Centre provides four RO-PAX vessels/ ships to Assam

* Vessels will carry both passengers and cargo

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: To facilitate river transport system, the IWAI (Inland Waterways Authority of India) under the Ministry of Shipping has delivered four state-of-the-art 'RO-PAX' (roll-on roll-off passenger) vessels/ ships to the Assam government. These vessels can carry both cargo and passengers.

The 'RO-PAX' vessels have been designed and built by the Cochin Shipyard. One vessel costs approximately Rs 40 lakhs. Significantly, the entire costs of these four vessels have been borne by the IWAI. However, the Assam government will have to bear the maintenance and running costs, said sources.

The four vessels were received by the Directorate of Inland Water Transport (IWT) recently. The Department plans to make the vessels operational from November itself. Chief Minister SarbanandaSonowal will inaugurate the operations of the RO-PAX vessels in Majuli shortly.

Already two of these vessels have reached Majuli. They will run between Neamatighat (in Jorhat) and Kamalabarighat (in Majuli).

Details are yet to be finalized with respect to the routes of the remaining two vessels. Both are presently anchored at the Pandughat in Guwahati. However sources informed that according to the initial plans of the State government, while one will move between the northern and southern banks of the Brahmaputra in Guwahati, the other will be in Dhubri.

It has also been learnt that sailors of the IWT department will be trained by the sailors who guided the vessels to Assam. The training is slated to be completed within six months.

The carrying capacity of a RO-PAX vessel is approximately 37 tonnes. One of its specialities is that it has maneuverability of 360 degrees. Each RO-PAX vessel can carry 200 passengers, four cars and also two trucks during each trip.

The IWAI had earlier given three 'Ro-Ro' ships to Assam. However subsequently, it was found that those vessels were not feasible for operational in the rivers across the State. Finally, following the State government's request, the IWAI took back the four 'Ro-Ro' ships.

The 'Ro-Ro' is an acronym for Roll-on/roll-off. Such ships are vessels that are used to carry wheeled cargo. This ship is different from Lo-Lo (lift on-lift off) ship that uses a crane to load the cargo. The vehicles in 'Lo-Lo' ships are loaded and unloaded by means of built-in ramps.

Also Watch: Guwahati sees spike in number of beggars

Also Read: PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate 2 Ro-pax vessels linking Majuli-Jorhat on Nov 9