India is eager to establish new waterways with Bangladesh for easy transportation of goods from Kolkata to its other mainland cities in north-eastern states.
According to a study by the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES), new waterways between the two countries will be possible by connecting two rivers of Tripura with as many rivers of Bangladesh.
RITES has submitted Detail Project Report (DPR) after conducting feasibility study to create new inland water transport between the Gomati and the Howrah rivers in the state with the Meghna and the Titas rivers of Bangladesh, Kishore Ambuly, secretary of transport department of Tripura government, said in Agartala yesterday.
"The rivers will have navigation facilities for smooth movement of barges," he said.
A senior official of Bangladesh foreign ministry told The Daily Star that India has long been asking for facilities of waterways in Bangladesh, its Ashuganj river port and road from Ashuganj to Agartala for easy transportation of goods to north-eastern states.
At the request of Bangladesh government, India is also conducting a feasibility study to turn Ashuganj into a complete river port, apparently to allow transit to India from Kolkata to Ashuganj through waterways and another 48-km road from Ashuganj to Agartala, he said.
The official also said over dimensional cargoes (ODCs), heavy turbines and other machines for 726-MW gas-based thermal power project at Palatana was transported to Tripura through waterways and roads of Bangladesh.
As a show of good gesture, Bangladesh government allowed transportation of ODCs free of cost, he added.
According to Indian TV channel CNN IBN, the North Eastern Council had provided funds for preparing the DPR for development of waterways in north-eastern part of the country.
The project report would be submitted to the union ministry of shipping and other ministries concerned to formally initiate the process to open new waterways between the two neighbours.
The state government had submitted a proposal to the central government for declaring the Gomti as a national waterway keeping in view the potential of linkage with inland waterways of Bangladesh, said Kishore Ambuly.
The Indian and Bangladeshi waterways connect West Bengal and Assam and the Inland Waterways Authority of India and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority are operating vessels on these routes, official sources said.
Bangladesh and India share 2,979km of land border and 1,116km of riverine boundary and also share 54 rivers, including eight rivers flowing from Tripura.