Centre to invest Rs 5,000 crore for NE waterways: Sarbananda Sonowal

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Government of India will boost the waterways and maritime sector in the northeastern region with an investment of Rs 5,000 crore. The government has drawn up major initiatives in this regard. Apart from this, the centre will also install four lighthouses in the Brahmaputra.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal made this announcement while addressing the press on 'A Decade+ of Transformation in the Northeast' in Guwahati today.

Sarbananda Sonowal said, "Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have revitalised India's maritime sector as never before. From historic growth in port capacity and cargo handling to pioneering green shipping, cruise tourism, and skill development for our youth-these achievements reflect the Modi government's unwavering commitment to make India a global maritime powerhouse and drive inclusive development across every coastal and riverine region. The government aims to train 50,000 youth from the region in maritime skills over the next decade, offering them assured employment opportunities in the growing sector. The Maritime Skill Development Centre (MSDC) in Guwahati, as well as the upcoming Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dibrugarh, aims to power this transformation. The CoE will be developed with an investment of Rs 200 crore. Both the centres are likely to produce 500 jobs annually."

Sonowal said that the ministry has undertaken projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in the Northeast's inland waterways sector over the past two years, with Rs 300 crore worth of work completed and Rs 700 crore slated for completion by 2025. Major initiatives include permanent cargo terminals at Pandu, Jogighopa, Dhubri, Bogibeel, Karimganj, and Badarpur; year-round fairway dredging; a new approach road to Pandu Port; heritage restoration in Dibrugarh; tourist jetties worth Rs 299 crore; skill development centres at Guwahati and Dibrugarh; and plans for lighthouses at Bogibeel, Biswanath Ghat, Silghat, and Pandu.

He said, "Coastal India has 105 lighthouses that are 100 years old, 90 years old, 80 years old, etc. The prime minister laid stress on modernising these lighthouses to woo tourists. We have a plan to install four lighthouses in the state. We're holding talks with the Ministry of Earth Sciences for weather forecasts through lighthouses."

Sonowal further said, "Feasibility studies have been completed and found it feasible for operation in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh, and cruise vessels (water metros) are being procured under central schemes. For Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura, efforts are on to expand IWT infrastructure and promote water-based tourism. The operationalisation of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) offers new trade routes bypassing the Siliguri Corridor, strengthening regional connectivity and aligning with the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat."

Responding to a query on the status of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), Sonowal said, "The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project is the result of the India-Myanmar Friendship Treaty. This is a strategic initiative to enhance connectivity between India's Northeast and Myanmar-it is set to be fully operational by 2027. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Northeast stands at the heart of Bharat's development agenda. Empowered by the Act East Policy, this once landlocked region is now poised for direct and shorter access to international sea routes. The swift execution of the Sittwe Port in Myanmar is a testament to this commitment. Once fully operational, the region will unlock new trade opportunities not just for Northeast India, but also for Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar by connecting them with Southeast Asia."

Sonowal said, "Other key initiatives include the deployment of 200 barges operated by a global major on NW2 & 16 and the River Ganga by 2025, intended to significantly enhance cargo movement across Assam and neighbouring states. The IWAI (Inland Waterways Authority of India) has signed an MoU with a German-based logistics company. To ensure round-the-year navigability, the ministry plans to deploy 10 amphibian and cutter section dredgers, backed by an investment of Rs 610 crore."

Sonowal also announced plans to develop 85 community jetties across the Northeast to improve local connectivity.

Sonowal said, "To unlock the true economic potential of the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, we are investing Rs 610 crore to deploy 10 state-of-the-art dredgers, ensuring all-weather navigability. This will transform cargo movement, create new trade routes, and strengthen economic linkages across Assam and the entire Northeast. By combining this with 100 modern barges by global logistics major from Germany, Rhenus, and 85 community jetties, we aim to build an integrated and sustainable waterways network that empowers local communities and drives growth."

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