Bhubaneswar/Paradip, April 28: World Bank is examining the funding model of the National Waterway-5 project, which links the mineral-rich belt of Talcher with Paradip and Dhamra ports to facilitate transportation of minerals.

“World Bank has conducted a preliminary survey of the area and the central government will take a final decision on the project,” said commerce and transport secretary G. Mathivathan.

“The state will extend all necessary support to the executing agency, Inland Waterways Authority of India. If the Union government wants, Mahanadi Coalfields, Paradip Port Trust and the state’s Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation will have equity participation in the project,” he said.

The Rs 3,342-crore project, prepared by the Inland Waterways Authority of India, aims to widen and deepen the Brahmani, Kharsua, Dhamra and Mahanadi delta rivers so that big vessels can run between Talcher, Dhamra and Paradip.

On June 29 last year, The Telegraph had published a report on the status of the proposed national waterway. Although the Centre notified it in November 2008, the project failed to take off due to paucity of funds.

Coal, coke, fertiliser, cement, iron ore, steel and aluminium are among the materials to be transported through this waterway.

Official sources said a World Bank team was touring the state at the moment to carry out the survey.

The team visited Paradip and Dhamra and held discussions with the Paradip Port Trust authorities and chief secretary Bijay Patnaik a few days ago.

“The project is important to us because waterway cargo transportation would be hassle-free vis-à-vis rail and roadways. We are ready to be a part of any joint venture to ensure that the project is realised,” said Paradip Port Trust chairman Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra.

Of the six national waterways notified by the Centre, three have been commissioned.

These are National Waterway-1 (1,620km Allahabad-Haldia stretch of the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system), National Waterway-2 (891km Sadiya-Dhubri stretch of the Brahmaputra river) and National Waterway-3 (205km Kottapura-Kollan stretch of the West Coast Canal, the Champakera Canal and the Udyogmandal Canal).