In a first for the country’s inland water transport, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12 will receive a container vessel in Varanasi on the river Ganga, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Sunday (Nov. 04).
In the maiden container since Independence on inland vessel MV RN Tagore, food and beverages major PepsiCo is moving its 16 containers from Kolkata to Varanasi. The cargo containers will reach Varanasi on November 12.
“Inland waterways transport in India is set for a revolution and the massive work done on waterways has started showing impact,” Union shipping and Ganga rejuvenation minister Gadkari told PTI.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will receive the container vessel traveled for the first time on inland waterways – NW 1 on the Ganga at Varanasi on November 12 at the newly developed multi-modal terminal and shall dedicate the terminal to the nation.
Gadkari said this is the country’s first container movement on inland vessel post-Independence, and a milestone moment in the history of India’s inland waterways transport sector.
PepsiCo (India) has moved 16 containers — equivalent to 16 truckloads — filled with food and snacks in the vessel MV RN Tagore which will make its return journey with fertilisers belonging to IFFCO that will be procured from its Phulpur plant near Allahabad.
Read more on The Hindu BusinessLine.