Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Unveils Rs 4,800-cr Plan to Transform Assam’s Waterways

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Participating in the session on Assam’s Roads, Railway and Riverine Infrastructure on the second day of the investment summit Advantage Assam 2.0 here today, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal announced an investment of more than Rs 4,800 crores to transform the inland waterways sector of the state.

The money will be invested to enable the immense potential that the complex and dynamic waterways system of the state has to offer to propel the growth and development of the region towards realising the vision of PM Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat, Sonowal asserted.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Sonowal said, “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the country is cruising ahead towards realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat. Assam, along with the Northeast, plays an integral part in propelling this journey to realize the vision of Modi ji. Inland Waterways plays a crucial role in this scheme of things as the visionary Modi ji planned its revival since 2014 from near obscurity and neglect of the past. With its rich interweb of riverine systems in the region, especially in Assam with Brahmaputra (NW2) and Barak (NW16), the Inland Waterways aims at rejuvenating its ageless role as the main conduit of trade and commerce. Globally considered as futuristic, the inland waterways provide an opportunity to opt for a more economic, efficient, and environmentally friendly mode of transporting cargo and passengers. With the launch of schemes like ‘Jalvahak,’ the Modi government has been incentivising the businesses to switch to inland waterways, thereby improving the economies of scale, decongesting the railways and roadways, and enabling a conducive ecosystem that is vital for the pivotal role Assam is set to play towards India’s ascendency to become the world’s biggest & an Atmanirbhar economy by 2047.”

At the summit, the Union Minister announced the allocation of Rs 1,500 crore for a planned transition into Green Vessels by 2030 under the ‘Harit Nauka’ scheme. An amount of more than Rs 1,500 crores has been earmarked to facilitate cruise tourism and enhance cargo handling capacity by 2027-28 in NW2 and NW16. This includes the construction of jetties with onshore facilities at Silghat, Bishwanath Ghat, Neamati Ghat, and Guijan, along with the construction of a new building for the Regional Office, MSDC, guest house, and office space for ITAT at Fancy Bazar in Guwahati. An amount of Rs 375 crores is pegged for the development of Phase II of the Ship Repair Facility at Pandu. In order to maintain the fairway, the government has entrusted the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) to ensure an assured draft of 2.5 meters from the Bangladesh Border to Pandu in NW-2 till 2026-27. An amount of Rs 191 crores has been earmarked for this, Sonowal stated.

Union Minister Sonowal also announced the development of Water Metro Service in Guwahati and Dhubri with an estimated investment of Rs 315 crore. The feasibility study is being conducted for this based on the success of Kochi Metro Service. Sarbananda Sonowal also announced the deployment of two Electric Catamarans being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). A world-class cruise terminal will also be built in Guwahati with an estimated investment of Rs 100 crore. Adding further to the capital development along the NW2, Riverine Lighthouses will be built at five places—Bogibeel, Biswanath, Neamati, Pandu and Silghat—at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore. In addition, a sum of Rs 150 crore has been earmarked for fairway development with LAD of 2.5 meters between Pandu and Bogibeel. Two Cutter Section Dredger units will also be purchased for Brahmaputra (NW2). An estimated Rs 120 crores has been earmarked for the development of the Regional Centre of Excellence (RCOE) at Dibrugarh.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency for riverine transportation, including national waterways under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), is implementing projects worth Rs 1,010 crore along the Brahmaputra River (NW2) and the Barak River (NW16) in Assam. Among the major projects, the ship repair facility is being built at Pandu with an investment of Rs 208 crore, while an alternate road from Pandu to NH27 is being built at an investment of Rs 180 crore. The new Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Bogibeel as well as at Jogighopa is being developed on the Brahmaputra to ‘enable possibilities to meet opportunities,’ Sonowal added. An investment of more than Rs 646 crore has been earmarked to construct riverine infrastructure across Brahmaputra under the Sagarmala Scheme, the flagship programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.

As for the Barak River, the Union Minister announced the procurement of Survey Vessel, the procurement of 3 Amphibian Dredgers, the construction of Crane Pontoon and gangway for providing floating terminal facilities in Karimganj, and the construction of Steel Pontoon & gangway for providing floating terminal facilities at Badarpur, among other projects.

Wrapping up his speech, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “With the immense support that Assam has received from our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we remain firmly committed to the holistic development of the economy of Assam and the Northeast. Among the various ongoing projects to enable the inland waterways of Assam, we are also planning to transform the conventional vessels into Green Vessels under the Harit Nauka scheme.”

Also read: Defining Moment for Assam: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Advantage Assam 2.0

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