New waterways between India and Bangladesh can be achieved by connecting two of the rivers of Tripura with as many rivers of Bangladesh, according to a study by the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES).
RITES has submitted the Detail Project Report (DPR) after conducting a feasibility study for creating new inland water transport between the Ghumti and the Howrah rivers in Tripura with Bangladesh’s Meghna and the Titas rivers, reports IBN-Live on Sunday quoting Kishore Ambuly, secretary of Indian Transport Department.
"The rivers will have navigation facilities for the smooth movement of barges," Ambuly said.
The North Eastern Council (NEC), the nodal agency for the economic and social development of the seven states of the North Eastern region in India, had provided funds for preparing the DPR for the development of waterways in that part of the country, Ambuly confirmed.
He also said the project report would be submitted to the union ministry of shipping, and other concerned ministries, to formally initiate the process to open new waterways between the two neighbouring countries.
RITES had conducted a preliminary feasibility study early this year.
The state government had submitted a proposal to the central government for declaring the Gomti River as a national waterway keeping in view the potential of linkage with the inland waterways of Bangladesh, he said.
Indian and Bangladeshi waterways connect West Bengal and Assam and the inland waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Bangladesh Inland water Transport Authority (BIWTA) are operating vessels on these routes, official sources said. The two neighbours share 2,979km of land border and 1,116km of riverine boundary and also share 54 rivers, including eight rivers flowing from Tripura.
India has long been pressing to use Bangladeshi waterways and ports, especially for the easier transport of Indian goods from Kolkata and other mainland cities to northeastern states through the country, official sources said.
Oversized heavy turbines and other heavy machines for 726MW gas-based thermal power project at Palatana in Gomati district was transported to Tripura by using the waterways and roads of Bangladesh.
