Union ports, shipping and waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal has announced the prioritisation of the proposed Goa Water Metro project. The project aims to connect Panaji, the state capital, to riverine towns and villages.
The Union government had given the preliminary go-ahead for the project after the state government appointed Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to prepare a detailed project report. The KMRL has surveyed around 38 locations and identified eight potential routes.
“The Goa Water Metro project, earlier envisaged in a later phase, has now been brought into phase I implementation priority,” Sonowal said, adding that this was being done at chief minister Pramod Sawant’s request.
“If a water metro could be implemented successfully in Kochi [Kerala], then in Goa too, we can,” Sonowal said.
During his visit to Goa for the inauguration of a new Panaji Port terminal building, Sonowal said that India’s economic growth will primarily be port-led.
“Over the last 12 years, India’s maritime sector has witnessed transformational growth,” he said, highlighting the significant improvements in major ports, including a nearly doubling of capacity and a reduction in vessel turnaround time from 95 hours to 41 hours.
The number of Indian seafarers has risen from over 150% to 332,000, and coastal cargo movement has more than doubled, he said.
“The number of cruise passengers has increased over four times. Inland waterways have emerged as a major growth engine, with operational waterways increasing from three to 32 and cargo movement growing more than sevenfold,” Sonowal said.
India is emerging as a major maritime nation with a clear roadmap under the Maritime India Vision 2030 and 2047, he added.
