Set to create a joint venture (JV) for speedy implementation of the proposed National Waterways-5, the Inland Waterway Authority of India (IWAI) and the Odisha Government on Saturday decided on a trial run on the water route within next three months.
“We have been making all preparations to go for a trial run on the ‘National Waterways-5’ in three months. The State Government has agreed to provide all support for the smooth trial run on this route,” IWAI Chief Engineer S Dandpat said after a meeting with State Government officials. A senior official in the Directorate of Ports here said a joint venture is to be signed among the State-run Idco, the IWAI, the Paradip Port Trust and the Dhamra Port Company limited.
The JV would ensure that the proposed waterway project, incurring an investment of Rs 2,000 crore, would be completed within three months’ time, he said.
Stating that first phase of National Waterways-5 would connect Pankpal-Jokadia to Dhamra and Paradip covering about 200-km stretch, Dandpat said the State Government has agreed to maintain at least 150 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water in the Mahanadi and other rivers for smooth running of vessels.
Dandpat said that once the trial run was successful, the Waterways-5 would make coal transport possible from Talcher, industrial products from Kalinga Nagar and minerals from the Sukinda mines area.
Earlier, the State Government in June this year had signed an MoU with the IWAI and the Paradip and Dhamra Ports for implementation of the proposed waterways. The IWAI is the nodal agency to implement such projects across India. The total length of NW-5 is 588 km that comprises 91 km inside West Bengal.