BackPM Modi to inaugurate Ro-Pax water transport facility in Assam: 10 points
The inauguration is part of the launch of Mahabahu-BrahmaputraThe programme will also include laying the foundation stone of Dhubri Phulbari bridge and perform Bhumi Pujan for construction of Majuli bridge
Premiumpm In order to improve connectivity and water transportation in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a series of infrastructure projects in the state on Thursday, including the Ro-Pax vessel operations between Neamati-Majuli Island, North Guwahati-South Guwahati and Dhubri-Hatsingimari.
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The inauguration is part of the launch of Mahabahu-Brahmaputra. The programme will also include laying the foundation stone of Dhubri Phulbari bridge and perform Bhumi Pujan for construction of Majuli bridge.
Here are the key things to know about Ro-Pax inauguration
What is Ro-Pax: The Ministry of Shipping has launched a roll on-roll off cum passenger ferry service called Ro-Pax. It is a water transport service project.
Reduced distance: The Ro-Pax operation between Neamati and Majuli will reduce the total distance of 420 km that is currently being travelled by vehicles to only 12 km, resulting in a substantial impact on the logistics of small-scale industries of the region.
Travel time: The Ro-Pax ferry services cut travel time by providing connectivity between banks.
Pax vessels: Vessels namely, MV Rani Gaidinliu and MV Sachin Dev Burman, shall become operational.
Introduction of Ro-Pax vessel MV JFR Jacob between North and South Guwahati will reduce travelling distance of around 40 Km to a mere 3 Km. Introduction of MV Bob Khathing between Dhubri and Hatsingimari will reduce travelling distance of 220 Km to 28 Km, thus resulting in a huge saving of travel distance and time.
Mumbai-Mandwa Ro-Pax: A Ro-Pax between Mumbai and Mandwa near Alibaug was launched in March 2020.
Why Mahabahu-Brahmaputra: The projects is aimed at providing seamless connectivity to the eastern parts of India and includes various development activities for the people living around Brahmaputra and Barak rivers.
Tourist jetties: The programme also includes inaugurations for the construction of tourist jetties at four locations, Neamati, Biswanath Ghat, Pandu and Jogighopa with the financial assistance of ₹9.41 crores from the Ministry of Tourism
These jetties will promote river cruise tourism, generate local employment and also generate growth for local businesses.
Inland Water Transport Terminal: A a permanent Inland Water Transport Terminal will also be built at Jogighopa under the programme, which will connect with the multi-modal logistics park also coming up there.
This terminal will help in reducing traffic on the Siliguri Corridor towards Kolkata and Haldia.
It will also facilitate the uninterrupted movement of cargo, even during the flood season to various North-Eastern states like Meghalaya and Tripura and to Bhutan and Bangladesh as well, according to the prime minister's office.
Launch of e-portals: PM Modi will launch the Car-D (Cargo Data) portal, which will collate cargo and cruise data on a real-time basis. PANI (Portal for Asset and Navigation Information) will act as a one-stop solution for providing information about river navigation and infrastructure.
Launch of bridges: The PM will lay the foundation stone for the four-lane bridge over the Brahmaputra between Dhubri (on North Bank) and Phulbari (on South Bank). The proposed Bridge will be located on NH-127B, originating from Srirampur on NH-27 (East-West Corridor), and terminating at Nongstoin on NH-106 in the State of Meghalaya. It will connect Dhubri in Assam to Phulbari, Tura, Rongram and Rongjeng in Meghalaya.
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