IWAI to set up modern Indian Waterways Hub at Haldia: Gadkari

Union Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari today said the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is planning to set up a modern Indian Waterways Hub at Haldia to attract more investment in this region.
Laying the foundation stone of an ROB-cum-Flyover at Ranichak near Haldia to link the port with the national highway, Gadkari said the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) is the main gateway for import and export of cargo destined or originating from Eastern, North Eastern and Northern parts of the country as well as land locked countries like Nepal and Bhutan.
The Kolkata Port Trust is providing approximately 11 hectares land required for the ROB-cum-Flyover project along with the cost of utility shifting, resettlement, if any, the Minister said.

"Besides this, the KoPT is also sharing the cost of the project as part of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of the Joint Venture project with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)," Chief General Manager and Officer for West Bengal, NHAI, Ashutosh Gautam told PTI.
"The project will not only improve traffic flow in the surrounding areas, but in turn will attract more industries and develop Haldia as a whole," Gautam said.
The Rs 240-crore project would start in February this year and will be completed by August, 2018, he said, adding that a large number of national and international industries, both auxiliary and ancillary in and around Haldia, would be benefited by this project.

The Union Minister also visited the entire operational area under Haldia Dock Complex and reviewed its activities in an interaction with senior officials.