Govt to invest ₹5,000 crore in Northeast waterways, boosting trade, tourism, skill development, and regional connectivity.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced a ₹5,000 crore investment to revolutionise Northeast India’s inland waterways, including major cargo, tourism, and skill development projects.
Key highlights include training 50,000 youth in maritime skills through centres in Guwahati and Dibrugarh, with 500 annual jobs expected. The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project will be fully operational by 2027, strengthening regional trade via Sittwe Port and connecting India’s Northeast with Southeast Asia.
Ten dredgers worth ₹610 crore will ensure year-round navigability on the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, while 100 barges operated by global firm Rhenus will enhance cargo flow on NW-2 and NW-16. Eighty-five community jetties, lighthouses equipped with IMD centres, and tourism-linked jetties at Silghat, Neamati, Biswanath Ghat, and Guijan are also on the cards.
Water Metro projects in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh are planned, with feasibility already completed. These initiatives aim to unlock the region’s trade potential, create jobs, and support sustainable transport in line with the Act East policy and PM Modi’s vision of inclusive development.
Source: PIB Delhi
