Assam Inland Waterways get Rs 526 Cr upgrade with new terminals & corridor

GUWAHATI, March 15: Water transport in Assam is set to receive a major boost as four projects worth Rs 526 crore for inland water transport have got under way.

The projects are a state-of-the-art elevated road corridor connecting Pandu Port in Guwahati to National Highway-27, Cruise Terminal at Biswanath Ghat, Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE) at Bogibeel in Dibrugarh, and Cruise Terminal at Neamati.

The four projects represent a combined investment of Rs 526 crore to boost infrastructure on inland waterways on the Brahmaputra river (NW-2). The projects are being implemented by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently recognized the immense potential of inland waterways as an environment-friendly and cost-effective mode for passenger and cargo transport.

Under Modi’s leadership, a new phase of connectivity and growth has taken shape across the Northeastern states through terminals, jetties and waterways-linked infrastructure that is transforming livelihoods and deepening India’s Act East Policy commitments.

Sonowal said that the projects inaugurated and initiated were a direct expression of the Prime Minister’s vision for a developed and connected Northeast.

The elevated road corridor connecting Pandu Port Complex to NH-27, built with an investment of Rs 180 crore, addresses the critical last-mile connectivity gap between one of NW-2’s principal river terminals and the national highway network. Engineered to bypass Guwahati’s urban congestion, the corridor enables seamless cargo movement and significantly strengthens inland waterways logistics for businesses across the region.

The Cruise Terminal at Biswanath Ghat, for which the foundation stone was laid on March 13, is part of a coordinated effort to build modern cruise infrastructure along the Brahmaputra. The terminal will enhance passenger amenities, support river cruise operations and generate fresh economic opportunities for local communities in tourism, hospitality and handicraft.

The RCoE at Bogibeel, for which bhoomi pujan was performed, is being developed with an investment of Rs 188 crore. The first maritime skill development hub of its kind in the Northeast, the RCoE will train over 5,000 students annually in vessel operations, inland navigation and maritime logistics. It will also house research and development infrastructure for crew and trainee programmes, building the skilled manpower base that India’s expanding inland waterways sector requires.

The Cruise Terminal at Neamati, also initiated through bhoomi pujan on March 13, will strengthen cruise tourism and organised passenger movement along NW-2, improving infrastructure for tourists and communities along the Brahmaputra corridor. The two cruise terminal projects at Biswanath Ghat and Neamati carry a combined investment of Rs 158 crore.

Together, the four projects are designed to boost trade, tourism, skills, employment and regional and global connectivity along NW-2, advancing the Government of India’s broader vision for the Brahmaputra as a transformative logistics and tourism corridor for Assam and the wider Northeast.