India Plans to Start Low Cost Ferry Services

Indian shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said that the government is keen to start the navigation in inland waterways and passenger transportation in the rivers in the North Eastern states of the country.

The public sector company Water and Power Consultancy Services Limited (WAPCOS) is preparing a model Detailed Project Report (DPR) for running low-cost ferry services in the inland waterways in these states.

The Shipping Ministry, in a release, said the model DPR can be adopted for quick implementation by the Inland Waterways Authority of India in consultation with the different state governments in the region.

Mandaviya also said that inland waterways transport can be a game changer for the North Eastern states as land routes here are often long, circuitous and time consuming due to the difficult terrain.

Besides bringing ease of movement, the waterways projects will also help generate employment locally, he said.