Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Dedicates IWT Terminal in Presence of Bhutan Minister

Facility at Jogighopa to boost India-Bangladesh-Bhutan trade

A noteworthy addition in our quest for improving infrastructure as well as encouraging inland waterways for progress and prosperity: PM Modi

JOGIGHOPA: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Jogighopa as he dedicated it to the people of the nation here in the presence of Bhutan Minister Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji today.

Marking the occasion, a ship with two barges was flagged off MV Trishul, along with Barges Ajay and Dikshu, by the Union Minister with 110 metric tonnes of coal along with stone chips to Bangladesh. The foundation stone for the terminal was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2021.

The terminal holds strategic importance as it is located at a distance of 91 km from Gelephu in Bhutan, 108 km from the Bangladesh border, and 147 km from Guwahati. This makes it crucial for our bilateral trade ties with Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Sonowal said, “Today marks a historic day for the waterways transportation sector in the country as we dedicate the IWT Terminal at Jogighopa to the people and the nation. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, waterway transportation has been undergoing a tremendous transformation, propelling India’s logistics growth and propelling us towards Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat.’. The IWT terminal at Jogighopa is set to transform the connectivity in the region and bolster our trilateral trade with Bhutan and Bangladesh. The terminal also has infrastructural facilities such as an administrative building, customs office building, immigration office, truck parking area, 1100 sqm covered storage area with power backup, and 11,000 sqm open storage”.

Sonowal said, “By leveraging our extensive network of rivers and water bodies, we can create a sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient mode of transportation for goods.” The event was attended by Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji, Minister of Industries, Commerce & Employment, Royal Govt of Bhutan; Ranjeet Kumar Dass; and others.

In the Northeast, projects such as the Comprehensive Development of NW-2, the ship repair facility at Pandu, the Bogibeel Terminal development, and last-mile connectivity to Pandu are some of the projects that are currently in different stages of development. With huge investments envisaged for the development of northeastern waterways, it stands as a resounding testament to the critical role of these waterways in propelling economic growth and prosperity. The operationalisation of the new IWT terminal at Jogighopa will be a step in that direction.

Speaking on the role of IWT Jogighopa in Assam as well as Northeast India’s economic development, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “The Northeast has transformed into a growth multiplier with Assam spearheading this transformation. As we cruise towards realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat, the immense potential of the Northeast has a major role to play. With our rich and complex interweb of riverine systems with the Brahmaputra (National Waterways 2) playing a crucial role, the government has been developing infrastructure as well as curating an ecosystem to support the development of inland waterways transportation in the region. We are confident that the Inland Waterways as part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan will enable the economic and trade elements of our economy towards becoming an Atmanirbhar Bharat by 2047.” (PIB)

 Also Read: Intra-Regional Co-operation in Trade, Tourism and Investment in Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal

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