Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways announced that India has started developing a new shipping route via Bangladesh to link its North-Eastern with West Bengal areas. The cargo and passenger ships from Assam and the northeast would be linked to Haldia via Bangladesh. He said that the transformation via transportation is the concept behind the revamping of waterways as means of communication. Work has already commenced to pave the way for national waterways (Brahmaputra and Barak) to ease the movement of cargo ships. He added that the coastal and maritime shipping would obtain growth with the opening up of the northeastern markets. Contact: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Website: www.shipmin.gov.in