In news

Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) has accorded administrative approval for sanction of Rs 50.30 crore for developing all-weather ROPAX (Roll-on/Roll-off Passenger)Jetty.

Highlights

• It is allied infrastructure connecting Kaninali in Bhadrak district &Talachua in Kendrapara district, Odisha under the Sagarmala initiative.
  
• The Government of Odisha will fund another 50% cost of the project.
  
• This project will reduce travel time for passengers from 6 hours by road to 1 hour by waterway. 
  
• Kaninali in Bhadrak district and Talachua in Kendrapada district, are located on the northern and southern banks of River Dhamra respectively.
  
• The people of Talachua and nearby villages largely depend upon Dhamra port for their livelihood, which is approximately 4 kms from Kaninali Ghat. 
  

Issue

• Since there is no connectivity through roads, the local population depends upon passenger ferries at ghats of Kaninali and Talachua to cross the river (a stretch of 7 Km).
  
• Currently, Number of passenger vehicles move through private boats without safety and passengers face difficulty in embarking and disembarking from launches on an everyday basis.

Significance of the project

• This project will enhance the safety of passengers and vehicles with state-of-the-art utility infrastructure.
• The connectivity will increase the commercial and business activities and uplift the socio-economic status of the surrounding region.      

Sagarmala

The concept of Sagarmala was approved by the Union Cabinet on 25th March 2015. As part of the programme, a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for the comprehensive development of India’s 7,500 km coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and maritime sector has been prepared which was released by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, on 14th April, 2016 at the Maritime India Summit 2016.



Source: PIB