India on cusp of waterways revolution: Nitin Gadkari

The shipping and road transport minister said many firsts in the country were lined up as massive works were underway on projects for turning 11 rivers into waterways besides pilot run of aeroboats on Ganga on January 26.

Launching Container Corporation of India’s (Concor) first-ever container transport through coastal shipping from Kandla to Tuticorin port via Mangalore and Cochin through video conferencing, Gadkari recalled how people used to laugh at his dream of developing waterways and running cargo ships on the river Ganga.

“Now we have paved the way for exports to Bangladesh and Myanmar through Varanasi...If we reduce our logistics cost by just 4 pc then our exports will boost by 25-30 pc...We are one of the fastest growing economies and we have the potential to do it,” Gadkari, who is also the water resources minister, said.

“The share of coastal shipping (in movement of cargo) in China is 24 percent, Germany 11 percent and in USA it is 9 percent but in India it is barely 4.5 to 5 percent....Massive works are underway to develop waterways which many thought was a dream only. Of the 111 rivers to be converted into waterways, projects are underway on 11,” Gadkari said.