Rs 2,000-cr project to be completed in three years
To facilitate cargo movement through inland waterway, the Odisha Government, the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and the Dharma Port Company ltd (DPCl) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) for development of the National Waterway-5.
The MoU was signed between IWAI Chairman Amitabh Verma, State Commerce and Transport Secretary G Mathivathanan, PPT Chairman Sudhansu Sekhara Mishra and Dharma Port CEO Santosh Mohapatra at the State Secretariat here in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The Chief Minister said these organisations would work in tandem to connect and develop a waterway between Talcher, Kalinganagar, Dhamra and Paradip. This would provide water transport facilities to the industrial hubs at these areas.
Stating that the waterway would provide an economical and environment-friendly transport system and help reduce the burden of the existing road and rail network, Patnaik said the State Government would provide land free of cost and all possible assistance to fast-track the project.
The IWAI has taken up steps to develop the project in two phases.
The first phase comprises a stretch of 201 km between Jokadia, Pankapal and Kalinganagar to the Dhamra and Paradip Ports while the second phase consists of a stretch of 131 km between Talcher and Jokadia, Pankapal and Kalinganagar.
The project would be completed within three years at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore. The IWAI would prepare the project proposal within five months from the date of MoU and obtain necessary sanction of the estimated cost of the project with the next three months.
The State Government would develop cargo terminal facilities at Pankapal and Jokadia through a joint venture/special purpose vehicle with the PPT, the DPCl and other stakeholders.
Besides, the PPT and the DPCl would develop suitable terminal facilities in their premises as captive facilities to operate, maintain and manage cargo loading and unloading operations.