Recreational, transportation activities being planned on 4 rivers
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 14: A team of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is visiting Jammu and Kashmir from August 28 to work out the modalities for tapping the network of inland waterways in the State for recreational and transportation activities. In this regard, Chenab, Indus, Jhelum and Ravi rivers have already been declared as National Waterways and notified in the Gazette of India.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Jammu and Kashmir has an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers but the same has remained un-utilized till date. This is notwithstanding the fact that waterways, if properly developed, can serve for the transportation activities as well as recreational centres for the tourists visiting the State.
“Waterways development has been declared as priority sector by the Union Government due to its lower fare cost as compared to rail and road transport and from tourism promotion point of view”, sources said while disclosing that Ministry of Shipping, Government of India has already directed the Inland Waterways Authority of India, which is the only organization in the country entrusted with the task of development and regulation of inland waterways for different purposes, to identify viable waterways in the country for their phased development.
As a part of these directions, the Inland Waterways Authority of India last year declared Chenab, Indus, Jhelum and Ravi as National Waterways and the same were notified in the Gazette of India on March 26, 2016.
“Now, to initiate further steps for development of waterways in Jammu and Kashmir a team of Inland Waterways Authority of India led by its Chairperson Nutan Guha Biswas is visiting State from August 28”, sources said.
On its arrival at Srinagar on August 28, the team will visit River Jhelum from Zero Bridge to Khankahi Mohalla and Zero Bridge to Shadi Pora and then to Wangipora Sumbal.
On August 29, the team will have a detailed meeting with the Chief Secretary, Secretary Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control Department and other officers for finalization of draft feasibility report of River Jhelum. Surveys, studies, feasibility report and formulation of DPR for extended scope for Jhelum, Chenab and Indus Rivers will also be deliberated upon in the meeting.
Before concluding visit on August 30, the team will also visit Chenab River either in Reasi or Akhnoor to identify the stretches for development of waterways for transportation and recreational activities, sources informed.
“The assessment is imperative as at present preparatory work is being undertaken by the Inland Waterways Authority of India so as to categorize the National Waterways for development in phases”, sources said, adding it would be only after detailed assessment of all the aspects that IWAI would be able to decide as to under which category the inland waterways of Jammu and Kashmir will have to be placed for development with the assistance of Government of India.
They disclosed that recently Government of India designated Anantnag to Baramulla as Inland Highway for navigation and Ministry of Shipping and Transport and Ministry of Water Resources have shown renewed interest in the project. “IWAI has completed survey and investigation from Sangam Anantnag to Baniyaru—Wullar entry covering a length of 110 kilometers”, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that State Government has made numerous requests to the Union Government that navigation of Jhelum traditionally through Jetties can be restarted as the same is in the interest of State tourism and commercial purposes.
About the fate of Tulbul Navigation Project, which was suspended in the year 1987 due to certain objections from Government of Pakistan, sources said that due to suspension the cost of the project increased from Rs 46.92 crore to Rs 160 crore.
“If the identified waterways in Jammu and Kashmir are developed as envisioned by the Government of India, people would have one more option for transportation activities. But the major beneficiary would be the tourism sector as this would be the new attraction for both domestic and foreign tourists”, said Commissioner/Secretary to Government, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department Saurabh Bhagat while confirming the visit of IWAI’s team from August 28.
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