Latest news with #NationalWaterway1
News18
10 hours ago
- Business
- News18
Water Metro Coming To Patna? Sonowal Floats Ganga Mobility Plan Ahead Of Bihar Polls
Last Updated: Patna set to join Kochi in launching modern water metro services as part of Ganga transport revival. Water metro services will soon begin in Patna, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced on Monday, stating that the city will become a hub of the inland water transport system on the Ganga. The announcement was made with a few months left for the state's assembly elections. Addressing a consultation meeting here on the development of inland water transport in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, Sonowal said the Modi government was committed to harnessing the full potential of river systems for cargo, tourism and local livelihoods. 'The water metro system will connect both banks of the river and offer a clean, efficient, and modern urban mobility solution for Patna. The National Inland Navigation Institute is being upgraded as a centre of excellence with fresh investment," he said. 'Over the last 11 years, the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi has made India's inland waterways vibrant engines of green growth and connectivity. The National Waterway 1, spanning UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, stands at the heart of this revival. We are committed to harnessing the full potential of our river systems for cargo, tourism and local livelihoods. Bihar, blessed by the sacred Ganga, is poised to emerge as a key inland waterways transport hub," he added. The Centre is working hand-in-hand with all states on NW 1 to make inland water transport a pillar of India's sustainable, multimodal future, Sonowal said, maintaining that rivers are now the lifelines of the country's economy. 'As part of the National Waterway 1, stretching 1,390 km from Varanasi to Haldia, Bihar will see the development of two terminals in Patna, along with the establishment of a vessel repair and manufacturing centre along the Ganga," he said. 'Sixteen community jetties will be constructed across various districts, and Kalu Ghat will be developed into a state-of-the-art waterway centre. A dedicated task force will be formed to explore further possibilities for inland navigation and water-based commerce in 12 districts along the Ganga river in the state," he said. Sonowal said the development of NW 1 will create jobs, boost tourism, and make Bihar a key player in India's economic growth. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is at present conducting 10,000 km of longitudinal surveys per month to assess Least Available Depth (LAD), with coverage set to expand from 11 states in 2024 to 22 states and four Union Territories by 2027, he said. The meeting was attended by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, Bihar's Deputy CMs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, UP's Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh, West Bengal's Waterways and Irrigation Minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia, and IWAI Chairman Vijay Kumar. First Published: June 16, 2025, 23:05 IST
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Patna to be developed as river cruise hub: Minister
1 2 Patna: A ship repair centre will be established in Patna and 16 community jetties will be developed across Bihar, Union ports, shipping and waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced on Monday. He was speaking at the first-ever workshop on national waterways held in Patna. Sonowal said a dedicated task force would be constituted within a month to explore the potential of inland waterways in the state. "A shipbuilding centre will also be set up and water metro projects will be launched in Bihar. Kalu Ghat in Saran will be developed into a state-of-the-art waterways centre," he said. The workshop, organised by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), was attended by representatives from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Union minister Giriraj Singh and Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary were also present, along with stakeholders from the cargo and cruise industries. Highlighting the Centre's commitment to boosting riverine transport, Sonowal said, "New projects will come up in 12 districts situated along the Ganga. A special task force will be formed to identify opportunities for inland waterways." This announcement followed a request by deputy CM Choudhary to introduce a Patna Water Metro service to promote water transport and river tourism. "The earlier govts neglected inland water projects, but the Modi govt has accelerated their development by investing more than Rs 6,000 crore. As a result, the department has recorded a 700% progress so far. By 2029, India will become the third-largest economy in the world and Bihar will play an important role in this journey," Sonowal added. Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary said, "The connectivity and industries in districts along the Ganga will give a new dimension to employment, tourism, and trade in Bihar," he said, adding that the state govt has already allocated land for ship and cruise repair facilities. The deputy CM also demanded the construction of a multimodal terminal in Bhagalpur. He said Bihar has also received PM Modi's support in flood control and development of irrigation facilities. He said the Nitish govt has done so much work on flood control that now there is no severe flood even if 6 lakh cusecs of water come from Nepal. Choudhary called for speedy implementation of the intermodal terminal at Kalu Ghat (Saran), 21 community jetties and a quick pontoon opening mechanism (QPOM) at Ara. He also stressed the need for ship repair facilities in Patna under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) and National Waterway 1 (NW-1), covering the 1,620km stretch of the Ganga from Haldia to Varanasi. He added that two Ro-Pax passenger vessels of the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation had been deployed to explore river tourism opportunities in the state.
