NEW DELHI: In a first, the (IWAI) will transport container cargo belonging to the food and beverage giant (India) from Kolkata to Varanasi on (National Waterway-1). “It will be country’s first container movement on post-independence scheduled on Tuesday,” the shipping ministry said in a statement. The food and Beverage giant will move 16 containers from Kolkata to Varanasi Secretary (Shipping) Gopal Krishna along with Chairman, IWAI Pravir Pandey and other senior Government officials will flag off the vessel carrying the consignment in the presence of PepsiCo representatives. The vessel will reach Varanasi in 9-10 days. “Container cargo transport comes with several inherent advantages. Even as it reduces the handling cost, allows easier modal shift, reduces pilferages and damage, it also enables cargo owners to reduce their carbon footprints,” the statement added. MV RN Tagore will make its return journey with fertilizers belonging to IFFCO that will be procured from its Phulpur plant near Allahabad. The government is developing NW-1 (River Ganga) under JMVP from Haldia to Varanasi (1390 Km) with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank at an estimated cost of Rs 5369 crore. Even as pilot movements on National Waterways are currently being done on various stretches, more than 15 of them have already been successfully completed, including integrated movements through NW-1 (Ganga), Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route and NW-2 (Brahmaputra). Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier said that his ministry was working on a plan to convert more than 100 rivers into national waterways.
A ship carrying 16 containers in containers will travel from Kolkata to Kolkata on the river Ganga , marking the country 's first inland container movement on the newly converted inland Waterway-1 ( NW-1 ) . The Inland Waterways ##ways of India will transport containers belonging to PepsiCo on vessel MV RN Tagore within 9 - 10 hours before making a return journey carrying fertilisers . India is developing NW-1 as part of the Jal Marg Vikas Project , at an estimated cost of crore ( $ 730 m ) with the help of the World Bank .