Decks cleared for start of inland waterways in Bihar
Thursday May 11 2006 00:00 IST
PTI

DARBHANGA: Survey work for starting inland waterways in prominent rivers
including Ganga, Sone, Kosi and Gandak flowing through Bihar would begin
from next week and would provide easy transportation facilities for over
2000 panchayats situated on the banks.

The centre has approved the plan for development of inland waterways and
also sanctioned Rs 1.15 crore for the purpose, Bihar transport Minister Ajit
Kumar told reporters here on Tuesday night.

In the first phase, inland waterways would be developed in rivers Ganga,
Sone, Kosi and Gandak and would be later extended to other rivers, the
Minister said, adding the NDA government of Nitish Kumar would soon unveil a
new transport policy, including lowering of road tax and starting pollution
checking centres in all the districts.

The transport Minister said he would hold dialogue with the transporters who
had left the state in the past due to 'mismanagement' under the previous RJD
regime. The government was also holding talks with non-governmental
organisations with an objective to streamline traffic system in the urban
areas.

The district transport offices would be computerised and Darbhanga Transport
Office would be developed as a model depot, he added.


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