30 CRORES TERMINAL AT PANDU, GUWAHATI
INAUGURATED
Union Minister, Shipping, Shri V.P. Goyal inaugurated
today a cargo cum Passenger Terminal situated at Pandu, Guwahati
on the bank of river Brahamaputra. The Terminal worth Rs. 30 crore
is being developed by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
on National Waterways No. 2 which is 890 kms. long from Dhubri
to Sadiya.
Ministry of Shipping has planned similar terminals
at Patna, Allahabad and also on waterways in Kerala. These terminals
are expected to be operative by June, 2003.
Inland water transport being cost effective and
fuel efficient, the completion of these terminals is expected
to substantially augment the commercial as well as pilgrimage
traffic on all National Waterways. The major items for transport
on NW-2 are cement, fertilizer, coal, grains, stones and silica
etc.
Brahamaputra and Ganga are both Himalayan Rivers.
Despite heavy siltation in their basin and both the rivers being
flood prone, the Ministry of Shipping has started a difficult
task of dredging the navigational channels of these rivers. Sh
Goyal while addressing to the authorities of waterways and the
local press at Guwahati has promised to make these waterways navigational,
whatever be the cost of dredging. He assured that a separate pool
of funds shall be provided for annual dredging.
