Sonowal Inaugurates IWT Terminal & Jetties in Bihar

New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday inaugurated the Kalughat Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminal and two community jetties in Bihar and said the projects will usher in all-round economic prosperity to the riverine community of of the state, according to an official statement.

The IWT terminal constructed at Rs 82.48 crore will enhance capacity of 77,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually, it added.

Kalughat, strategically located on the north bank of the River Ganga in Bihar's Saran District, emerges as a vital nexus in the region's transportation network.

The terminal will have direct road connectivity with NH-19 and is at a critical location for the transportation of cargo originating or destined for the hinterland of North Bihar, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said in the statement.

As a part of the Jal Marg Vikas Project, IWAI initiated the development of the IWT ecosystem for NW-1 through the construction of Multimodal Terminals (MMTs) and Intermodal Terminals (IMTs) for cargo handling.

As part of the comprehensive Maritime India Vision (MIV)-2030, the government has outlined ambitious plans to elevate the share of Inland Water Transport (IWT) to 5 per cent.

The Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 aims to operationalise 50 waterways by 2047, facilitating efficient transportation networks nationwide.