ShipMin sets up monitoring unit for Rs 4,200 cr Ganga proj

The Shipping Ministry has set up a monitoring unit for its ambitious Rs 4,200 crore Allahabad- Haldia Jal Marg Vikas project on Ganga for commercial navigation as well as cruise tours connecting religious places.
The development follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi recent review of important infrastructure projects.
"Process of establishment of PMU (project monitoring unit) has been completed," Shipping Ministry has said in a communication to the Finance Ministry.
The project includes developing the National Waterways-1 between Allahabad-Varanasi -Buxar-Patna-Haldia, which has several religious places.
The Ministry said a detailed project report for 'Jal Marg Vikas' (National Waterways-I) is under preparation for it to cover a distance of 1,620 km, which will enable commercial navigation of at least 1500 tonne vessels.

"The project will be completed over a period of six years at an estimated cost of Rs 4,200 crore. The implementation of Jal Marg Vikas by 2020 would enable movement of large cruise vessels through the year up to Allahabad," it said.

At present, the cruise ships can ply between Kolkata and Varanasi for about 8 months.
President Pranab Mukherjee in his address had said Inland and Coastal waterways will be developed as major transport routes.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitely while presenting budget had also said that a project on river Ganga will be developed between Allahabad and Haldia to cover a distance of 1620 km, which will enable commercial navigation of at least 1500 tonne vessels.