Gadkari lays foundation of multi-modal terminal in Varanasi

The Dollar Business Bureau 

Giving a renewed thrust to the government’s waterway-development agenda, Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday laid the foundation stone for a Rs. 211-crore multi-modal terminal in Varanasi. 

"Multimodal hub here will take the state to growth trajectory. This hub with rail, road and waterways connectivity will change the face of UP," Shipping Minister Gadkari said at a function here.

Gadkari said the government will build the phase 1 of the multi-modal terminal at a cost of Rs.211 crore. The project is expected to be ready by August 2018. The Phase-1 of the project covers the Varanasi - Haldia stretch. 

With the new terminal, a part of Rs.4,200-crore Jal Marg Vikas project, the government envisages to facilitate commercial navigation of vessels with 1,500-2,000 DWT tonnage capacity from Varanasi to Haldia. 

“After completion of phase 1, the terminal's cargo handling capacity is estimated to be 1.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The cargo that will be handled includes stone chips, cement, food grains, fertilisers, sugar, etc,” said the minister.

The terminal will be connected via road to the NH-7 and via rail to Jeonathpur railway station. Facilities such as berthing space for two vessels, parking area, storage area, storage areas and transit shed, among others.

Announcing to encourage seaplanes on the river Ganga, Gadkari said, "We are making efforts to encourage seaplanes. A small nation like Maldives has a fleet of 47 sea planes but India despite vast potential has none," the minister said. 

"We are also building two more terminals at Gazipur and Kalughat at a cost of Rs.250 crore besides 20 small terminals at an investment of Rs.500 crore. Ro-Ro crossings are planned at five cities including Varanasi, Patna and Kolkata at Rs 100 crore," he said.

He said the government is planning to operationalise seven-star and five-star cruise services across 10 cities, including Varanasi.

Mumbai-based AFCONS Infrastructure Ltd. has been awarded the contract of phase 1 of the multi-modal terminal at an approximate cost of Rs.170 crore.
The National Waterway-1 (NW-1), as part of the Jal Marg Vikas Project, is being developed with help from the World Bank at an approximate cost of Rs 4,200 crore.