*Picture courtesy and credit fresherslive.com:PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Multi-Model Terminal on the bank of Ganga river in Sahibgunj on September 14,2019.
Wherever he goes, Sudhir Murmu spreads passion by saying: Sahebganj Me Jahaj Dodege(Ship will run in Sahibganj). Ahead of the forthcoming 2019 Assembly polls, he, who is a worker of the ruling BJP in Santhal Pargana, an underdeveloped region in Jharkhand, is raising a dream among people.
He is not an odd BJP worker. There were many like him. Their main aim was to root out the opposition in the assembly polls in Santhal Pargana, considered a bastion of the JMM.Their method? Make use of the dream project -Multi-Model Terminal Port in Sahibgunj.
Santhal Pargana division where Sahibgunj is located is dominated by Adivasis. It has lacked electricity. It continues to be famous for its potholed roads, doctor and medicine-free hospitals and untrained teachers in government-run schools. Though the river Ganga flows from this district, it was free from any shipping object.
No more so, as Multi-Model port is coming up along the Ganga river in Sahibgunj. The project, inaugurated by PM Modi on 14 September 2019, is estimated to cost ₹6,500 crores.
As per the plan, the Inland Waterways Authority of India has awarded a contract for the creation of this multipurpose-transportation terminal to Larson and Toubro (L & T).
When set up, this terminal will have 22.2 m MTP handling capacity in the first phase, said a senior officer."This will generate jobs and benefit not only Sahibganj but the entire Jharkhand", he added.
The waterway route between Benaras and Kolkata can go via Sahibganj.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Shipping said that "Multi-modal terminals will have facilities for two ship-houses, stock width for storage, fixed hopper, class loader, bank protection, road, ramp and parking area and terminal buildings with belt conveyor system.