Four multi-mode terminals to come up along National Waterway 1

The central government is in the process of setting up four multi-mode inland waterway terminals along the National Waterway 1 (NW1) in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand to facilitate road connectivity and provide linkage with the railway network, a senior official said here on Friday.

Two of the terminals would come up in West Bengal at Haldia and Kolkata.

Sahibganj in Jharkhand and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh will be the other locations, Indian Waterways Authority of India chairman Amitabh Verma told media persons here on the sidelines of an event.

These points will connect the inland waterways network at specific points with railways network as well as facilitate road connectivity to provide smooth logistical facilities.

"Each of these projects will have an investment of atleast Rs.400 crore as terminal cost only", said Verma.

He said 61 acres of land have ben acquired by the Kolkata Port authorities for the project in Haldia and will be handed over in June.

For the project in Sahibganj, 109 acres of land is yet to be acquired. The Varanasi terminal will need 130 acres of land and another 65 acres will be required for linking railway tracks with the river outlet.

The land for the project at Garden Reach Jetty in Kolkata will be taken on a lease agreement with the Kolkata Port authorities and it will be split into two phases of development.

"We are looking at the public-private partnership model for developing these multi-mode connectivity points," he said.

According to the official, the private sector has much scope in inland waterways development ranging from barge construction and operation, cruise operation, hydrographic surveys to dredging and skilling up the requisite manpower.

He said National Thermal Power Corporation has already given commitment to carry three million tonne of shipment through inland waterways over a period of seven years and talks are in progress with other companies.

However, world's largest coal miner, Coal India Ltd is yet to give any commitment over ferrying coal by using the waterways network.

Varma said he is optimistic about companies using the waterways network to ferry their load in the future.