Newly Inaugurated Jogighopa Inland Waterways Terminal In Assam To Serve As International Port Of Call For Bhutan And Bangladesh

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday (18 February) inaugurated the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminal on the Brahmaputra (National Waterway-2) at Jogighopa in Assam.

The event was attended by Bhutanese Minister Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji, marking a significant development in the region’s logistics and cargo movement.

Describing the inauguration as a “historic milestone” for inland waterways in the North East, Sonowal highlighted the strategic importance of the new terminal.

"The state-of-the-art terminal, connected to the Multi Modal Logistics Park and strategically located in Jogighopa will be an international port of call for Bhutan and Bangladesh while enhancing logistics and cargo movement in Assam and the North East," he said.

The minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for the transformation of India's inland waterways over the past decade.

He noted that the expansion of the waterways network has led to a large increase in cargo and passenger movement, making it a preferred mode of transportation.

As part of the occasion, Sonowal flagged off a ship —MV Trishul with two barges Ajay and Dikshu — carrying 110 metric tonnes of coal and stone chips to Bangladesh.

The foundation stone for the Jogighopa terminal was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18 February 2021.

The project, implemented by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, was constructed by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) at a cost ofRs 82.03 crore.

The terminal, spread over 15 acres, is strategically located 91 km from Gelephu in Bhutan, where the Royal Government of Bhutan is developing the Gelephu Mindfulness City.

It is 108 km from the Bangladesh border and 147 km from Guwahati via inland waterways. It is well connected to the Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Jogighopa through a four-lane road and is adjacent to NH-17.

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