Bhubaneswar: The Centre has found six national waterways projects feasible for cargo and passenger movement as well as promotion of cruise tourism in Odisha.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Union Minister of ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal said that based on the Techno-Economic Feasibility Study and Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the National Waterways, six national waterways in Odisha have been found feasible for cargo and passenger movement after consultation with the Odisha government.
The National Waterway-5 has been found viable for the development of infrastructure for evacuating coal through Talcher coalfields and providing connectivity to Pankapal Industrial area with the Dhamra and Paradip ports with an annual cargo carrying capacity of 30 MMTPA, the Sonowal said.
“There will be a provision of floating jetty along with navigational aids for promoting river cruise tourism across Bhitarkanika forest in the proposed National Waterway-14 in Baitarni River. The National Waterways-22 over Birupa-BadiGenguti-Brahmani River System has been found to be technically and economically viable. The national waterway will have the necessary infrastructure like floating jetties at each site, fairway and navigational aids to promote river cruise tourism connecting the ‘Diamond Triangle’ of the “Ratnagiri-Udayagiri-Lalitgiri” Buddhist monastery circuit.
The minister said that the National Waterway-23 over Buddhabalanga River system will be equipped with the required infrastructure such as floating jetties at two locations along with navigational aids to promote river cruise tourism from hidden beach (Chandipur) to Balasore city.
In addition, the National Waterway-64 over Mahanadi River will maintain the fairway to Class-VII standard (carrying capacity of 2000 DWT vessels) and provisioning of navigational aids along with passenger jetties for Bahakud-Musadia ferry service. Besides, the National Waterway-96 over Subarnarekha River will have necessary infrastructure such as floating jetties at three locations along with navigational aids to promote river cruise tourism from Pantei Ghatto Bichitrapur Mangroves and the Husandeswara Temple and adjoining Digha Sea Beach. Furthermore, the Inland Waterways Authority of India has initiated action for setting up a fixed jetty on behalf of IFFCO on Mahanadi River (National Waterway-64), the Minister further stated.
