Country’s first Multi-Modal Terminals is all set to be dedicated by Prime Minister Narendra at his Varanasi Parliamentary constituency on Monday. This is the first of the three Multi-Modal Terminals and two Inter-Modal Terminals being constructed on the Ganga river. Modi is also scheduled to receive India’s first container vessel name MV Rabindranath Tagore that has sailed from Kolkata on October 30, 2018, carrying cargo to Varanasi. Container movement on an inland waterway in India is being done for the first time post-independence.
The MMTs are being built as part of the Government’s Jal Marg Vikas project that aims to develop the stretch of River Ganga between Varanasi to Haldi for navigation of large vessels upto1,500-2,000 tonnes weight, by maintaining a drought of 2-3 metres in this stretch of the river and setting up other systems required for safe navigation.
The project of multi-modal terminal and proposed Freight Village at Varanasi are expected to generate 500 direct employment and more than 2,000 indirect employment opportunities.
The objective is to promote inland waterways as a cheaper and more environment friendly means of transport, especially for cargo movement. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the project Implementing Agency
The JMVP is being implemented on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of National Waterway-1 (NW-1) with the technical assistance and investment support of the World Bank, at an estimated cost of `5,369.18 crores ($800 million, of which $375 is IBRD loan) on a 50:50 sharing basis between Government of India and the World Bank.
The project entails construction of 3 multimodal terminals (Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia); 2 intermodal terminals; 5 Roll On — Roll Off (Ro-Ro) terminal pairs; new navigation lock at Farakka; assured depth dredging; integrated vessel repair & maintenance facility, Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), River Information System (RIS), river training & river conservancy works.
In a separate event the same day, Prime Minister will also inaugurate two National Highways projects — the Babatpur-Varanasi Airport road and Varanasi Ring Road. In addition to this, he will also inaugurate some sewerage projects in the city and lay foundation stone for a project under Namami Gange programme of National Mission for Clean Ganga.