Waterways cargo service from Assam inaugurated

GUWAHATI, NOV. 24. The waterways cargo service from Assam to Kolkata through the international steamer route via Bangladesh commenced today with the inauguration of the `mv Rajagopalachari,' a state-of-the-art cargo vessel.

The Inland Water Authority of India chairman, Mr. B. N. Jha, flagged off the cargo vessel at Pandu port on its maiden voyage in the national waterway-2 (river Brahmaputra) carrying a full load of 550 tonnes of Assam tea.

Mr. Jha said the vessel, designed and built in Holland, had been put into service to establish the huge unexplored potential of an alternative mode of transport suitable for the N-E region.

Tea was being carried at a very economical rate of Rs. 567 per tonne against the market rate of Rs. 1000 for the same weight by other means of transport.

The IWAI was making efforts to establish the NW-2 as a viable alternative mode of transport and accompanying infrastructure facilities were being provided to operators free of charge.

`mv Rajagopalachari' recently made a trial run from Kolkata to Pandu through the Sunderbans and Bangladesh covering a distance of 1430 km.

- PTI

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Section  : National
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