New Delhi : Union minister for road transport, highways and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari has set in motion the process for creating a Delhi-Agra waterway via the river Yamuna. Commenting after chairing a high level meeting of public representatives and government officials from Delhi, Gadkari said: “Soon people can go to Agra via Delhi through Yamuna. We will float a Cabinet note within 10 days to specify works for the project by our ministry and the Delhi government. We will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to ensure special funds for the project”.
The minister, who is a strong votary of waterways as a means of cost effective environment friendly transport system, has said that the proposed project to be worked out in collaboration with the Netherlands government envisages building barrages and water-terminals on both sides of the river.
“Netherlands has exper-tise in this in the world. I had a talk with the Netherlands ambassador. We have asked
a Netherlands govt 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 Yamuna round-the-year to ensure passengers and goods transportation through 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 nod to seaplanes. We are allowing hovercrafts. We are constructing water-terminals at both the ends of Yamuna on the pattern of airports,” he said.