JOIN US Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is expecting a significant increase in goverment as well as private investment within the next five years.
“As many as 106 new waterways have been declared by the government. We expect investments worth Rs 1 lakh crore by the government over the next three to five years in these projects,” IWAI chairman Amitabh Verma told Deccan Herald.
Private investments in these projects is likely to be twice the amount that is going to be invested by the government, Verma added.
Out of these 106 waterways, engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) tender documents have been prepared for eight of them, detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared for 56 of them which will be ready by October-December. For the remaining projects, consultants have been appointed to conduct a feasibility study.
According to Verma, a lot of private players have evinced interest to participate in these projects. “Adanis, Tatas, Dharti Dredging, Shreyas Shipping, SKS Shipping as well as some global companies have enquired about these projects,” Verma said.
We have tweaked a lot of tenders to ensure that there is maximum participation by players across the globe, Verma added. He also said that IWAI is exploring various options to fund these projects. “For financing these projects, we are looking at enhanced budgetary support from the goverment. Besides that, we are also looking at multilateral funding and market borrowing,” Verma said.
The authority is also looking at public private partnership (PPP) mode in barge and terminal operations besides eyeing joint ventures with state governments and ports. We are also pitching for funds from the Central Road Fund, Verma added.
DH News Service