Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launches projects for development of Bogibeel region

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) and Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal launched several projects for the development of the Bogibeel region near Dibrugarh in Assam on Monday.

The Union minister laid foundation stones for the two floating jetties at Bogibeel and Gunjan. The minister also inaugurated the Bogibeel Riverfront Passenger Jetty today. Union Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Labour Rameswar Teli; IWAI chairman Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, and NF Railway General Manager Anshul Gupta attended the gala event.

The two floating jetties at Bogibeel in the Dibrugarh district and Guijan in the Tinsukia district will be state-of-art terminals using the most advanced and updated technology. IWAI is constructing both the jetties over the National Waterways - 2 (NW-2), popularly known as River Brahmaputra.

The authorities awarded Coastal Consolidated Structures Pvt. Ltd on an EPC contract mode (engineering, procurement and construction).

The two jetties will cost around Rs 8.25 crore. The scheduled completion of the jetties is February 2023.

Minister Sonowal also inaugurated the Bogibeel Riverfront Passenger Jetty developed by the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) as part of Riverfront Development near the Bogibeel bridge. Plans are also afoot to construct an open platform, a restaurant, 8 bio-toilets and 6 awnings as part of the riverfront site. The cost of the project was Rs 2.5 crore.

Minister Sonowal said, "The vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to harness the potential of an economic and ecologically-sound logistics avenue of Inland waterways. The PM Gati Shakti National Master plan is the key to unlocking the huge potential of inland water transportation in Assam using National Waterways 2. We must tap this opportunity and build an economic advantage which will empower the whole of Northeast India as the New Engine of growth for India. Our government is also identifying avenues to promote inland navigation, river cruise tourism, and construction of suitable terminals across the Brahmaputra."

The Union Minister also added that India's longest river cruise service would come up from early next year between Varanasi and Bogibeel, traversing a distance of more than 4,000 km via the Ganga, IBPR and the Brahmaputra. It will usher in a novel opportunity for people of Assam to use inland waterways to promote their trade & livelihood in tourism and cargo transportation."

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