Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates key Inland Water Terminal and jetties boosting connectivity in Bihar
It was a significant moment in Bihar's transportation landscape as Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW), inaugurated the Kalughat IWT Terminal and two community jetties in Bettiah, Bihar. Also present on the occasion were Vijay Kumar Sinha, Deputy Chief Minister, Bihar, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Member of Parliament and key officials from both central and state governments.
Kalughat, strategically located on the
north bank of the River Ganga in Bihar's Saran District, emerges as a vital
nexus in the region's transportation network. With its direct access to NH-19,
the terminal serves as a pivotal link for cargo movement, particularly for
Nepal-bound shipments via Raxaul and the hinterland of North Bihar. Constructed
at a cost of Rs. 82.48 Crore, the terminal's infrastructure includes a 125m x
30m berth with a capacity of 77,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit is a measure of volume in units of twenty-foot long containers) annually. The Kalughat
Terminal will have direct road connectivity with NH-19 and is at a critical
location for transportation of cargo originating or destined for hinterland of
North Bihar.
During
the inauguration ceremony Sonowal said, “in the last 10 years, four Multi-Modal
Terminals have been developed on National Waterways which include MMT Varanasi,
Sahibganj, Haldia and Kalughat. Three of our neighbouring countries,
Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar have been connected by waterways leading to
increase in regional trade. The projects worth Rs 86 Crore inaugurated today
will usher in all-round economic prosperity to the riverine community of Bihar
through enhanced and smoother transportation of goods and passengers”.
Moreover,
floating pontoon jetties at Mangalpur and Bettiah on the river Gandak have been
established to connect Nepal and India via NW-37, with an investment of Rs 3.33
crore. These jetties will significantly enhance market access for producers of
various goods, fostering economic exchange and growth in the region.
‘These
projects mark a significant milestone in Bihar's transportation infrastructure
and reaffirm the commitment to leveraging the potential of inland waterways for
inclusive growth and development’, added the Minister.
It is to be noted that, as a
part of Jal Marg Vikas Project, IWAI initiated the development of the IWT
ecosystem for NW-1 through construction of Multimodal Terminals (MMTs) and
Intermodal Terminals (IMTs) for cargo handling along with construction of
navigational locks, carrying out fairway development for uninterrupted
navigation, provision of night navigation and RIS (River Information Service) facilities. The government has been undertaking
various measures to develop National Waterways as a viable, thriving mode of
transport, especially for cargo, to reduce logistics costs and make Indian
industry. The Number of operational waterways has increased to 23 from 05
in 2014. The cargo movement on National Waterways has increased significantly
to 126.15 Million-ton from April 2022- March 2023 against 108.79 Million-ton
last year for the same period, recording 16 % growth.
The Sagarmala
programme of the Ministry Ports, Shipping and Waterways is
harnessing 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways. To unlock the
potential of Waterways under Sagarmala Programme includes declaration of 111 (5
existing and 106 new) National Waterways (NWs) under the National Waterways
Act, 2016. NW-I in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal; NW-2 in
Assam; NW-3 in Kerala, have already been developed with fairway navigational
aids, jetties and terminals with mechanised equipment handling facilities for
loading of cargo. These waterways are operational and vessels are plying on
them. In addition, NW-10 (river Amba), NW-68 (river Mandovi), NW-73 (river
Narmada), NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek), NW-85 (Revadanda Creek- Kundalikariver
system), NW-91 (Shastri river- Jaigad creek system), NW-97 (Sunderbans
Waterways), NW-100 (river Tapti) and NW-111 (river Zuari) are operational.
As
part of the comprehensive Maritime India Vision (MIV) -2030, the
Government has outlined ambitious plans to elevate the share of Inland Water
Transport (IWT) to 5%. The Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 aims to
operationalize 50 waterways by 2047, facilitating efficient transportation
networks nationwide.