Paradip and Dhamra ports plan to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the Jokadia-to-Paradip and Dhamra stretch of the Kharsua River for inland trade. The 201 km stretch is part of the National Waterway (NW)-5.
The plan is to expand the entire waterway in the long term, only a part of the project is currently being taken up. As per the agreement, the state government will provide the required land to make the river water navigable for ships and for construction of terminals. A depth of 2.5-3 m has to be maintained in order to facilitate the movement of ships.
Coal from Talcher to Dhamra and Paradip ports is the most important potential cargo for the waterway. According to a detailed project report by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), about 11 million tonne (mt) of cargo can be transported annually once the stretch is developed.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.