Giving a fillip to the inland waterway, Union Minister for Shipping, Waterways and Ports Sarbananda Sonowal announced that 10 jetties would be constructed in Tripura’s Gumti river for the inland waterway.
Later, Sonowal said, the proposed jetties will be constructed at an expenditure of Rs 25 crore. The jetties will facilitate the movement of cargo and passenger vessels, river cruise and tourism industry. Besides, it will accelerate the pace of trade with neighbouring Bangladesh.
He also said that a hydrological survey would be undertaken in some other rivers of the state and the next step would be taken as per the feasibility.
The Union Minister who also holds the Ayush portfolio announced that a 50-bedded Ayush Hospital and 50 Health and Wellness Centres would be set up in Tripura soon.
According to a government press release, the state government would provide the land for the construction of the proposed Ayush Hospital.
The announcements were preceded by signing an MoU between the State Government, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) for the development and maintenance of an Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminal at Srimantapur in Sepahijala district in Agartala on Tuesday.
Sonowal chaired the MoU signing programme at the State Guesthouse today in presence of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Transport minister Pranajit Singha Roy and officials of IWAI and LPAI.
Later, the Union Minister said Rs 25 crore has been given for the construction of 10 jetties on the Gumti River.
Hailing the announcements made by the Union Minister, Biplab Kumar Deb said, a number of Rs. 25 crore had already been sanctioned for dredging of Gumti River in a 40-km stretch and construction of 10 jetties between Sonamura and Udaipur.
Besides, the Government of India is also ready to give funds for dredging of 40-km stretch of Sonamura- Daudkandi Protocol Route at 80:20 ratio, Deb said and added that proposal had already been sent to the Central Government for extending the waterway network by increasing the navigability of other rivers like Howrah and Deo in Tripura.
The proposed inland waterway would benefit Tripura to a great extent, giving a boost to the state’s infrastructural development, the Chief Minister said.
“Transportation of goods through waterways is the cheapest mode of transport. So, transportation of goods especially cement and steel through waterways via Bangladesh will now be easier and it will reduce the cost,” Deb pointed out.
Commenting on Union Minister’s announcement on Ayush facilities, Deb said this would strengthen the health care system in Tripura.
