The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) want more transportation of coal through waterways, an official said on Wednesday. National Waterway (NW-1) holds immense potential for coal movement through inland waterways but still coal movement remains scanty, the official said.

However, currently, most of the fly ash of power plants in West Bengal are being exported to Bangladesh through the protocol route. ”I will be meeting the Coal Minister today to move a certain percentage of coal through waterways,” IWAI chairperson Amita Prasad said while addressing Indian Chamber of Commerce organised e-conference on multimodal transport.

Prasad said inland waterways should get at least five percent of the transport sector in the near future and 10 percent by 2030 from 2.5 percent now. Speaking at the conference Union Minister of State for Road Transport Highways, V K Singh advocated for simpler rules and laws that will help easy interpretation.

He also emphasised on digital adoption saying everything should be online. Singh said, ”in the difficult times we need to come out with innovative solutions to raise resources to execute the projects”.