PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Inland Multi-Modal Terminal Port in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12, 2018 inaugurated an Inland Multi-Modal Terminal Port on river Ganga at Ramnagar in Varanasi.

Constructed at the cost of Rs 207 crore, this inland waterways terminal is the first of the four Multi-Modal Terminals being constructed on National Waterways-I on River Ganga as part of the World Bank-aided Jal Marg Vikas project of the Inland Waterways Authority of India.

The other three terminals are under construction at Sahibganj, Haldia and Gazipur.

Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP)

• The Jal Marg Vikas Project aims to enable commercial navigation of vessels with the capacity of 1500 - 2000 tons on National Waterway-1.

• The development and operations of the National Waterway-1 project will lead to direct employment generation to the tune of 46000 and indirect employment of 84000 in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal.

• The project includes development of fairway, Multi-Modal Terminals at Varanasi, Haldia and Sahibganj, strong river navigation system, modern River Information System (RIS), Digital Global Positioning System (DGPS), night navigation facilities, construction of a navigational lock at Farakka.

• The National Waterway-1 along with proposed Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor and National Highway-2 constitutes the Eastern Transport Corridor of India connecting the NCR with the eastern and north-eastern states.

• This waterway will function as a link to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and other east and south-east Asian countries through the Kolkata Port and Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.

• The JMVP will result in an environment-friendly, fuel-efficient and cost-effective alternative mode of transportation, especially for bulk goods, hazardous goods and over-dimensional cargo.