PM Narendra Modi dedicates first multi modal terminal port in Varanasi

Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation an inland multi modal terminal port on river Ganga here at Ramnagar in his parliamentary constituency on Monday and flagged off the inaugural run of the inland waterways between Varanasi and Haldia.

The PM inaugurated the first multi-modal waterways terminal on the Ganga river as part of the Centre’s Jal Marg Vikas Project which aims to develop the stretch of the river between Varanasi and Haldia, over 1300 kilometers for navigation of large vessels weighing up to 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes.

Mr Modi also received India`s first container vessel that sailed from Kolkata, carrying cargo of PEPSICO (India).
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) vessel, MV Rabindranath Tagore is transporting 16 containers and it will make its return journey with fertilisers from IFFCO.

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, who was present there, described the PM how the inland waterways will work through models at an exhibition in presence of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and UP BJP president and Chandauli MP Mahendra Nath Pandey. The PM also went through the terminal and inspected the facilities there.

The PM also pushed a button of a hi-tech crane brought from Germany to start unloading of cargo from the ship and later flagged off the inland waterways service.

Mr Modi also took time to pray to Ganga after taking out his shoes and waved to the people standing far away from the spot on the banks of the river.

Earlier the IAF chopper of the PM and other dignitaries landed directly on the jetty of the terminal.
Mr Gadkari, who was present there, described the PM how the inland waterways will work through models at an exhibition in presence of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and UP BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey. The PM also went through the terminal and inspected the facilities there.

The PM also pushed a button to start unloading of cargo from the ship and later flagged off the inland waterways service.

Earlier the IAF chopper of the PM and other dignitaries landed directly on the jetty of the terminal.
The multi-modal terminals aim to develop the stretch of River Ganga between Varanasi to Haldia for navigation of large vessels up to 1500-2000 tonnes weight, with an objective to promote inland waterways as a cheaper and more environment-friendly means of transport.

The estimated cost of this project is Rs 5,369.18 crore on a 50:50 sharing basis between the Indian government and the World Bank. Apart from this, he will also receive India’s First Container Cargo being transported on an Inland Waterway.

The objective of the project is to promote inland waterways as a cheap and environment-friendly means of transportation, especially for cargo movement. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the project implementing agency.

National Waterway-1 (Haldia-Varanasi stretch) is being developed with technical assistance and investment support from the World Bank. The total estimated cost of the project is Rs. 5,369.18 crore, which will be shared between the Government of India and the World Bank on a 50:50 ratio.

The project entails construction of three multi-modal terminals (Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia), two inter-modal terminals, five roll-on-roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminal pairs, new navigation lock at Farakka, assured depth dredging, integrated vessel repair and maintenance facility, differential global positioning system (DGPS), river information system (RIS), river training and other things.