IIT Kanpur develops next-generation waterfront infrastructure at Kada Ghat, Kaushambi

NEW DELHI: Acquafront Infrastructure Private Limited (AIPL), a startup incubated at the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) IIT Kanpur, has developed a next-gen concept “i-Ghat” at Kada Ghat, Kaushambi. “i-Ghat” is a unique futuristic proposition to refine river ghats in India, IIT Kanpur said in a statement.

“i-Ghat includes integrating reinforced-cement concrete (RCC) based floats with solar cells and electric-powered boats using Steel Integrated Floating Jelly (SIFJ) technology to avoid the impact of using plastic floats and also to reduce the noise and air pollution caused by diesel boats,” the institute said.

The i-Ghat facility at Kada Ghat, Kaushambi was commissioned in September, 2022, and has recently been inaugurated by deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya.

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The i-Ghat project is equipped with a state-of-the-art floating charging station with a battery swap for the battery powered electric-boats that use captured solar energy through the RCC-based floating solar grid. It is completely self-sufficient, causes zero air and noise pollution and aligns with NTT DATA’s aim to support technology innovations for a sustainable world.

Abhay Karandikar, Director IIT Kanpur said: “The innovation ecosystem at IIT Kanpur is under rapid expansion and I am grateful to NTT DATA for their consistent support to us and the startups. I congratulate AIPL for its deployment of SIFJ technology to develop this project, which is a remarkable step towards ensuring livelihood through a sustainable approach.”