Rs 90 crore scheme to make inland water transport more safe and secure: CM

The Assam government has adopted a Rs 90 crore scheme to make the state's inland water transport (IWT) system more safe and secure for passengers, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.

Sarma, who flagged off five vessels under the World Bank funded 'Assam IWT Project' here to augment ferry services for the convenience of the people, said the scheme will include converting 853 single engine boats plying on the Brahmaputra to marine engine boats.

Three of the vessels are steel catamarans - MV Lohit which will ply between Nimatighat in Jorhat and Kamalabari, MV Sonai from Guwahati to Kuruwa and MV Pratima as Dhubri ferry service. The three vessels are powered with 180 HP twin engines and have advanced equipment such as control and monitoring, communication and navigation, GPS, echo sounder, wind measurement, life saving and fire fighting equipment, officials said.

The other two vessels will be deployed to enforce the rules and regulations issued recently to improve ferry service and passenger safety and to monitor movement of vessels in the Brahmaputra, they said.

Sarma said MV Lohit will leave for Nimatighat on Friday and the additional two vessels that have already left Guwahati for Nimatighat are expected to reach there during the day.

Currently two Ro-Pax vessels are in operation between Nimatighat and Majuli and once the new vessels start plying, passenger ferry service between Jorhat and Majuli would significantly improve, he said.

The state government has also decided to procure five Ro-Pax vessels which will be pressed into service at Majuli, Dhubri and north Guwahati to ease passenger movement, he added.

Sarma said training is being imparted to boat owners and crew members about safety measures for the plying of boats. Fitness test of the boats are also being conducted.