Sonowal lays down foundation stone of Inland Waterways Transport Terminal in Assam

Dibrugarh (Assam) [India], July 4 : Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) terminal to be developed at Bogibeel in Assam's Dibrugarh.

The terminal is set to be developed along the banks of the River Brahmaputra, which falls under National Waterways 2 in Assam.

As per the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, "The tourist-cum-cargo IWT terminal will be developed at a cost of Rs 46.60 crores and is scheduled to be completed by February 2024. Once developed, this terminal is likely to play a pivotal role in rejuvenating inland waterways transportation in the region for both cargo and passenger movement, paving the way for the growth of trade & commerce."

Speaking on the occasion Sarbananda Sonowal said, "It is a momentous day for the people of Assam as we move towards rejuvenating inland waterways transport in the region by further bolstering the capital infrastructure at Bogibeel. The new jetty will help us realise the vision set by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi ji towards enablement of waterways transportation as a transformational factor."

"We must respect & honour the immense potential that 'Mahabahu Brahmaputra' possesses, and utilise them in the best possible way to further efficient development & progress without alluding to any ecological or economic cost. Given the historic role that Dibrugarh played as the hub of inland waterways in the past, I believe that this modern terminal at Bogibeel will act as a catalyst towards reclaiming the lost glory of Dibrugarh as a major commercial hub & become a harbinger of growth for upper Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland in the days to come." he added

The IWT terminal, under the aegis of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency for inland waterways of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), will have many modern features. The executing agency of the terminal is being done by Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Construction Limited.

Some major features include cargo & passenger berths, approach & other internal roads, a transit shed, open storage area, a truck parking area, and a passenger waiting area among others. The development of the terminal will play a crucial role in the development of upper Assam and nearby states such as Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland in terms of cargo as well as passenger transportation. It will also lead to an increase in eco-tourism, and ease the movement of EXIM cargo with comparatively lower transportation costs vis-a-vis others.

Considering the growing popularity of inland waterways as an economical and efficient mode of transportation, other new industries like food processing, pharmaceuticals, cement etc may come up in the region while further improving the economies of scale for existing major trade like tea, polymer, coal, fertiliser etc.

The modern terminal is also likely to play a crucial role as a harbinger of growth for the tourism sector with major destinations like Sibsagar, Majuli, Itanagar, Ziro Valley, Pasighat, Roing, Tawang Valley etc.

Under the Prime Minister's "Act East Policy", MoPSW and IWAI have been making transformational changes in the Waterways sector in India over the last nine years.

These measures have led to exceptionally remarkable changes in the country. To develop Waterways in the North Eastern Region, IWAI has been making all efforts to maintain the fairway in river Brahmaputra by dredging and other river conservancy works. Navigational aids and night navigation systems are also provided in the river up to Silghat. Permanent Terminals have been developed at Pandu and Dhubri.

During the last two years, Dhubri Terminal has been extensively useful and 385 cargo vessels have moved from Dhubri to Bangladesh. To utilize Pandu Terminal effectively, an alternate road connecting Pandu Terminal with NH-27 at a project cost of Rs 180 crore is underway.

The construction of the Bogibeel IWT will enhance industrial growth leading to further requirements of transportation needs. It will add to the socio-economic development of not only Assam but the entire North Eastern zone as a whole.