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NW-97

Sunderbans Waterway

A deltaic network of tidal channels in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal, carrying the fourth-largest cargo volume among the waterways with separately reported tonnage.

West BengalBidyaMatlaThakkuranSaptamukhiRaimangalHoglaHaribhangaSahibkhali
Key Facts
Declared length
172 km (plus component rivers)
State
West Bengal
Cargo moved, FY 2024-25
5.98 MT
FY 2024-25MoPSW
Route

NW-97 Route Map

Key stops along the waterway corridor.

Kakdwipterminal
Namkhanaterminal
Patharpratimaterminal
Technical

Navigational Depth

Target depths by stretch. Values are project targets, not uniform across the entire waterway.

Entire waterway
Not separately disclosed in official sources.
Tidal; varies with tide and season
Infrastructure

Facilities & Fixtures

Navigation, cargo handling, storage and connectivity infrastructure on this waterway.

River terminals in the delta region
Cargo handling and storage
Connectivity to Kolkata and Haldia through the delta
Commodities

Cargo Transported

Major commodities moved on this waterway.

Building materialsCoalFertilizersGeneral cargoOver-dimensional cargo
Development

Projects & Initiatives

Government projects and development programmes on this waterway.

Sunderbans waterway development

Stretch-wise development of delta channels to connect the region to the Kolkata and Haldia port interface on NW-1.

Source
Obstacles

Challenges

Key operational and structural challenges on this waterway.

Tidal channel migration and silting
Cyclone and storm surge exposure
Ecological sensitivity of the Sundarbans landscape
Seasonal navigability limits