Inland water transport projects: Transport Min eyes quick implementation

Kolkata: In the context of projects relating to inland water transportation, state Transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty urged the consultants involved in studies to make the river route financially viable and passenger services more efficient to speed up their work so that implementation can be done at the earliest.

The minister recently chaired a review meeting of World Bank projects. The ongoing studies involve institutional strengthening and business aspects that will strengthen inland water transport in the state.

The integrated strategic development plan and comprehensive mobility plan will suggest new passenger amenities and financial viability and integration of different modes of transport to keep the jetties well connected, including in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area.

Such studies are parameters of the ‘Inland Water Transport and Modal Integration of Transport and Urban Upgradation’

project taken up by the state government.

The total cost of the project is Rs 1,021 crore out of which the World Bank Loan is around Rs 700 crore.

Under this project, the Transport department will be setting up 44 jetties and developing about 500 metres of area surrounding these. “As many as 29 jetties are completed but their ancillary development is stuck as the agency engaged in the study has not submitted DPR for building infrastructure like washroom, waiting space and illumination of the road leading to the same from the main thoroughfare etc. I have urged the agencies to speed up work,” Chakraborty added. The department is ensuring that the agencies engaged for the studies come up with practical and feasible recommendations. “They will have to propose the DPR and prepare the tender document and assist in the final tender selection .

We saw on earlier occasions that agencies come up with bogus and impractical suggestions,” a Transport department official said.