Parliament Question: Inland Waterways in North-East Region

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3328 ANSWERED ON 07.08.2026 INLAND WATERWAYS IN NORTH-EAST REGION

3328. SHRI BAIJAYANT PANDA:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: प(cid:419)न, पोत प(cid:464)रवहन और जलमाग (cid:91) म(cid:287)ं ी

(a) whether the Government has undertaken any measures to strengthen trade and connectivity through inland waterways in the North-Eastern Region and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of the cargo movement on National Waterway-2; and

(c) whether the Government has undertaken any infrastructure and investment initiatives for the development of inland waterways in the North-Eastern Region and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) The measures undertaken by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to strengthen trade and connectivity through inland waterways in the North-Eastern Region (NER) are :

 Development and maintenance of National Waterway (NW) -2 (Brahmaputra River ) and NW-16 (Barak River).  Development of permanent and floating terminals at Pandu, Jogighopa, Dhubri, Neamati, Bogibeel, Karimganj and other locations.

 Construction of floating terminals, community jetties and passenger facilities.  Fairway development and Conservancy Works in NW-2 & NW-16.  Installation of navigational aids and night navigation facilities on NW-2 and Day Channel marks in NW-16.

 Development of Inland Water Transport (IWT) infrastructure under the Central Sector Scheme (CSS) in NER States.  Promotion of cargo movement through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) Route and integration of waterways with road and rail networks.(b) Cargo transported on NW-2 includes coal, food grains, fertilizers, cement, fly ash, POL products, stone aggregates, over-dimensional cargo (ODC) and other general cargo. Cargo is also moved through the IBP Route connecting NER with Haldia/Kolkata Ports.

The details of the cargo movement on NW-2 are given below:

Year 2021- 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 22 Cargo (in Million Ton) 0.43 0.63 0.59 0.90 1.29

(c) For the comprehensive development of IWT infrastructure in NER, various projects have been undertaken by IWAI details of which are given at Annexure.Annexure A. Major Completed Projects in NER:

Sl. Cost (₹ Project No. Cr.) 1 Construction of High-Level Jetty at Pandu 43.89 2 Construction of Jetty and allied works for Dhubri Terminals 47 3 Development of IWT Terminal at MMLP Jogighopa 82.04 4 Construction of Cargo-cum-Tourist Terminal at Bogibeel 101 5 Floating Tourist Jetty at Bogibeel & Pandu 9.75 Renovation of Existing Shore Facilities at Badarpur and Karimganj 6 6.4 Terminal 7 Construction & Development of IWT Terminal at Sonamura 6.91 8 Customs & Immigration Building at Bogibeel 8.87 9 Customs & Immigration Building at Dhubri & Bogibeel 9.31 10 Construction of Boundary Wall at Jogighopa Terminal 12.33 11 Renovation of Heritage Building at Dibrugarh 6 Operational & Maintenance of other works including terminals and 12 508.3 fairway development (2014–2026) 13 Construction of Steel Gangway with Yoke System at Pandu 2.88 14 Approach Road to Pandu Jetty from NH-27 180 B. Major Ongoing Projects in NER :

Sl. Cost Project Present Status No. (₹ Cr.) Fairway Development in NER Work in progress 1 through DCI for NW-2 143 (Physical Progress: 67.70%) (Bangladesh Border to Pandu) Work in progress [Physical Progress: 98.46 % for 2 Ship Repair Facility at Pandu 283.33 civil works and total project completion 68% (Civil, Mechanical and Electrical works)]Construction of Tourist Jetty at Work awarded to IPRCL on 3 Bishwanath Ghat & Cargo-cum- 158 Deposit Work basis. Tender Cruise Terminal at Neamati Ghat under process.

Work awarded to IPRCL on Development of RCoE at 4 207.65 Deposit Work basis.Tender under Dibrugarh process.

Construction of Building for Work awarded to IPRCL on Regional Office, MSDC, Guest 5 50 Deposit Work basis. Tender House and Office Space for ITAT under process. at Fancy Bazar Link Road connecting Pandu Work in progress 6 55 Terminal with Ship Repair Facility (Physical Progress: 27.00%) Development & Maintenance of Work in progress 7 Fairway in Bhanga–Badarpur 41.67 (Physical Progress: 67.70%) (10.5 km) stretch through DCI Construction of Berthing Pontoon Work in progress 8 with Gangway at Badarpur 2.57 (Physical Progress: 72.50%) Terminal Construction of Crane Pontoon Work in progress 9 with Gangway at Karimganj 4.42 (Physical Progress: 65.00%) Terminal Procurement of One Survey Work in progress 10 4.97 Vessel for NW-16 (Physical Progress: 60.00%) Procurement of Three Amphibian 11 30 Tendering Stage Dredgers for NW-16 & IBP Route Procurement of Two (25×6 m) Work in progress 12 Steel Pontoons for River 3.4 (Physical Progress: 90.00%) Brahmaputra (NW-2) Procurement of Two SDB Work in progress 13 Vessels for River Brahmaputra 2.88 (Physical Progress: 55.00%) (NW-2) Project for Providing 10 Nos. RPL Work in progress 14 Passenger Vessels for River 13.02 (Physical Progress: 55.00%) Barak Construction of All-weather 15 Approach Road from NH-15 to 0.43 DPR Stage Bogibeel Terminal (DPR) DPR for Construction of 16 Community Jetties on NW-30, 5.56 Tendering Stage NW-32, NW-50, NW-57 & NW-95 *****