The National Waterways Act, 2016.

(1) This Act may be called the National Waterways Act, 2016. (2) It shall come into force on such date 1as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint.

(1) The existing national waterways specified at serial numbers 1 to 5 in the Schedule alongwith their limits given in column (3) thereof, which have been declared as such under the Acts referred toin sub-section (1) of section 5, shall, subject to the modifications made under this Act, continue to benational waterways for the purposes of shipping and navigation under this Act. (2) The regulation and development of the waterways referred to in sub-section (1) which have beenunder the control of the Central Government shall continue, as if the said waterways are declared asnational waterways under the provisions of this Act. (3) The inland waterways specified at serial numbers 6 to 111 in the Schedule along with their limitsgiven in column (3) thereof are hereby declared to be national waterways for the purposes of shipping andnavigation.

Save as provided in sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 2, it is herebydeclared that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should take under its control theregulation and development of the waterways specified in the Schedule for the purposes of shipping andnavigation to the extent provided in the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985 (82 of 1985).

In the Inland Waterways Authority of IndiaAct, 1985, in section 2, for clause (h), the following clause shall be substituted, namely: '(h) "national waterway" means the inland waterway declared by section 2 of the NationalWaterways Act, 2016, to be a national waterway. Explanation.If Parliament declares by law any other waterway to be a national waterway, then,from the date on which such declaration takes effect, such other waterway (i) shall also be deemed to be a national waterway within the meaning of this clause; and (ii) the provisions of this Act shall, with necessary modifications (including modification forconstruing any reference to the commencement of this Act as a reference to the date aforesaid),apply to such national waterway;'.

(1) The following Acts, namely: (a) the National Waterway (Allahabad-Haldia Stretch of the Ganga Bhagirathi-Hooghly River)Act, 1982 (49 of 1982); (b) the National Waterway (Sadiya-Dhubri Stretch of Brahmaputra River) Act, 1988(40 of 1988); (c) the National Waterway (Kollam-Kottapuram Stretch of West Coast Canal and Champakaraand Udyogmandal Canals) Act, 1992 (25 of 1992); (d) the National Waterway (Talcher-Dhamra Stretch of Rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia Stretch ofEast Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dhamra Stretch of Matai River and Mahanadi Delta Rivers) Act, 2008(23 of 2008); and (e) the National Waterway (Kakinada-Puducherry Stretch of Canals and the Kaluvelly Tank,Bhadrachalam-Rajahmundry Stretch of River Godavari and Wazirabad-Vijayawada Stretch of RiverKrishna) Act, 2008 (24 of 2008), are hereby repealed. (2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the Acts referred to insub-section (1), in so far as they are in conformity with the provisions of this Act, shall be deemed to havebeen done or omitted to be done or taken or not taken under the provisions of this Act.