Sonowal unveils ‘Jalvahak’ to boost cargo movement

In a move to boost cargo transportation via inland waterways and reduce congestion on road and railways, Union minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, unveiled a scheduled freight service and ‘Jalvahak' scheme on Sunday. The initiative incentivises long-haul cargo movement on National Waterways 1 (Ganga), 2 (Brahmaputra) and 16 (Barak). The minister also flagged off three cargo ships — MV AAI, MV Homi Bhabha, and MV Trishul — alongside two dumb barges, Ajay and Dikhu, from the GR Jetty in Kolkata. The ceremony marked the launch of fixed-day scheduled cargo services on National Waterways 1 and 2. The service will connect Kolkata, Patna and Varanasi on NW 1, and Kolkata to Pandu in Guwahati on NW 2 via the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR). Transit timelines are fixed — Kolkata to Patna in seven days, Patna to Varanasi in five days, and Kolkata to Pandu in 18 days. Speaking at the launch, Sonowal emphasised