The government is looking to harness the country’s 50,000 km of sea and river fronts as waterways and mulling innovative ways of financing to raise around Rs 70,000 crore to develop these stretches in the first phase, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said. By passing the crucial Bill to declare 111 rivers across the country as National Waterways, Parliament has paved the way for development of these stretches as transport carriers. So far, only five of the river stretches were declared as National Waterways. "India has its unique advantage. Fourteen of its states are bestowed with 7,500 km of coastline with 14,500 km of poten-tially navigable waterways. In addition, 116 rivers across the country provide 35,000 km of navigable stretches.