Two major rivers of the Indian state of Tripura would be linked with Bangladesh’s Meghna River in order to create three waterways between Bangladesh and the landlocked state.
The Indian central Ministry of Water Transport and Shipping has asked the state government to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) to connect state’s two major rivers – Howrah and Gomati – with Meghna, news agency PTI quoted the state’s Transport Secretary Samarjit Bhowmik.
“Transport department has already engaged a consultancy agency to prepare a DPR for the project, which is likely to be available within a short period and then we would place the budget for the project,” Bhowmick said.
In 2013, the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (Rites) had conducted a survey for the new waterways and submitted the report to the ministry suggesting dredging of the two rivers and a required fund of Rs47cr for developing three waterways.
Meanwhile, another (DPR) for construction of a 250ft-long bridge on River Feni has been finalised to connect Sabroom, a subdivisional town in South Tripura district with Ramhar of Chittagong division and the government of India has sanctioned Rs91cr for the project.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Dhaka on June 6 had laid the foundation stone of the bridge through video conferencing in presence of his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
India will construct the bridge to get access to the Chittagong international sea port in Bangladesh and the neighbouring country has agreed to allow India to use the Chittagong port, about 75km from Sabroom.