The Ministry of Ports, Shipping,
and Waterways (MoPSW) observed a holding a review meeting of the State Maritime
& Waterways Transport Committee (SMWTC). The virtual meeting, chaired by MoPSW Secretary T K Ramachandran,
brought together senior officials from about 30 states and Union Territories
to ensure comprehensive development of maritime and waterways transport across
India.
“The Kochi Water Metro model could be adopted in various other states…
such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Guwahati, and Goa,” he said. The Kochi Water Metro completed one year of operations on April 25, 2024.
Its operations have brought about a revolutionary change in the water
transport sector in the state.
Ramachandran also highlighted
the significance of the Sagarmala Programme and the National Maritime Heritage
Complex (NMHC) at Lothal in enhancing India’s maritime heritage and
infrastructure.
SMWTCs have been constituted in 13 states, including Andhra Pradesh,
Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Bihar, Assam, Goa,
Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Lakshadweep, with plans to establish
them in all 30 coastal and waterways states and UTs of India.