UPPER GANGA CANALA Classic Inland Water

Transport SystemS . K. Kumar

Former Chief Engineer GangaIrrigation Department UP

INDIA

RIVERS OF INDIA

GANGA

GANGA

• More than just a river, a faith for most Indians.

• Believed to have descended from Heavens, held in locks by Lord Shiva.

• Brought on earth by King Bhagirath, hence also known as Bhagirathi.

• Indo-Gangetic plain- cradle for successive civilizations.

Goumukh-The Origin

Devprayag – Confluence with Alakhnanda

Rishikesh Hardwar

A JOURNEY DOWN THE GANGA

Varanasi

Allahabad – Confluence with Yamuna

Kanpur

Kolkata

Sunderbans Confluence

withBay of Bengal

RIVER NAVIGATION

• Popular means of inland transport in India since ages.

• Ganga carried goods unto Bay of Bengal for international trade by sea route.

• Navigation on Ganga was confined to plain reaches of river d/s of Kanpur.

• Upper reaches could not be navigated.

Navigational Constraints

In upper reaches of river :

• Velocity of water is too high• Water depth is insufficient/ over

shoals• Lot of seasonal variation in discharge

CAUTLEY’S VISION

• Col. Sir Proby T. Cautley, Director of Ganges Canal Works at Roorkee.

• British Engineer with an Indian heart.• Conceived and constructed UGC.• For Irrigation as well as Navigation.• At a time when Hydraulics was nascent.

UPPER GANGA CANAL

• Constructed 1842-1854 for drought proofing.• Permanent HW constructed 1913-1920.• Hardwar to Kanpur MC length 270 miles.• Distribution system 3600 miles long.• CCA 1.4 mha, HD 6750 10500/13000 cusecs.• Width 250150 ft, WD 1210ft, Ave Vel 4’/sec.• Has all types of x-drainage & regulating works.

HEADWORKSUPPER GANGA CANAL

1916

EARLY NAVIGATIONON

UPPER GANGA CANAL

(Artist’s Impression)

PANORAMIC VIEW

HEADWORKS

UPPERGANGA CANAL

AT

HARDWAR

INDEX MAP OFUPPER GANGA CANAL

OPENING NAVIGATION THROUGH IRRIGATION CANAL

• Irrigation-Navigation combination on same canal was attempted for the first time.

• It was challenging, for the requirements of the two canals are different.

• Four basic parameters are fixed differently

BASIC PARAMETERSIRRIGATION V/S NAVIGATION

• Canal Alignment• Follows Ridge contours v/s Shortest distance between ports.

• Location of Drops• As per topography of command v/s As per slopes along alignment

• Management of Drops• Energy Dissipaters v/s Locks Operation

• Internal Section of the Canal• Generally Unlined v/s Totally Lined to withstand vessel forces

CAUTLEY’S SOLUTION

• Alignment and Drops fixed for irrigation.• Separate navigation channels on Drops.• Full masonry section with lock gates.• Smooth entry & exit for vessels ensured.• Elliptical Arch bridges on Main Canal with

towing platforms.

Typical Alignment of Navigation Channel

MULTIFUNCTIONALNAVIGATION CHANNELS

• Turbulence free passage for vessels across drops.

• Feeders for irrigation channels.• Feeders for wheat/corn flour mills.• Inlets for country drainage.

UPPER GANGA CANAL

AT

ROORKEE

NAVIGATION CHANNELMILL CHANNEL &

DISTRIBUTARY HEADAT

CHITAURA DROPS

(VIEW FROM UPSTREAM)

NAVIGATION CHANNEL & MILL CHANNEL CHITAURA DROPS

(VIEW FROM DOWNSTREAM)

NAVIGATION CHANNELAT

WALIPURA

VIEW FROMDOWNSTREAM

NAVIGATIONAL SLOWDOWN

• Canal Navigation stopped around 1930.• Alternative faster means became popular.• Navigation channels remained operative

as feeders for irrigation, mills & as inlets.• Mills too became defunct in 1970’s.

REVIVAL OF NAVIGATIONON UPPER GANGA CANAL

• Work has started on 8 Lane Expressway along with Navigation on 100 km stretch.

• Class II Waterway fit for SPV of 300 ton &Passenger vessels for 75 people.

• Existing Navigation channels to be up graded.

• Cargo loading/unloading at 4 places.• Passenger jetties @ 5 km, at all bridges.

ATTRACTING PRIVATE INVESTMENT

Private developers may be offered:• Navigation rights on Canal.• Purchase of 100 ha Govt land for Recreational &

Water Parks and Shopping Malls.• Old Mills for converting into Canal Museums.• Right to operate 7 Mini Power Houses (33 MW)

on Canal and sell Electricity to the Grid.They will be required to strengthen Canal & re-construct 20 bridges.

GOVERNMENT’S PARTICIPATIONPUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL

Under PPP, Government will retain rights of:• OM&M of Canal, as per NWP.• Upgradation of Locks,Navigation Channels• Providing incentive to promote Inland

Water Transport by restricting movement of divertible commodities like Sugarcane, Bricks etc., by road/rail.

A NATIONAL HERITAGE

• Upper Ganga Canal has achieved all landmarks of an excellent Canal System in its 150 years+ journey.

• Above all, its entire 270 miles length has become a symbol of Ganga for millions.

• A unique fusion of technology and faith.• Upper Ganga Canal truly merits to be

declared A National Heritage.

Upper Ganga Canal - A Classic Inland Water Transport System S.K.Kumar, Former Chief Engineer, Ganga, Irrigation Department, INDIA skkumar_mrt@rediffmail.com River navigation remained the most efficient means for inland transport in India till the end of nineteenth century. It was mainly because several Indian rivers, especially those emanating from Himalayas are perennial. River Ganga, the holiest one, transported since ages, the produce from heartlands of Indo-Gangetic plains to Bay of Bengal. But the main problem with river transport was its inability to function in sub-mountainous to upper plains region due to rapid flow, shallow depth over shoals and seasonal variations in discharge. Upper Ganga Canal, commissioned in 1854 is a classic example of how these problems were solved, and water transport on Ganga was opened through canal, from Hardwar to Kanpur - a stretch of 300 miles, and thence on the conventional route to the sea. Upper Ganga Canal was constructed (1842 - 1854) primarily as a famine proofing measure, for providing irrigation to agriculturally rich Ganga-Yamuna Doab (area confined between two rivers). The canal off-takes from river Ganga at Hardwar, just at the foothills of Himalaya and after irrigating a commanded area of 1.4 million hectares, tails into serene Ganga in plains at Kanpur. With commendable foresight, Colonel Sir Proby T. Cautley, Director of the Ganges Canal works, planned and executed a perfect navigation system on this excellent irrigation canal - a formidable combination to attempt at a time when hydraulics was at its nascent stage. In his own words: The Ganges Canal works, which are specifically for irrigation, come in a great measure under the category of navigable canal. The channel is, on its open course, applicable in every way to the passage of boats; the interruptions to this open channel, which are caused by the masonry descents, are counteracted by lines of safe and commodious transit, which, being carried in a circuitous direction, and at considerable distance from the main canal, are placed out of the influence of the rapids. On these circuitous lines the difference of level is gained by lockage, and every convenience is afforded to the passage of craft, both by facilitating its progress, and in providing for its security. (Cautley’s Report on the Ganges Canal Works until the opening of the Canal in 1854) Main challenge for navigation through irrigation canal was of negotiating the drops and regulators thereon. Separate navigation channels were constructed - 1000 ft. away from each fall-cum-regulator, with smooth entry and exit points from/into main canal at 3500 and 4000 ft respectively from axis line of regulator. The width of navigation channel was kept 16 ft, sufficient to allow the barges a smooth flow. In order to negotiate vertical drop of 8 ft in each case, lock chambers of 100 ft length fitted with upstream and downstream gates (latter 9 ft higher) were provided. Sluices for filling and emptying the chambers were fixed in abutments on a low level. Navigation channel drops were further utilized by providing regulated inlets and outlets for running corn/wheat flour mills on the right bank whereas irrigation channels took off from the left bank. Abandoned Navigation works and their Restoration

With development of other faster means of transport, navigational traffic on Upper Ganga Canal gradually declined, except for occasional haulage of construction/repairs material for canal works, but that too stopped by first quarter of twentieth century. Navigation channels however remained operative, because they acted as feeders for irrigation distributaries. After Independence, Upper Ganga Canal played a significant part in Green revolution and consequent food security. With economic boom, traditional transport systems have started falling short of requirement and expectation. The focus has again shifted on Upper Ganga Canal. On its bank an eight-lane express highway is being proposed as alternative route from/to Delhi. This project includes ecological parks and recreational stopovers. They would be sited on navigation channels reactivated for boat rides through lock chambers into main canal. It would be a thrilling experience for new generation to see their boats gaining or losing elevation smoothly during these excursions. It would just be like boat-rides on Erie Canal, NY, USA. Abandoned flour mills could be converted into restaurants while retaining their old world charm. And history of Upper Ganga Canal could be displayed at such places for posterity, in all its glory. S.K.Kumar, Former Chief Engineer, Ganga, Irrigation Department, INDIA Born on 26th November 1938. Obtained degree of M.Sc., in Physics from Bareilly College in 1957. Degree of B.E., in Civil Engineering from University of Roorkee (now IIT Roorkee) in 1960. Joined Irrigation Department UP as Assistant Engineer in February 1961 and rose to the position of Chief Engineer Ganga before retirement in November 1996. Has vast experience of Investigation, Planning, Designing, Construction, Operation, Maintenance and Management of some of the largest Irrigation, Drainage and Flood protection works. Main areas of work have been Upper and Lower Ganga Canals, Agra Canal and Eastern Yamuna Canal. Have developed expertise in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). After retirement, provided consultancy to Governments of Orissa and Assam for two years. Was appointed as Member, Public Service Commission of UP, a constitutional position, in November 1998 for two years. Provided consultancy to Royal Government of Cambodia in 2004, on rehabilitation, extension and modernization of ancient irrigation works in the World Heritage area of Angkor. Have published about 50 technical papers and also presented some of them in National and International Conventions/Seminars. Apart from the length and breadth of his country, he has visited USA, Japan, Netherlands, Denmark and Cambodia in connection with his Water Resources related lectures and presentations. Is Fellow of The Institution of Engineers (India), Fellow of Indian Water Resources Society (of which, is also the Vice President) and Life Member of Indian Institute of Public Administration. Was selected MAN OF THE YEAR 2002 by the American Biographical Institute, USA. Was awarded the title of MEERUT RATAN (Jewel of the city of Meerut) by All India Conference of Intellectuals in 2004. Presently engaged in such professional cum social activities as promoting Rainwater harvesting, propagating Water Conservation and environmental concerns with focus on economic use of water especially in agriculture.