India would connect 101 Rivers through inland waterways, including Ganges and Brahmaputra, after passing a landmark legislation in the parliament this session.
Union Road transport and highways, Nitin Jairam Gadkari today said the legislation would be placed in the Parliament which would transform the inland waterways system in the country like never before.
Gadkari announced the move after dedicating two vital highways to the north east region at a function at Umroi, some 25 km from the State Capital.
In his announcement Gadkari said that in China the inland waterways transportation makes up to 47 percent of the total transport available and in European countries the same is 44 percent.
Sadly, he said, the inland waterways transportation in Indian is just 3 percent. “We would ask the State Governments to have a stake of 26 percent in development of the waterways in the new Bill that would be placed in the Parliament… the rest the centre would bear the cost,” the Minster said.
Under the new Bill Assam would be one of the biggest beneficiaries as Brahmaputra, Ganges and three other major Rivers across the country would be developed in building infrastructure that would give a hand in enhancing communication in the landlocked region.
Gadkari said that out of the three modes of transport (road, railways and waterways, developing waterways is the top priority of the BJP-led NDA Government. “Developing waterways is the top priority of the Government,” he said.
He further added that in Guwahati a National Highway Road Development Corporation would be established after stating that developing communication network is his Government’s top priority as the region has been historically cut off from the rest of the Nation.
The Minster further announced that local contractors would be given priority in terms of funds and technical support in building road networks in the region and then up road projects.
Moreover, the Union Minister said that a whooping Rs 15,000 crore would be invested in the region to develop communication network by the Government. The Government has also decided to build roads using cement instead of Bitumen, the Minster said.
Meanwhile, Gadkari dedicated the Shillong Bypass (NH-6) and the Umiam-Jorabat four-lane highway to the Nation. The 47 km-long Umiam-Jorabat four lane highways connects NH-40 and NH-44 that leads to Mizoram and Tripura, bypassing the Shillong.
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