IWAI awarding two terminals on PPP model

Fast tracking the projects in the shipping sector, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has identified development and operation of Kolkata Terminal's GR Jetty -I, GR Jetty-II & BISN and Patna Terminal's Gaighat & Kalughat on National Waterways -1 i.e. River Ganga under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, said shipping ministry sources, adding that after invitation of bids, nine firms have expressed their interest in taking up the project and the work is expected to be awarded this month itself. This is the first PPP project undertaken by the IWAI under the transactional structure worked out by International Finance Corporation (IFC), the operator will undertake the operations and maintenance services at both Kolkata and Patna clusters and invest in equipment handling mechanism, goods, items, container loading and unloading equipment, and warehousing. In addition, the operator will also provide labour, professionals, supervisory, and managerial personnel for performance of operations and maintenance services with the right to demand and collect user fees from the users, they added.