AGARTALA:
The government of Tripura, on February 15, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWTI) and Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) for maintenance and development of inland waterways terminal near Srimantapur in Tripura’s Sepahijala district.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, and Transport minister Pranajit Sinha Roy.
Speaking on the sidelines of the agreement, Sonowal said that the project aims to develop the inland water way system for transportation and other commercial purposes, which will go a long way in developing the state’s infrastructure.
“IWTI, the Tripura government, and LPAI has signed an MoU in which 10 jetties will be constructed on the river Gomati. An allocation of Rs 25 crore has been sanctioned for the ambitious project that will facilitate the movement of passenger vessels, cargo vessels, and river cruises. Apart from these, hydraulic surveys would also be conducted in other rivers to assess the feasibility of introducing waterway facilities in the state,” said the Union Minister, adding that the project will also boost trade between India and Bangladesh.
In addition to the MoU, Sonowal, who also holds the AYUSH ministry, said that 50 health and wellness centres, including a 50-bed integrated AYUSH hospital, would also be opened in Tripura.
Giving details about the MoU, chief minister Deb said, “On a 40 km stretch in River Gomati – starting from Sonamura in Sepahijala district to Udaipur of Gomati District – 10 jetties will be set up. Apart from that, the Centra government has also agreed to release money for dredging another 40 km route out of the total 90 km that connects Sonamura with Daudkandi in Bangladesh.”