India carries fly ash from Bihar to Assam thru’ Bangladesh

The first consignment of fly ash from NTPC in India's Bihar has reached Pandu Port in Assam via Bangladesh, according to a report by India's Financial Express newspaper.

The fly ash was transported by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to Assam through serpentine routes of rivers and sea via Bangladesh before reaching Pandu Port.

The shipment reached Assam on September 30.

The fly ash transported by the teams of NTPC and IWAI from Bihar to Assam will be used by cement manufacturing company Star Cement.

About 1,235 tonnes of fly ash was transported from NTPC Kahalgaon to Pandu Port via Kolkata through National Waterways 1 and 2 via the India-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route.

The inland water transportation was chosen to deliver fly ash to Assam due to the lack of railway facilities in India's north-eastern states.

"This endeavour will also establish the water highway route from Kahalgaon to Pandu in Assam via Bangladesh border helping transportation of other goods also," NTPC said in a statement.

In May 2017, a road show was held in Assam's capital Guwahati to promote the inland water transportation system.

India aims to develop the rivers of the northeast as viable and sustainable means for cargo and passenger transportation. The northeast is connected with Kolkata through the IBP route of river Brahmaputra.