Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today called for introduction of inland water transport in the state's water bodies, including river Jhelum, to boost tourism and also provide an alternate connectivity module to the people.
"Jhelum being the nerve centre of the valley's socio cultural ethos, movement of people and freight through the river would re-create the good old days for which the place is known for in the history.
This will give a consequential boost to the tourism of the state," she said while interacting with a visiting team of the Inland Waterways Authority of India led by its chairperson Nutan Guha Biswas here.
Mehbooba asked for connecting Anantnag-Baramulla stretch as a first step for introducing water transport in the river, an official spokesman said.
He said the chief minister also asked for linking the dredging of major irrigation canals with this waterway network and also think of using this network for cargo movement at a large scale in the future.
Mehbooba asked for covering Salal Dam, Sindh and Chenab rivers under the inland water transport and also asked for reviving the old navigational channels in Wullar Lake to make it an attraction for water transport, thereby boosting tourism in the area, the spokesman said.
He said Biswas informed the chief minister that all steps would be taken by her organisation to make Jhelum, Ravi, Tawi, Sindh and other rivers navigable.
She said these rivers would be made navigable on the pattern of canals of Kerala by improving the permanent jetties on the Jhelum river and also by introducing the new concept of floating jetties.
Biswas also informed Mehbooba that a consultant for the purpose is being appointed by her organisation shortly after which the process of formulation of a detailed project report and start of work would be initiated.
She said during her visit to Kashmir she would be holding discussions with the concerned deputy commissioners and also travelling herself through Jhelum river.
On the occasion, Biswas presented a copy of feasibility report for inland water transport in river Jhelum to the chief minister, the spokesman said.
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