-Kolkata, 30 October, 2018

The first container vessel movement on National Waterways-I was flagged off by the Secretary, Ministry of Shipping Shri Gopal Krishna along with Chairman of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) Shri Pravir Pandey from Garden Reach Jetty in Kolkata today. This apart, Inland Waterways Authority (IWT) terminals GR Jetty – I & BISN and GR Jetty-II were handed over for equipping, operating and managing on a revenue sharing model to a private firm. This marks IWAI’s entry into Public Private Partnership (PPP) through global tendering  process on a supply, operate and maintain mode.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary (Shipping)  Shri Gopal KRISHNAsaid,   cargo movement to the east and north-eastern states will become easier with this new mode of transportation through waterways. He further said, development of multi-modal hubs within three years will lead to considerable increase in volume of cargo movement through waterways. Cruise tourism will also improve by next year, he said. Stating that PPP model is highly successful in port sector of India, the Secretary stated that the Government of India will provide support to all strakeholders in the shipping sector and called for more investment in this sector.

Referring to the PPP model that has been started, Chairman of Inland Waterways Authority of India Shri Pravir Pandey said, it has been experienced worldover that operation and maintenance of ports and terminals are better run by private enterprises and forms more successful business models. He spoke about Jal Marg Vikas Project under which multi modal hubs are being developed at Varanasi, Sahebgunj and Haldia on NW-I.

The flagged-off vessel - MV Rabindranath Tagore is transporting 16 containers of food product from Kolkata to Varanasi through River Ganga and will also make its return journey with fertilizers from IFFCO  that will be procured from its Phulpur plant near Allahabad.

In August 2016, Union Minister for Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari flagged off a consignment of cars from Varanasi to Haldia. Even as pilot movements on National Waterways are currently being done on various stretches, more than 15 of them have already been successfully completed, including integrated movements through NW-I (Ganga), Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route and NW-2. 

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