Div Com
reviews plan for operation of Water Transport in River Jhelum
SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 06: In
order to promote tourism and simultaneously ease the stress of traffic on roads
through operation of Inland water transport in River Jhelum, the Divisional
Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri on Friday chaired a meeting
to review the implementation of River Navigation Developmental Project.
Besides, Deputy
Commissioner Srinagar Dr Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat, the meeting was attended
AHS & Project Coordinator (NW-5 & 64) Inland Waterways Authority of
India(IWAI), GOI, officers of SMC, SSCL, Tourism Department, I&FC
Department, Kashmir and representative of Administrative Secretary to Govt.
Transport Department, J&K.
At the outset, Project
Coordinator, IWAI, gave a detailed presentation regarding the proposal of
Development of River Jhelum, Inland Waterway.
He informed that Detailed
Project Report (DPR) study of River Jhelum (NW-49) was completed in February
2020 which recommended development of river cruise tourism in three phases.
He also informed that the
IWAI team inspected Phase-1 stretch (Chhatabal to Pantha Chowk) in August 2024
to explore possibilities of passenger/ tourism activities. He stated that the
project shall be completed with the assistance of central funding.
Addressing, the meeting
Div Com enjoined IWAI for the development of necessary infrastructure including
seventeen points for embarking and de-boarding of passengers, carrying out
dredging of river, installation of Water Level monitoring sensors and modern
weirs.
He also directed
concerned representative for development of major hubs of Inland water
transport.
On the occasion, Div Com
underscored the need for a constitution of institutional framework for the
operation and regulation of water transport.
He directed SSCL and IWAI
to frame the comprehensive proposal for funding besides asking IWAI to share
the draft of the plan with the SSCL.
Meanwhile, the meeting
also discussed various developmental plans of SSCL including provision of Water
Side Infrastructure, Terminal Facilities, Night Navigation Aids, Maintenance of
Navigational Channel, Onshore facilities and operation of vessels.