Four more river terminals to get shape with Rs 136-crore World Bank funding

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has decided to construct four river terminals and reverine infrastructures at North Guwahati and Umananda in Guwahati, Nemati in Jorhat, and Aphalamukh in Majuli under the Assam IWT Project with World Bank funding.

These four terminals and riverine infrastructures are in addition to the ongoing Guwahati Gateway Ghat terminal under construction in front of the MMCH (Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital) on the Brahmaputra riverbank in Guwahati at a cost of Rs 304 crore. This project is also underway with World Bank funding.

The estimated cost of these four projects is Rs 136.703 crore, with the breakup being Rs 35.465 crore for the project at North Guwahati, Rs 11.447 crore for the project at Umananda, Rs 65.417 crore for the project at Neamati, and Rs 24.374 crore for the one at Aphalamukh. All four of these projects are in the Brahmaputra, National Waterways No. II. Each of these four terminals will have a ferry and other facilities for passengers.

The State Government took a policy decision to develop the river ghats in the state that have very poor infrastructure. The State Government approached the World Bank of India through the Central Government to seek funds for the development of the riverine infrastructure. After examination, the World Bank agreed to fund the projects.

The State Government constituted a society named Assam Inland Water Transport Development Society (AIWTDS) to execute the World Bank projects. The AIWTDS has already invited requests for bids through the national open competitive bidding process from eligible bidders for these four projects.

The main objectives of the AIWT (Assam IWT Project) project are (i) improving passenger ferry infrastructure and services, and (ii) improving the institutional capacity and framework for Inland Water Transport in Assam. The key project components are institutional, regulations, and safety; ferry infrastructure modernization; improvement in terminal infrastructure; and project management support.

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