IWAI team visits Tripura for Indo-Bangla waterway project

A four-member team of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) Wednesday visited Srimantapur Land Customs Station (LCS) in Tripura to select the site for terminal building (jetty) for Indo-Bangla waterway project, official sources said.

The team led by IWAI Member Traffic, Sashi Bhusan Shukla called on Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and held meeting on the ambitious Indo-Bangla waterway project - connecting Tripuras Gomati river with Bangladeshs Meghna (Dawodkandi).

Sukla informed the chief minister about the potential site for setting up terminal building at Srimantapur LCS in Sepahijala district.

The IWAI team also met Tripura chief secretary L K Gupta and other senior state government officials.

"The IWAI wants 10 acres land for a big size terminal building at Srimantapur LCS but this much land is not available there. At best the government could offer 2 acres of land for setting up terminal building," said a senior official of the state Water Resource department said.

When contacted, principal secretary of Water Resource department, H Darlong confirmed the visit of IWAI team.

"We want a jetty to come up near Srimantapur LCS for hassle free transshipment of goods. According, I asked the SDM to select a site near Srimantapur LCS," he said.

Darlong indicated IWAI would implement the ambitious project - connecting Gomati river with Meghna in Bangladesh through Dawodkani area.

Presently ships and steamers are plying from Haldia (West Bengal) to Dawodkandi (Bangladesh), which is only 80 km from Tripuras Sonamura sub-division in Sepahijala district