Guwahati, Feb 18: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday inaugurated the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Jogighopa, officially dedicating it to the nation. The terminal is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening trade links with Bangladesh and Bhutan.
As part of the inauguration, Sonowal flagged off the cargo vessel MV Padma Navigation II, carrying 110 metric tonnes of coal along with barges Ajay and Dikshu, and MV Trishul, transporting stone chips to Bangladesh. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2021.
The Jogighopa terminal is located 91 km from Bhutan’s Gelephu, 108 km from the Bangladesh border, and 147 km from Guwahati. It has been designated as a Port of Call under the India-Bangladesh Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWT&T) and is expected to handle 1.1 million tonnes of cargo annually by 2027.
Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal termed the event a landmark development for India’s waterways sector. “With the inauguration of this terminal, we are strengthening connectivity in the Northeast and boosting regional trade. The Jogighopa IWT terminal will serve as a key economic hub, enhancing our trade ties with Bangladesh and Bhutan,” he said.
Built at a cost of ₹82 crore, the Jogighopa terminal includes a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) jetty with an Electric Level Luffing (ELL) crane for cargo handling, offices for customs, immigration, and administration, a covered storage facility of 1,100 sqm with power backup, an open storage area of 11,000 sqm and a designated truck parking zone
Sonowal highlighted the government’s focus on developing inland waterways as an alternative transportation mode, stating that initiatives like the National Waterways Act, 2016, and Inland Vessels Act, 2021, have been instrumental in modernizing cargo and passenger movement.
The Jogighopa terminal is part of a broader push to enhance waterway infrastructure in the Northeast. Other ongoing projects include comprehensive development of National Waterway-2 (Brahmaputra), ship repair facility at Pandu, development of Bogibeel Terminal and last-mile connectivity improvements to Pandu.
The cargo traffic on national waterways has increased from 18 million tonnes a decade ago to 133 million tonnes in 2023-24, reflecting a significant CAGR of over 22%.
Sonowal also highlighted the growth of river cruise tourism, citing the success of MV Ganga Vilas, the world’s longest river cruise, which has demonstrated the potential of India’s inland waterways.
The government’s ‘Cruise Bharat Mission’ aims to develop 10 sea cruise terminals, 100 river cruise terminals, and five marinas, double cruise calls and passenger numbers by 2029 and expand river cruise tourism across India
A world-class river cruise terminal is under development in Guwahati, along with dedicated terminals in Silghat, Bishwanath Ghat, Neamati, and Guijan.
Sonowal announced that the government is working on urban water transport systems across 18 cities in 12 states, including Guwahati, to replicate the Kochi Water Metro model.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Namgyal Dorji, Minister of Industries, Commerce & Employment, Royal Government of Bhutan, Assam Ministers Ranjeet Kumar Dass (Panchayat & Rural Development), Bimal Borah (Industries & Commerce), Jogen Mohan (Transport), MPs Phani Bhushan Choudhury (Barpeta) and Rakibul Hussain (Dhubri), MLA Pradip Sarkar (Abhyapuri South) and IWAI Chairman Vijay Kumar.
