Guwahati, May 19: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, on Monday announced a fresh investment of ₹1,000 crore for inland waterways infrastructure in Assam and the Northeast, set to be rolled out by 2026. The announcement came during a high-level review meeting in Guwahati attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Limited (IPRCL), and other key agencies.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sonowal said, “The Government of India has already undertaken inland waterways projects worth over ₹1,000 crore in the Northeast over the past two years. Of these, projects worth ₹300 crore have been completed, and the remaining ₹700 crore are on track to be completed by 2025. The additional ₹1,000 crore investment will further accelerate the region’s integration into India’s maritime and economic growth.”
The minister underscored the importance of aligning infrastructure development in the region with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, highlighting inland waterways as a sustainable and cost-effective mode of transport.
The review focused on progress along National Waterway-2 (Brahmaputra) and National Waterway-16 (Barak), where key infrastructure projects are underway. These include the construction of passenger vessels, cargo terminals, and modern jetties at Silghat, Bishwanath Ghat, Neamati Ghat, and Guijan, as well as five riverine lighthouses and fairway development between Pandu and Bogibeel.
Projects also include the ₹208 crore ship repair facility at Pandu, terminals at Bogibeel and Jogighopa, and floating terminals at Karimganj and Badarpur on the Barak river. The IWAI is currently implementing ₹1,010 crore worth of projects across these two major waterways.
To maintain consistent navigability on the Brahmaputra, the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) has been tasked with ensuring a minimum assured draft of 2.5 metres from the Bangladesh border to Pandu until 2026–27, with ₹191 crore sanctioned for this effort.
Sonowal also highlighted new initiatives in cruise tourism and urban water transport, including the development of Water Metro services in Guwahati and Dibrugarh with a ₹315 crore investment. Two electric catamarans are being built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd as part of the initiative.
A new ₹100 crore cruise terminal is planned for Guwahati, along with a Regional Centre of Excellence for inland water transport in Dibrugarh, worth ₹120 crore. Additional infrastructure includes a new Mercantile Marine Department building at Fancy Bazar in Guwahati.
Emphasizing the role of skill development, Sonowal directed officials to focus on building a trained maritime workforce from Assam and the Northeast. Institutions like the Maritime Skill Development Centre in Guwahati and the Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh are central to this effort.
“The youth of Assam and the Northeast must be equipped with advanced maritime skills—from cargo handling and logistics to vessel operations—so they can actively participate in India’s growing maritime economy,” Sonowal said.
The minister also reviewed proposed inland water transport (IWT) projects in other northeastern states, including feasibility studies on Doyang Lake, Noune Lake, and Shilloi Lake in Nagaland, and river routes like the Tiawng and Chhimtuipui in Mizoram, and Umiam Lake and the Ummgot River (NW-106) in Meghalaya. These projects are expected to boost tourism, connectivity, and regional trade.
Sonowal reiterated that under the Modi government’s leadership, inland water transport—long neglected—is being revived as a green and efficient alternative that will reduce pressure on road and rail networks and integrate the Northeast with national trade routes.
With this renewed infrastructure focus and commitment to skills development, Sonowal said Assam and the Northeast will become “key contributors to India’s journey towards becoming a global maritime power.”
