Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Inaugurates Kalughat IWT Terminal and Community Jetties in Bihar

Bettiah: Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, marked a historic moment in Bihar’s transportation landscape by inaugurating the Kalughat Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminal and two community jetties in Bettiah. The event witnessed the presence of Shri Vijay Kumar Sinha, Deputy Chief Minister, Bihar, and Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Member of Parliament, along with key officials from central and state governments.

Strategically positioned on the north bank of the River Ganga in Bihar’s Saran District, Kalughat emerges as a crucial hub in the region’s transportation network. Directly connected to NH-19, the terminal acts as a pivotal link for cargo movement, especially for shipments bound for Nepal via Raxaul and the hinterland of North Bihar. Constructed at a cost of Rs. 82.48 Crore, the terminal features a 125m x 30m berth with an annual capacity of 77,000 TEUs. With direct road connectivity to NH-19, Kalughat Terminal plays a critical role in transporting cargo to and from the hinterland of North Bihar.

During the inauguration, Shri Sonowal highlighted, “In the last 10 years, four Multi-Modal Terminals have been developed on National Waterways, including MMT Varanasi, Sahibganj, Haldia, and Kalughat. These projects, worth Rs. 86 Crore, will bring all-round economic prosperity to Bihar’s riverine community through enhanced and smoother transportation of goods and passengers.”

Floating pontoon jetties at Mangalpur and Bettiah on the river Gandak have been established to connect Nepal and India via NW-37, representing an investment of Rs. 3.33 crore. These jetties are expected to significantly improve market access for producers, fostering economic exchange and growth in the region.

Shri Sonowal remarked, “These projects mark a significant milestone in Bihar’s transportation infrastructure and reaffirm the commitment to leveraging the potential of inland waterways for inclusive growth and development.”

Under the Jal Marg Vikas Project, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) initiated the development of the IWT ecosystem for NW-1, aiming for cargo handling through construction of Multimodal Terminals (MMTs) and Intermodal Terminals (IMTs). The Sagarmala programme, part of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, is harnessing 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways to elevate the share of Inland Water Transport to 5%, aligning with the Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 to operationalize 50 waterways by 2047.