Varanasi: The plan for trade through waterways with Bangladesh through Prayagraj-Haldia National Waterway-I across the Ganga, Bhagirathi and Hooghly river systems moved another step ahead as a team of experts from Dhaka visited the riverport of Inland Waterways Authority of India at Ramnagar on Sunday to study the feasibility of using waterway for goods transportation.
IWAI deputy director (Varanasi) Rakesh Kumar told TOI on Monday, “A seven-member team from Bangladesh came here on Sunday and visited the riverport at Ramnagar to study whether it can be used as ‘port of call’ (an intermediate port where ships customarily stop for supplies, repairs, or trans-shipment of cargo) for shipping purposes by them. They saw all facilities available here and returned.”
IWAI officials accorded a warm welcome to the team of officials from shipping and commerce ministries of Bangladesh, engineers of waterways and shipping companies, including Momenul Haq, Solim Hussain, Mohd Rafikul Islam, Rajadur Rehman, Rakibul Alam and Bashir Ahmed. The team will submit a report to their government after which a decision will be taken.
The team had earlier visited Sahibganj, which was also included in the project of developing fairway, multi-modal terminal, strengthening of river navigation system, modern River Information System, Digital Global Positioning System, night navigation facilities, modern methods of channel marking and construction of state-of-art navigational lock at Farakka.
“So far, ships from Bangladesh come up to Kolkata only. If both governments give consent, this riverport will be opened with all facilities, including customs clearance,” Kumar said.
The Varanasi riverport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12, 2018. Its foundation was laid in August 2016 with cargo handling facility, berthing space for two vessels, storage area, transit shed, parking areas, and a floating jetty for passenger transportation.
Officials said process of purchasing 34 hectare land for second phase of riverport development work, including laying of a railway track up to Jivnathpur, road connectivity to highways, godowns, and open areas is in final phase.