India, Bangladesh to start cruise services; Kolaghat & Chilmari new Ports of Call

Kolkata: India and Bangladesh have agreed to consider inclusion of Rupnarayan river (National Waterway-86) from Geonkhali to Kolaghat in Bengal in the protocol route and to declare Kolaghat as new Port of Call. The development came on Wednesday at the 19th edition of the Standing Committee meeting under 'Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade' (PIWTT) in New Delhi.

Chilmari has been agreed to as a Port of Call in Bangladesh. The new arrangement will facilitate movement of flyash, cement, construction materials and the likes from India to Bangladesh through Inland Water Transportation (IWT) on Rupnarayan river.

Both sides agreed to declare Badarpur on river Barak (NW-16) as an extended Port of Call of Karimganj in Assam and Ghorasal of Ashuganj in Bangladesh on reciprocal basis.

The Indian side proposed for extension of the protocol routes from Kolkata up to Silchar in Assam.

In another critical understanding reached between the two countries, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for movement of passengers and cruise vessels on Inland Protocol route and coastal shipping routes have been finalised. These river cruise services are likely to commence between Kolkata – Dhaka and Guwahati – Jorhat and back.

It was also agreed that a Joint Technical Committee will explore the technical feasibility of operationalisation of Dhulian-Rajshahi protocol route up to Aricha and the reconstruction and opening up of Jangipur navigational lock on river Bhagirathi subject to the provisions of the treaty between India and Bangladesh on sharing of Ganga Waters at Farakka,1996. This move has the potential to reduce the distance to Assam by more than 450 kms on the protocol routes.

The meeting was attended by high level delegations from both sides including representatives of Ministries of Shipping, External Affairs, Home, Finance, Department of Development of North-Eastern Region (DONER) and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and officials from Bangladesh belonging to Ministry of Shipping, Board of Revenue, DG (Shipping) and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA). The discussions ranged over various issues pertaining to the Protocol arrangements and improvement of inland water transportation (IWT) between the two countries.

The two sides will hold Shipping Secretary level talks on October 25 in New Delhi.