Tripura to hold trial of waterway connectivity this monsoon

If everything goes as per the plan, movement of small vessels would soon be seen in the recently approved protocol route of Sonamura- Daudkandi (93km) stretch of the Gomati river in Tripura.

A temporary jetty would be installed at Sonamura within next three or four months, said Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb while extending his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina to get the Protocol Route approved amid COVID19 situation.

Speaking to media on Friday, the Chief Minister said that he had discussion with Sanjeev Ranjan, secretary to the Ministry of Shipping, on the issue of setting up of temporary jetty.

“The Secretary to Ministry of Shipping has assured me that the temporary jetty will be installed within next three and half months in the spot which we decided earlier. Besides, all arrangements will be made for movement of small vessels during this rainy spell. Construction of permanent jetty takes around two years or more,” the Chief Minister told the Media.

“Testing will be done in the ongoing rainy spell itself while dredging of the river will be carried out in the next winter season when the water level will come down. As per the initial report, there are 23 bridges which may create obstruction for movement of vessels if the water level rises. But, dredging of the river will solve such problems,” he said.

Also read: Tripura: 10 more corona positive, state tally reaches 90 active cases

Meanwhile, the 2nd addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade was signed at Dhaka on May 20 last by Riva Ganguly Das, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh and Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, Secretary to Ministry of Shipping, Republic of Bangladesh.

The waterway will improve the connectivity of Tripura and adjoining states with Bangladesh’s economic centres and will help the hinterland of both the countries to a great extent and also boost the bilateral trade between both the countries.

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