Goa proposes floating jetties to augment inland waterways

Panaji, Jan 12: Goa government will submit a detailed project on floating jetties in the state to revive the inland waterways, on the lines of its usage during the Portuguese period.

"Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, during his recent visit, had informed the state government that we can submit the proposal for floating jetties which would be cleared with Central government fund. Before March this year, the proposals will be sent," Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told the Legislative Assembly during Question Hour today.

Parsekar was responding to a question by BJP legislator Glenn Ticlo about the use of inland waterways, like during the Portuguese time, to reduce the load of vehicular traffic on the roads. State Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, initially responding to the question by Ticlo, said his department and the river navigation department have already initiated the process of preparing a detailed project report (DPR) on the use of inland waterways with the existing jetties across the state which were used during the Portuguese era.

He said two agencies - M/s Darashaw and M/s Fourth Dimension Pune - have been given work to prepare the DPR which will be sent to the Ministry of Tourism for obtaining financial assistance.

The minister said that the government is working on networking of the existing jetties for creating inland waterways infrastructure. The probable locations preliminarily identified for the purpose of development of jetties and other related infrastructure are - Captain of Ports Jetty near Pehna-de-Franca Church, Jetty at Old Goa, Near Old Goa Medical College Building, Ribandar, Dona Paula Jetty, River Navigation Department Jetty at Betim and other smaller jetties along River Mandovi up to Corjuem.

PTI