Govt Announces ₹4,800 Crore Investment to Boost Assam’s Inland Waterways

Guwahati: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has announced an investment of over ₹4,800 crore to revolutionize Assam’s inland waterways sector. The announcement was made at the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit in Guwahati, where he highlighted the state’s potential to become a key hub for riverine trade and transport.

Speaking at the session on Assam’s Roads, Railway, and Riverine Tourism, Sonowal emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for Viksit Bharat, Assam and the Northeast are crucial to India’s economic growth. He credited the Modi government for reviving inland waterways, which were previously neglected, and stated that Assam’s Brahmaputra (NW2) and Barak (NW16) rivers will play a significant role in boosting trade, commerce, and tourism.

Among the major projects unveiled at the summit, the Harit Nauka scheme aims to transition conventional vessels to Green Vessels by 2030, with a budget of ₹1,500 crore. Another ₹1,500 crore has been allocated to enhance cruise tourism and cargo handling capacity by 2027-28, which includes the development of jetties at Silghat, Bishwanath Ghat, Neamati Ghat, and Guijan.

A ₹375 crore investment has been earmarked for Phase II of the Ship Repair Facility at Pandu, while ₹191 crore has been assigned to maintain a 2.5-meter draft from the Bangladesh border to Pandu in NW2. The Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) has been tasked with river dredging, marking the first time such an initiative has been taken on any Indian river.

In addition, the government announced a Water Metro Service in Guwahati and Dhubri, modeled on the successful Kochi Metro Service, with a proposed budget of ₹315 crore. Two Electric Catamarans, currently being built at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), will also be deployed in the state.

The summit also saw the announcement of a world-class cruise terminal in Guwahati at an estimated cost of ₹100 crore, alongside a ₹120 crore Regional Centre of Excellence (RCOE) in Dibrugarh. Furthermore, Riverine Lighthouses will be constructed at Bogibeel, Biswanath, Nimati, Pandu, and Silghat with a ₹100 crore investment.

To improve navigability, ₹150 crore has been allocated for fairway development between Pandu and Bogibeel, and two Cutter Section Dredger units will be procured for Brahmaputra (NW2).

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is already implementing ₹1,010 crore worth of projects along the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers. Some of the key developments include:

• ₹208 crore Ship Repair Facility at Pandu
• ₹180 crore alternate road from Pandu to NH27
• New Inland Waterways Terminals (IWT) at Bogibeel and Jogighopa with ₹66 crore and ₹82 crore investments respectively
• ₹646 crore under the Sagarmala Scheme for riverine infrastructure

For the Barak River, additional investments will cover the procurement of survey vessels, amphibian dredgers, crane pontoons, and floating terminal facilities at Karimganj and Badarpur.

Sonowal hailed the Advantage Assam summit as a catalyst for the region’s economic transformation, bringing businesses and investors to explore the state’s riverine trade potential. He reiterated the government’s commitment to sustainable development, positioning Assam as a key player in India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat goals.

The session was attended by Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Krishnendu Paul, IWAI Chairman Vijay Kumar, and Singapore High Commissioner Simon Wong, along with corporate leaders from the infrastructure, railways, and marine sectors.