Govt’s ‘Year of Inland Waterways’ to usher in a major makeover

The West Bengal Government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to revamp the inland waterways transport system.

To give a thrust to the project, the State Government has designated financial year 2016-17 as the Year of Inland Waterways. Rs 561 crore has been allotted to the Transport Department for the revamp.

Tourist spots on both banks of the Hooghly River are to be developed to make them more tourist-friendly. Places like Dakshineswar Temple, Ramakrishna Mission in Belur, the 108 Shiva temples in Bardhaman district and the ISKCON headquarters in Mayapur are a part of this project. 

The State Government is aiming to gradually develop a major riverine tourism infrastructure.

Inland ports and jetties are going to be developed in many places. 

Renovation of 23 jetties within the Kolkata metropolitan area, construction of 76 jetties, and three for the big RORO vessels, and building of 186 vessels, including both wooden and steel, are going to be taken up by the Transport Department.

Inland ports are going to be constructed on both banks of the Anjana River in Nadia district.

Jetties are going to be constructed on both banks of the Hooghly River – in Nasratpur, Maltipur, Nibhuje, Kunti, Shaktipur, Pultala, Milangarh, Rukeshpur, Triveni and Dunlop on the western bank, and in Kishoriganj Manmohanpur, Udayganj, Koldanga, Char Jatra Siddhi, Motiganj Borough Bazaar, Tarapur-Ranaghat, Gaurnagar, Sanyal Char, Majher Char and Bichulighat on the eastern bank.

Ghats in Chunchura, Chandannagar, Sheoraphuli, Serampore, Rishra, Knnnagar, Belur, Bandhaghat, Golabari Ghat, Howrah, Naihati, Jagaddal, Manirampur, Panihati, Ariadaha, Kuthighat, Jagannath Ghat, Fairlie, Babughat, Akra and Budge Budge are going to be modernised.

Already quite a few new water vessels have been deployed by the State Government to transport people along the rivers.