Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma flagged off four steel catamaran boat vessels at Pandu Port, Guwahati on November 8, 2021, giving a lift to watercourse transport for the town and nearby.
Out of the four vessels, 2 can ply over Brahmaputra River at Majuli and alternative 2 in between Guwahati-North Guwahati and Uzanbazar-Umananda ferry ghats.
The vessels area unit launched below a World Bank-funded project to integrate prime quality ryder and vehicle ferry services into the state’s wider transport network system.
Details and Facilities
These newly launched vessels have the capability of 100 passengers, 52-wheelers, and area units supercharged with 180 HP twin engines which might get in at a speed of 10 knots forward speed.
The vessels area unit was created in a very method that may play even the lower draft of 0.75 m and have advanced instrumentality like management & watching, communication, and navigation, GPS, sonar, wind measuring, lifesaving, and firefighting instrumentality. Along with that, Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma additionally launched an associate e-ticketing system for the Umananda stairs ferry service which can alter tourists to pre-book their tickets, thus, serving within the management of ferry operations.
Sarma said that the civilization and culture of the state are nurtured by the Brahmaputra, Barak, and their tributaries.
However, these rivers flowing through assam are responsible for communication between folks living on each bank.
Thus, the extra that government efforts area unit thus afoot to rejuvenate watercourse transportation within the state for the higher property of the folks.
Finance and workings on water Transportation
The Chief Minister of Assam said that the IWT department signed an associate MoU with the globe Bank that has sanctioned an associate quantity of Rs.770 crores for the fulfillment of the state government’s effort for the advance of watercourse transportation.
Out of this quantity, the govt. of India would refund eightieth and also the government would bear the remaining two hundredths, he added.
According to the CM, after the boat accident at Nimatighat, the government took an aggressive approach to form watercourse transportation that is additional hassle-free and secure for the state.
Consequently, steps are ongoing to suit marine engines at 853 boats having single engines within the state.
He even detailed that government steps were taken to contour ferry service post the Nimatighat incident and plans for rider movement between Majui and Jorhat throughout the enduring Raas pageant. Dr. Sarma what is more extra that the government is functioning to rejuvenate watercourse transportation through technological intervention associated with this initiative an earlier e-ticketing system was introduced for Jorhat-Majuli that has vastly helped to form the system clear as since its launch on September twenty-seven, the govt. has earned revenue and these days it’s introduced for Uzanbazar-Umananda ferry ghats for identical.
He is more well-read that shortly e-ticketing system is launched for the Guwahati-North Guwahati ferry service.
The Chief Minister additionally asked the department to introduce identical for all ferry ghats across the state.
Transport Minister ’s Highlight
Assam Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary in his speech highlighted the steps taken by the department for the advance of the landlocked water transport system within the state.
He stated that before the Nimatighat boat tragedy, sixteen boats accustomed to ply between Majuli and Jorhat, and presently government efforts area unit on to extend the amount up to twenty.
He well-read that as of currently, six government vessels and 2 personal ferries are operative at Majuli.
The Transport Minister additionally well-read that the department would procure five Ro-Pax vessels and press ten additional sailing boat vessels into service next year that area unit presently below construction.
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