Buckingham Canal plan faces obstacles

Kakinada: Realising the importance of inland waterways to boost economic growth, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken up an ambitious infrastructure project of developing five National Waterways in Indian peninsula. The National Waterway-4 covering Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has the immense growth potential. Restoration of the Buckingham Canal of the British era is the key for the development of the 1,078 km long National Waterway-4 from Kakinada to Puducherry.

Major components
Kakinada to Dowleswaram (Godavari canal) 51 km; Rajahmundry to Vijayawada (Eluru canal) 139 km; Vijayawada to Pedda Ganjam (Kommuru canal) 113 km; Pedda Ganjam to Tada (North Buckingham Canal) 258 km; Bhadrachalam to Rajahmundry (Godavari) 171 km; Wazirabad to Vijayawada (Krishna canal) 155 km; Prakasam Barrage to Pulichintala right canal (Newly proposed)

According to an estimate, the restoration of the canal for navigation costs Rs 3,421 crore. Out of the total outlay, Rs 2,800 crore needs to be spent in Andhra Pradesh only as it crisscrosses a total length of 888 km in the State. Some experts express doubts over the feasibility of the Buckingham Canal restoration as part of development of National Waterway-4 considering its huge cost. In the wake of apprehensions, it is learnt that the Centre got a feasibility study conducted by an expert from Chennai on the development of the inland waterway, who made some valuable suggestions for the project execution.

It is a known fact that water transport is cost-effective. In most of the developed countries, it is the chief mode of transport. After the BJP-led NDA Government came to power, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari unveiled the major infrastructure development project to give a big boost to water transport. In Andhra Pradesh, the 796km-long Buckingham Canal constructed during the British rule parallel to Coromandel Coast was an important waterway in the late 19th and early 20th century.

But the successive state governments failed to ensure that the inland waterway, which served as a lifeline of coastal Andhra, was operational in the new millennium. The inland waterway with immense growth potential is defunct now. Experts are of the view that restoration of Buckingham Canal for navigation is not so easy. Removal of encroachments on the canal bunds and demolition of unauthorised structures that came up at several places along its course over the years obstructing the waterway, are highly difficult.

Land at several places needs to be acquired to facilitate its restoration and development. It is a cumbersome process and the huge expenditure associated with it may lead to further escalation of the project cost. All these obstacles coming in the way of resorting Buckingham Canal for navigation can be overcome, if the State Government got the will. The Centre and the State need to work in coordination in making the ambitious project a reality, they added.

Underlining the need for development of inland waterways, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said the fuel costs could be reduced significantly through promotion of water transport, which is also eco-friendly. Eminent people of the port town felt that restoration of Buckingham Canal for navigation would boost economic growth of AP. The immense tourism potential of coastal AP could also be tapped through the waterway. The new State capital Amaravati could also be brought under its purview. It would also help mitigate losses during natural calamities like floods, cyclones and tsunami. Hence, the government should show commitment to the development of the waterway, they added.