Two IWAI vessels flagged off in Kolkata

Two inspection-cum-survey vessels of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), constructed at a cost of Rs 3.24 crore, were flagged off here on Thursday.

The survey vessels, the first of their kind constructed under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) undertaken by the IWAI, are equipped with modern facilities to conduct surveys in the National Waterways-I from Varanasi to Haldia, officials said.

The aesthetically designed vessels were constructed by Waterways Shipyard at its shipyard in Karnataka's Udupi.

The state of the art vessels - S.L. Ganga and S.L.Jahnavi - have a cruising speed of 12 knots which would help identify the dredging requirements and sites in order to ensure three meters draft.

After flagging off the vessels, IWAI Chairperson Nutan Guha Biswas said the JMVP will make large investment in the project to incorporate world class terminals, ship repair facilities, Roll-on/roll-off services and dredging opportunities.

She said it envisages huge investment and employment opportunities in the states through which the Ganga flows.

Once the terminals across the four states are developed and linked, transportation of cargo through waterways will be cheaper in compression to roadways or railways, resulting in a viable economical, efficient and eco-friendly mode of transport, she said.

The World Bank has extended technical and financial assistance at an estimated cost of Rs 5,369 crore for vessels of 1500-2,000 tons capacity.

--IANS

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