IWAI inks pact with IPGPL for Kaladan multimodal transit work

To bolster ties with Myanmar, the Inland Waterways Authority of India has entered into an agreement with India Ports Global Private for a Rs 476-crore project to facilitate connectivity and trade, the government today said.
"A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between IWAI and IPGPL on June 1" for projects worth Rs 476 crore, the Ministry of Shipping said in a statement.
The Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) in Myanmar was conceptualised and is being administered by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) with a view to facilitating connectivity between the mainland and the North-East through maritime shipping, inland waterways and roads of Myanmar.

The link between the north-eastern states of India and Myanmar will pave the way for enhanced trade and commerce across the border and enable cultural and social integration at the regional level, it said.
MEA had appointed the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) as the Project Development Consultant (PDC) for implementation of the Port and Inland Water Transport (IWT) component of the Kaladan Project in 2009 and later, in April 2016, another agreement was signed.
India Ports Global Private (IPGPL) has been established as a JV between the Kandla Port Trust and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust for the purpose of development of ports overseas.

IPGPL was asked to partner with IWAI in the Kaladan project as a sub-PDC.
This was suggested mainly to use and develop capabilities of IPGPL that has been created with an aim to complete implementation of the Kaladan project within the scheduled timeframe of April 2019 and ease pressure on IWAI, given announcement of 106 new National Waterways and execution of the ambitious Jal Marg Vikas project.
Under the MoU, the work includes container handling facilities at Sittwe and Paletwa, operation and maintenance of the completed works and wreck removal, the government said, adding that IWAI shall remain as the overall PDC to MEA for implementation of port and IWT component of the Kaladan project.