Guwahati, July 7: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced a major ₹5,000-crore initiative by the Modi government to revolutionize inland water transport and maritime infrastructure in the Northeast. Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, Sonowal detailed a multi-pronged strategy to strengthen regional connectivity, boost trade, create jobs, and make the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers economic lifelines of the region.
The investment will power key projects including 85 community jetties, 100 cargo barges operated by global logistics firm Rhenus, and the deployment of 10 high-capacity dredgers worth ₹610 crore to ensure year-round navigability. The government also plans to invest ₹300 crore in developing new tourism and cargo jetties at Silghat, Neamati, Biswanath Ghat and Guijan, alongside launching Water Metro projects in Guwahati, Tezpur and Dibrugarh.
As part of the plan, 50,000 youth from the region will be trained in maritime skills over the next decade through the Maritime Skill Development Centre in Guwahati and a ₹200-crore Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh, expected to generate 500 jobs annually.
Highlighting the government’s focus on inclusive growth, Sonowal said, “To unlock the true economic potential of the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, we’re building an integrated waterways ecosystem—connecting communities, boosting cargo movement, and creating sustainable livelihoods. This is PM Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ in action.”
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has already completed projects worth ₹300 crore in the region, with an additional ₹700 crore to be executed by 2025. These include cargo terminals at Pandu, Jogighopa, Dhubri, Karimganj, Badarpur, and Bogibeel, approach roads, and heritage restoration projects.
On international connectivity, Sonowal reaffirmed that the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), a strategic corridor linking Mizoram to Myanmar via Sittwe Port, is on track for completion by 2027. The project will slash transport time and costs, offering Northeast India new access points to Southeast Asia and boosting exports of agricultural goods, textiles, and petroleum products.
Cruise tourism also features prominently, with feasibility studies completed in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh. Cruise vessels are being procured under central schemes, and lighthouses equipped with weather stations will be built at Pandu, Tezpur, Biswanath Ghat, and Bogibeel with support from the Ministry of Environment.
Sonowal emphasized that the government’s Act East policy and bold maritime vision are positioning the Northeast as India’s next trade and tourism frontier. “What was once a remote, landlocked region is now being reimagined as a gateway to global markets,” he said.
