Govt plans ₹5,000-cr investment to develop Northeast waterways: Sonowal

Mint

07-07-2025

Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday announced government plans to invest ₹ 5,000 crore to boost the waterways and maritime sector in the Northeast.
He said his ministry has drawn up major initiatives including expanding the capacity of the Maritime Skill Development Centre (MSDC) in Guwahati as well as setting up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dibrugarh, towards the goal of developing the maritime sector in the region.
Speaking at press conference in Guwahati, the minister said India is on the path to becoming a global maritime powerhouse and the transformation that the sector has seen over the past 11 years of the Modi Government, with historic growth in port capacity and cargo handling, green shipping, cruise tourism and skill development for the youth, bears testimony to it.
Over the past 11 years, the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways (MoPSW) has seen growth of India's maritime sector with record rise in cargo handling, capacity and coastal shipping.
Major ports have nearly doubled their capacity, cruise tourism is rising with ambitious new terminals, and 50,000 youth from the Northeast will be trained for maritime jobs.
Key legislative and digital reforms, green shipping initiatives, and projects like the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project are strengthening regional connectivity and trade. India's ports are now globally competitive, with nine ranking in the World Bank's top 100, and Visakhapatnam Port reaching the top 20.
Sonowal said the government aims to train 50,000 youth from the region in maritime skills over the next decade, offering them assured employment opportunities in the growing sector.
The Maritime Skill Development Centre (MSDC) in Guwahati as well as the upcoming Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dibrugarh aims to power this transformation. The CoE will be developed with an investment of ₹ 200 crores. Both the centres are likely to produce 500 jobs annually.
'Our vision is to train, enable and empower 50,000 youth from the Northeast with world-class maritime skills over the next decade, ensuring meaningful employment & growth. Our centres in Guwahati and Dibrugarh will be the backbone of this transformation,' Sonowal said.
The ministry has undertaken projects worth ₹ 1,000 crore in the Northeast's inland waterways sector over the past two years, with ₹ 300 crore works completed and ₹ 700 crore slated for completion by 2025. Major initiatives include permanent cargo terminals at Pandu, Jogighopa, Dhubri, Bogibeel, Karimganj and Badarpur; year-round fairway dredging; a new approach road to Pandu Port; heritage restoration in Dibrugarh; tourist jetties worth ₹ 299 crore; skill development centres at Guwahati and Dibrugarh; and plans for lighthouses at Bogibeel, Biswanath Ghat, Silghat and Pandu.
Feasibility studies has been completed and found feasible for operation in Guwahati, Tezpur and Dibrugarh, and cruise vessels are being procured under central schemes. For Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, the efforts are on to expand IWT infrastructure and promote water-based tourism. The operationalization of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) offers new trade routes bypassing the Siliguri Corridor, strengthening regional connectivity and aligning with the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Responding to a query on the status of Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), Sonowal said, 'Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project is the result of India Myanmar Friendship Treaty.
This is a strategic initiative to enhance connectivity between India's Northeast and Myanmar—is set to be fully operational by 2027…the Northeast stands at the heart of the Bharat's development agenda. Empowered by transformative 'Act East' policy, this once landlocked region is now poised for direct and shorter access to international sea routes.
The swift execution of the Sittwe Port in Myanmar is a testament to this commitment. Once fully operational, the region will unlock new trade opportunities not just for Northeast India, but also for Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar by connecting them with Southeast Asia.'
From Paletwa in Myanmar to Zorinpui in Mizoram, the Sittwe port connects to Paletwa in Myanmar through an inland waterway and from Paletwa to Zorinpui in Mizoram through a road component. From Sittwe, Myanmar to Sarboom, Tripura, goods from Kolkata to Sittwe Port can be shipped to Teknaf Port, Bangladesh which is just 60 nautical miles of Sittwe. From Teknaf Port goods can be transported by road to Sabroom which is 300 kms away. Sabroom has an Integrated customs border between Bangladesh and Tripura.
Sittwe port and Kaladan Project will immensely benefit Tripura by way of significant reduction in transportation time and logistics cost. Major cargo for export for Sittwe Port; i.e. exports from Myanmar include Rice, Timber, Fish and seafood, Petroleum products and Garments and textiles. The major cargo for import for Sittwe Port; i.e. imports by Myanmar include construction materials such as cement, steel and bricks among others.
Other key initiatives include the deployment of 100 barges operated by a global major on NW2 & 16 by 2025, intended to significantly enhance cargo movement across Assam and neighbouring states. To ensure round-the-year navigability, the ministry plans to deploy 10 amphibian and cutter section dredgers, backed by an investment of ₹ 610 crore. Sonowal also announced plans to develop 85 community jetties across the Northeast to improve local connectivity.