National Waterway 2: Five Bridges Under Construction On Brahmaputra To Improve Dhubri-Sadia Connectivity

In a significant update to the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways provided details on the ongoing construction of bridges over the Brahmaputra River, integral to National Waterway-2.

Presently, five bridges are under construction across the Brahmaputra River, which extends 891 kilometres from Dhubri to Sadia, as per the PIB release.

This waterway was officially designated as National Waterway-2 in September 1988.

Currently, the waterway is utilised by Assam government vessels, the Army, border security forces, tourism organisations, and various private operators.

Long cruise tourist vessels regularly travel between Pandu and Majuli Island near Neamati. From October to May, over-dimensional cargo (ODC) is also transported via this waterway periodically.

The Ministry emphasised that constructing any bridge over a National Waterway requires a "No Objection Certificate" (NoC) from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). This certification is essential to ensure that bridges meet the safety standards necessary for navigational safety, particularly regarding horizontal and vertical clearances.

According to the Inland Waterways Authority of India (Classification of Waterways in India) Regulations, 2006 — amended in 2016 and 2022 — the Brahmaputra River is divided into two segments with specific classification requirements:

Dhubri to Dibrugarh: Classified as a Class-VII waterway, this segment requires a minimum horizontal clearance of 100 metres between piers and a minimum vertical clearance of 10 metres to ensure safe navigation.

Dibrugarh to Sadia: Classified as a Class-V waterway, this segment necessitates a minimum horizontal clearance of 80 metres between piers and a minimum vertical clearance of 8 metres.