PM Narendra Modi pitches Varanasi for cruise tourism, cargo handling hub

Modi said that by leveraging India's first multi-modal terminal (MMT) on river Ganga, Varanasi could become a major hub for 'nature, culture and adventure' in Eastern India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday pitched his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi as a potential cruise tourism and cargo handling hub for Eastern India.

Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating India’s first multi-modal terminal (MMT) on river Ganga and inaugurating projects worth almost Rs 25 billion, Modi said, Varanasi, by leveraging the newly opened waterway, was on course to supporting cruise tourism.

Modi said it was a historic day as the country was witnessing how a blueprint could transform the transport landscape for a modern India.

“I have double joy as the PM and as the local Member of Parliament that now Varanasi is connected with all the three modes of transport, including land, air and water,” he said to a cheering crowd.

“The waterway will allow the state farmers to transport their farm product to other destinations, while millions of small and medium enterprises in UP can export their value-added products,” he added.

Besides, Modi said, the state farmers, carpet weavers, artisans and industrialists would benefit immensely from the inland waterway as it was directly connected to ports in the Bay of Bengal after traversing through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The Varanasi region comprising the neighbouring districts of Mirzapur and Bhadohi was already developing as a global carpet and textile hub, Modi said, adding it would promote tourism, cargo and passenger transport and become a major hub for “nature, culture and adventure in this part of India".

Modi further announced that his government was working on similar 100 other inland waterways projects, of which the Varanasi one, which is estimated to cost more than Rs 50 billion, was one. It would comprise nearly 20 MMTs along the route between Varanasi and Haldia.

Earlier, Modi also received the country’s first container cargo of Independent India transported via inland waterway from Kolkata, which had started its journey last month. In its return journey, the vessel will carry a fertiliser consignment.

 

The PM said the waterway would not only save time and money but also contribute to saving fuel and checking pollution. “If the cargo were to be transported by road, it would have needed about 16 trucks, besides costing an additional amount of almost Rs 4,500 per container. This way, the vessel saved Rs 70,000-75,000 in its journey,” he said.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and union transport, highways and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari was also present on the occasion. This was Modi’s 15th visit to this parliamentary constituency.

The waterway between Varanasi to Haldia will allow navigation of large vessels up to 2,000 tonnes weight, with an objective to promote inland waterway as a cheaper and environment-friendly means of transport. It is being developed on a 50:50 sharing basis between the Indian government and the World Bank.