post news network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 17: The trial run of the much-hyped National Waterway-5 (NW-5) being developed by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on the Brahmani-Mahanadi delta system along with the East Coast Canal has finally started.
IWAI deputy project director Abhinas Raul said Sunday that the trail run would be conducted initially from Dhamara to Rajnagar. A ship, MV Lal Bahadur Shastri, has been brought from West Bengal for the trail run, said sources. The trial run of this much-awaited project had been rescheduled twice earlier due to various reasons.
The trial run would be conducted as part of a technical study to evaluate the river stretches in terms of depth and suitability for different kinds of vessels and cargo payload, among others. It would also be the first major step towards establishment and operation of the much-awaited waterway project, being developed at an investment of `4,200 crore. The waterway is being widely seen as an alternative to the congested rail and road routes.
The container ship that is stuck on the river route near Aul after coming in contact with an electricity wire would mark its journey to Rajnagar after the lines are cleared, said sources. If the electricity wires are not removed, the ship will be sent back, they added.
NW-5 is one of six National Waterways in the country and covers Orissa and East Coast Canal in West Bengal. Once developed, it will cover 623 km through different stretches from Talcher-Dhamra on the Brahmani River – a distance of 265 km including the Kharsua and Dhamra river systems, the Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai River of 40 km, and the Mangalgadi-Paradip stretch of the Mahanadi River Delta running for 101 km, besides the 217-km Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal.
Sources said traffic on NW-5 will consist largely of cargo such as coal, fertiliser, cement, iron ore and agricultural and industrial products that will be handled at four terminals — Talcher, Nasirabd, Balasore and Rajnagar.
An estimated 11 million tonne of cargo can be transported annually though the route, and it can go up to 23 million tonne in the next 15 years, sources said.