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Proposed Hybrid electric boat services on river Brahmaputra to become viable mode for intracity transportation

BNE ADMIN


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Guwahati: The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Inland Waterways have suggested hybrid electric boat services on the Brahmaputra in Guwahati and Dibrugarh in order to make inland waters a viable mode of intracity transportation.

In addition, inland water transit for bulk goods to the Northeast states will be authorised.

The ideas were presented during a meeting of the National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) on May 6 in New Delhi, which was led by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Inland Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal.

The government is giving a huge push to RoRo and passenger transportation via waterways since it is an environmentally beneficial answer to mobility while also saving money and time. The government is considering launching high-speed vessels alongside ferries and Ro-pax vessels to provide smooth, integrated transportation services to urban and suburban populations, as well as to alleviate the stress and congestion of everyday commutes.

The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd has purchased 23 hybrid electric boats with a capacity of 100 passengers from Cochin Shipyard Limited. With suggestions from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, IWAI has recommended similar services for five cities throughout the country: Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Varanasi, Kolkata, and Patna.

As a result, state governments have been asked to implement the concept of multi-modal green and cost-effective transportation. The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has suggested distinct plans for providing appropriate financial help during the operating phase in order to promote the use of electric ferries for urban water transport.

Furthermore, IWT is regarded as a useful mechanism for facilitating the transfer of bulk goods in an environmentally acceptable and cost-effective manner.

Earlier this year, IWAI successfully piloted the transport of 200 tonnes of food grains between Patna and Guwahati, as well as 2000 tonnes of steel between Haldia and Guwahati, across the Ganga, Hooghly, Meghna, and Brahmaputra rivers in India and Bangladesh. The potential of waterways has been emphasized across international waters as a result of this initiative. "This strategy may be reproduced and scaled up for additional bulk commodities, such as coal, LPG, and fertiliser containers, and integrated with coastal shipping." "Reduced distance and congestion-free transportation can help the Northeast states," according to a ministry statement.

BNE ADMIN