Projects may revive trade route

The project to clean and rejuvenate the 83-km stretch of the Ganga in Sahibganj, which featured among the 250 most backward districts in the country in a panchayati raj report of 2006, may soon transform the district into Jharkhand's economic gateway.
A bridge is being constructed to connect Chhoti Kodarganna in Sahibganj with Manihari in Bihar, thereby reducing the distance between northeastern and southern India by around 200km.The bridge would have its foot close to the Teliagarhi fort, where the Mughal battle was fought.
At a distance of around 22km from this bridge, groundwork for the construction of a multi-modal port has started at Sakrigali-Samda Nala under the ministry of inland waterways' Jal Marg Vikas project. The port will have a state-of-the-art terminal with berthing facility for vessels of 1500-2000 DWT (dead weight tonnage) capacity. It will also have all ancillaries, a railway line and a station and a four-lane roadway.
Sahibganj DC Umesh Prasad Singh said land acquisition for phase II of the port project is underway. "Small chunks of land have been acquired for the road bridge project and 90% of the villagers have already been compensated. A few rounds of meetings with the commissioner of Santhal Pargana are pending," he said, adding that the administration has agreed to pay separate compensation for around 5,000 mango trees on the banks of the Ganga. Chief minister Raghubar Das had said the Prime Minister would lay the foundation of the port in June. Sources in the ministry of shipping said the port is a part of the sub-projects under Jal Marg Vikas and has technical support from the World Bank that is investing around Rs 534 crore.
The Mughals, after defeating Sher Shah Suri, entered Bengal in the 16th century through Sahibganj, which was an important trade route. to Burma, Thailand and Indonesia. The place also finds elaborate mention in the historical accounts of Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang.
Bestowed with 83km Ganges flowing all across the eastern boundary of the district, both central and state governments have now geared up to harness the water potential.
The port project has once again revived hopes for Sahibganj.
Local MLA Anant Ojha said once the port is developed, vessels from Bangladesh, Thailand, Burma and Indonesia will come for cargo transport. "The road and railway infrastructure will connect it to other parts of the state. Sahibganj was once a port where oil from Burma was offloaded and we exported spices to other countries," he said.
The tender for port and bridge construction is to open soon following which dates will be sought from the Prime Minister and Union minister for roads Nitin Gadkari.