Sailing to Agra on Yamuna to be a reality soon: Gadkari.

People will soon be able to go to Agra sailing on the Yamuna as the Centre has sought help from the Netherlands Government for the ambitious project that includes building barrages and water terminals on both sides of the river.

'Soon people can go to Agra via Delhi on the Yamuna...We will float a Cabinet note within 10 days to specify works for the project by our Ministry and the Delh Government,'Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said.

'We will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to ensure special funds for the project,' he said.

After chairing a high-level meet to discuss the project, Gadkari said the Netherlands Government has agreed to come out with a technical report for the project, which includes specifications regarding construction of barrages and two water-terminals at both ends of the Yamuna.

'Netherlands has expertise in this. I had a talk with the Netherlands Ambassador. We have asked a Netherlands Government agency to prepare the project management report, including technical consultancy, for which they have agreed,' he said.

Gadkari said barrages would be constructed to ensure at least five metres water in the Yamuna round-the-year to ensure passenger and goods transportation on the waterways.

He added that more barrages would be constructed ahead of Wazirabad so that Delhi does not face a water crisis and if need be talks will be held with the Haryana government.

'We have already given a nod for sea-planes. We are allowing hovercrafts. We are constructing water terminals at both the ends of the Yamuna on the pattern of airports,' he said.

Unveiling the plans, Gadkari said the Delhi Development Authority will beautify the riverbanks while the Delhi Jal Board will prevent effluents from being released in the Yamuna.

Officials of the Ministry of Shipping in consultation with the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung will integrate the scheme, he said.

Gadkari said his ministry has accorded the highest priority to development of waterways in the country, which has been “sadly” ignored so far with the country's goods and passenger transport through the mode at barely 0.5 per cent of the total transport in comparison to China, where the percentage was 20 per cent.

Stress is being given to waterways from Varanasi to Kolkata and from Delhi to Agra now, in addition to the existing five waterways in the country, he said.


HBL