India's most developed inland waterway, running from Haldia on the Hooghly estuary to Prayagraj on the Ganga, and the corridor of the Jal Marg Vikas Project.
Uttar PradeshBiharJharkhandWest Bengal
Declared length
1,620 km
n.d.MoPSW
Declared by
National Waterways Act, 2016
Dredged fairway width
45 m bottom width
Dredging Management Plan parameterIWAI
Design vessel
1,500–2,000 DWT
Project design objectiveIWAI
JMVP sub-corridor
1,390 km (Varanasi – Haldia)
Cargo moved, FY 2024-25
16.38 MT
FY 2024-25MoPSW
Depth
Haldia – Barh
3.0 m
Barh – Ghazipur
2.5 m
Ghazipur – Varanasi
2.2 m
Facilities
Multi-modal terminals (Varanasi, Sahibganj, Haldia)
Inter-modal terminals and fixed jetties
Floating terminals and pontoon jetties
Cranes, hoppers and conveyor handling systems
Storage yards, warehouses and container yards
+6 more
Cargo
CoalFly ashCement and clinkerStone chipsFood grainsFertilizersContainersConstruction materialsOver-dimensional cargo
NW-2
Brahmaputra River
The lifeline waterway of the North-East, connecting Assam's river towns and linking to Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes for cargo movement to and from the rest of India.
Assam
Declared length
891 km
Route
Dhubri – Sadiya
State
Assam
Navigational depth
Not separately disclosed in official sources.
Varies by stretch and season; no single official figure
Cargo moved, FY 2024-25
0.90 MT
FY 2024-25MoPSW
Cross-border link
Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes
Depth
Entire waterway
Not separately disclosed in official sources.
Facilities
Pandu terminal (Guwahati) — berthing and cargo handling
Jogighopa multi-modal terminal
Dhubri and Dibrugarh terminals
Container handling on selected services
Navigation aids and night navigation on selected stretches
+3 more
Cargo
ContainersFood grainsPetroleum productsCoalFertilizersOver-dimensional cargoTea and general cargo
Quick Stats
At a Glance
| Metric | NW-1 | NW-2 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1,620 km | 891 km |
| Route | Haldia – Prayagraj | Dhubri – Sadiya |
| States | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal | Assam |
| Rivers | Ganga, Bhagirathi, Hooghly | Brahmaputra |
| Facilities | 11 listed | 8 listed |
| Cargo types | 9 types | 7 types |
| Projects | 3 active | 2 active |
| Challenges | 5 noted | 5 noted |