This story is from December 1, 2016

Tamirabarani: State's only perennial river will also be its 1st navigable one

Tamirabarani: State's only perennial river will also be its 1st navigable one
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu may get its first navigable river in TirunelveliTuticorin districts as the central government has proposed to make a 9km stretch of the Tamirabarani river near its mouth at Punnaikayal in Tuticorin district navigable. It will also be linked to the Tuticorin port, about 15 km away.
The channel will provide scope for ferrying people and cargo.
Minister of state for shipping Mansukh L Mandaviya announced on Monday in the Rajya Sabha that the Inland Waterways Authority of India had carried out a feasibility study on the topic. Parliament approved the National Waterways Bill in March, declaring 106 rivers national waterways. These include the Tamirabarani, which is named national wa terways 99. Its tributary Manimutharu is national waterways 69. This is in addition to five national waterways which existed earlier.
“A ferry service may be developed near the mouth of the Tamirabarani,“ the minister said during question hour, quoting the feasibility study undertaken by the authority.
The river has a substantial share of minerals, which are mostly exported to Maldives using small vessels.The VOC port (formerly Tuticorin port) comes in handy. The study found that there was potential to ship cargo like minerals. These commodities are now being transported to the port by road.
The report said, “As there are a number of towns around the river, tourism and Ro-Ro facilities may be developed.“ The tourist attractions in the re gion are Tuticorin city , Hare Is land, Roche Park, Church of Lady of Snow, Tiruchendur temple and Kulasekarapattinam.
There are at least three industrial clusters each in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli district, which are within 50km of the river, and the SIPCOT industrial estate is located about 6 km from the river.

IWAI officials said the studies were carried out only for eight waterways when the bill on waterways was introduced in the Lok Sabha in March. The waterways were includ ed on the list based on requests from several sections of people.
“As of now, 32 waterways have got detailed project reports and feasibility studies are at various stages for the rest. The feasibility report to develop Tamirabarani river for navigation and shipping is being analysed, and we will take a call on the DPR soon,“ IWAI hydrographic chief P K Srivastava told TOI.
Meanwhile, former Tuticorin mayor and Rajya Sabha member Sasikala Pushpa, whose query the Union minister was responding to, has requested the state and central governments to take forward the project.
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