Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), has signed two key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) - one with the Assam government to develop a Rs 1,000-crore water metro project across the Brahmaputra in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Tezpur, and the other with Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APL) to boost exports of methanol and formalin via waterways to Bangladesh and Southeast Asia.
In view of the development of multiple projects in the Northeast, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reviewed with senior officials of the ministry as well as the IWAI all projects in Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, including those under the Central Sector Scheme (CSS).
Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said, "These MoUs mark a major step forward in realising the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose leadership continues to transform the Northeast into a hub of inland waterway connectivity and industrial opportunity. We remain firmly anchored in our intent to develop the inland waterways ecosystem in the region for optimum utilization and explore possibilities and convert them into tangible opportunities that drive growth, trade, and sustainability."
Sonowal said, "The underwater transport will develop fairways, navigation aids, and passenger terminals, supported by electric hybrid passenger boats to create a modern and environmentally responsible transport system. A feasibility study is being undertaken by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. (KMRL) in consultation with the State Government. The tentative cost of the project is estimated at Rs 1,000 crore, excluding land costs. The project aims to establish a seamless and sustainable water-based mobility network along the Brahmaputra, integrated with existing transport modes such as roads, railways and buses."
The MoU between IWAI and Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APL) aims to collaborate for transportation of methanol and formalin through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) and National Waterways (NW). The initiative will facilitate exports from IWAI jetties at Bogibeel, Pandu, and Jogighopa to destinations in Bangladesh and Southeast Asia, while also strengthening domestic supply chains through National Waterways 1 and 2.
The review meeting focused on 15 primary projects in progress as well as 10 Central Sector Scheme (CSS) projects, including 3 in Mizoram, 2 in Nagaland, 2 in Tripura and 1 each in Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur. Two recommended new projects under CSS, one each in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, were also discussed at the event. The meeting also cleared for a concept study for an all-weather approach road at Bogibeel for smooth passage to the cargo-cum-tourist terminal.
For the development of the Regional Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh with a project value of Rs 188 crore, alongside a Rs 55 crore plan for developing a key land parcel in Guwahati, two other MoUs were also signed. These projects, supported through consultant engagement by IPRCL, mark a transformative phase in Assam's river economy and position the state as a major hub of inland waterways connectivity and cruise tourism in India.
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