Assam’s Inland Waterways To Get Rs 4,800 Crore Upgrade—What You Need To Know

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has announced an investment exceeding Rs 4,800 crore to revamp Assam’s inland waterways sector.

Speaking at the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit in Guwahati, the minister said that the investment is expected 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.

Sonowal announced allocation of Rs 1,500 crore for a planned transition into green vessels by 2030 under the ‘Harit Nauka’ scheme.

Another Rs 1,500 crore has been earmarked to boost cruise tourism and enhance cargo handling capacity by 2027-28 in National Waterway 2 (NW2) (Brahmaputra) and NW16 (Barak).

This includes the development of jetties with onshore facilities at Silghat, Bishwanath Ghat, Neamati Ghat, and Guijan, along with the construction of a new Regional Office, MSDC, Guest House, and ITAT office space at Fancy Bazar, Guwahati.

A sum of Rs 375 crore has been allocated for the Phase II development of the Ship Repair Facility at Pandu.

To maintain a 2.5-meter fairway from the Bangladesh border to Pandu in NW2 by 2026-27, the government has entrusted the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) with dredging operations, with an earmarked budget of Rs 191 crore.

The minister also announced the introduction of Water Metro Services in Guwahati and Dhubri, with an estimated investment of Rs 315 crore.

Based on the success of Kochi Metro Service, the feasibility study is being conducted for the water metro service.

Additionally, two Electric Catamarans, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), will be deployed.

A world-class cruise terminal will also be developed in Guwahati at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore.

In Dibrugarh, an estimated Rs 120 crore has been earmarked for development of Regional Centre of Excellence (RCOE).

Adding further to the capital development along the NW2, Riverine Lighthouses will be built at five places — Bogibeel, Biswanath, Nimati, 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 Least Available Depth (LAD) of 2.5 meters between Pandu and Bogibeel. Two Cutter Section Dredger units will also be purchased for Brahmaputra (NW2).

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency for the riverine transportation including national waterways under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), is implementing projects worth Rs 1,010 crore along river Brahmaputra (NW2) and river Barak (NW16) in Assam.

Among the major projects, the ship repair facility is being built at Panda 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.

New Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Bogibeel as well as at Jogighopa —- with more than Rs 66 crore and Rs 82 crore of investment —- are being developed on Brahmaputra to ‘enable possibilities 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 and Waterways. 

For Barak River, the minister announced procurement of Survey Vessel, procurement of THREE Amphibian Dredgers, construction of Crane Pontoon and Gangway for proving Floating Terminal facilities in Karimganj, construction of Steel Pontoon and Gangway for providing Floating Terminal facilities at Badarpur among other projects.

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