By Chanchal Mukherjee
New Delhi: In a bid to promote tourism and regional economic growth, the Urban Water Transport System will connect the mainland and adjoining areas through waterways and integrate the system with other modes of transport.
This move will employ non-polluting and sustainable measures through energy-efficient electric ferries and modernised terminals and ensure seamless multimodal connectivity.
As per the Ministry, the Inland Waterways Authority of India Board has decided to carry out a feasibility study for developing urban water transport systems in various cities. The aim is to develop potential tourism destinations and to encourage and promote the cruise industry as well as domestic cruise travel on rivers.
Talking about the issue, an expert, Santosh Kumar Shrivastava, told ETV Bharat, “Water transport is already operational in Kanpur, and feasibility is being surveyed at various places because before introducing a water transport system, several elements have to be checked, mainly the water level.”
Expressing similar views, Dr Anil Gupta, an expert and member of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, told ETV Bharat, “Water transport always helps to boost tourism as it provides low-cost transport compared to other modes of transport. Before starting water transport, a survey has to be conducted for checking water flow and depth for the possibility of the service.”
According to the ministry, IWAI recently decided to carry out a feasibility study for developing the Urban Water Transport System in various cities to explore water metro in full or part in 17 cities across 12 states. The move will provide a sustainable urban transport system by utilising existing navigable waterways.
The 17 cities identified by IWAI are Ayodhya, Dhubri, Goa, Guwahati, Kollam, Kolkata, Prayagraj, Patna, Srinagar, Varanasi, Mumbai, Vasai, Mangalore, Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad, Alleppey, Lakshadweep, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, where inter-island ferry services could transform connectivity.
The government is planning to connect the mainland and adjoining areas through waterways and integrate the system with other modes of transport.
In line with Harit Nauka guidelines, the authority has taken multiple green initiatives, which include the procurement of electric catamarans for passenger ferries. Two such catamarans have been deployed one each at Varanasi and Ayodhya.
