By Bhupen Goswami

Guwahati : Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) started a new Roll on-Roll off (Ro-Ro) facility in collaboration with the Government of Assam to provide the much-needed connectivity for Majuli Island.In what can be termed as shot in the arm in the connectivity of The Majuli world’s largest river island,Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off a new vessel MV Bhupen Hazarika to connect Kamalabari with Neemati Ghat at a function held at Majuli. It may be noted that the new Roll-on-Roll-off (RoRo) service has been launched in collaboration between the Inland Waterways Authority of India and Government of Assam to provide much needed connectivity for Majuli island. As a result of launching of the Ro-Ro service, travel time will cut down circuitous road route of 421 km that trucks take from Nimati to Majuli island via Tezpur Road Bridge by limiting the distance to only 12.7 km with the use of river route. The vessel which is 46.50 meter long and 13.30 meter wide has the carrying capacity of eight trucks and 100 passengers. The vessel has one main engine apart from two other supporting engines. MV Bhupen Hazarika can sail at the speed of 22 km per hour. Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, MPs from Jorhat and Lakhimpur Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and Pradan Barua, MLA Bimal Bora, Chief Minister’s Media and Legal Advisor Hrishikesh Goswami and Santanu Bharali, Director of Inland Waterways Authority of India Surinder Singh, Director of Inland Water Transport Bharat Bhusan Deb Chowdhury, DC Majuli Deba Prasad Mishra and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.