Centre Commits Rs 10 Bn to NE Waterways by 2026
ECONOMY & POLICY

Centre Commits Rs 10 Bn to NE Waterways by 2026

The central government will invest an additional Rs 10 billion in inland waterways projects across Assam and the Northeast by 2026, Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced on Monday.

Reviewing the progress of ongoing initiatives with senior officials from the ministry, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Public Works Department (PWD), Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Limited (IPRCL), and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Sonowal reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to transforming the region into a key maritime hub.

In the past two years, projects worth Rs 10 billion have been sanctioned for the Northeast Region (NER), of which Rs 3 billion worth of work has been completed. The remaining Rs 7 billion in projects are expected to be finalised by 2025.

The government is focusing on infrastructure development along National Waterways 2 (Brahmaputra) and 16 (Barak), including new passenger vessels, terminal construction, and skill development. Sonowal also instructed officials to train local youth with advanced maritime skills to meet industry needs.

The minister reviewed the proposed Inland Water Transport (IWT) project at Doyang Lake and assessed the tourism potential of Noune and Shilloi lakes in Nagaland. He also evaluated feasibility studies for IWT projects on the Tiawng and Chhimtuipui rivers in Mizoram, as well as the Umiam Lake and Ummgot River (NW106) in Meghalaya.

On the Barak River, Sonowal confirmed that dredging, survey operations, and floating terminals at Karimganj and Badarpur underscore the Centre’s commitment to positioning the Northeast as a vital part of India’s maritime future.

The central government will invest an additional Rs 10 billion in inland waterways projects across Assam and the Northeast by 2026, Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced on Monday.Reviewing the progress of ongoing initiatives with senior officials from the ministry, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Public Works Department (PWD), Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Limited (IPRCL), and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Sonowal reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to transforming the region into a key maritime hub.In the past two years, projects worth Rs 10 billion have been sanctioned for the Northeast Region (NER), of which Rs 3 billion worth of work has been completed. The remaining Rs 7 billion in projects are expected to be finalised by 2025.The government is focusing on infrastructure development along National Waterways 2 (Brahmaputra) and 16 (Barak), including new passenger vessels, terminal construction, and skill development. Sonowal also instructed officials to train local youth with advanced maritime skills to meet industry needs.The minister reviewed the proposed Inland Water Transport (IWT) project at Doyang Lake and assessed the tourism potential of Noune and Shilloi lakes in Nagaland. He also evaluated feasibility studies for IWT projects on the Tiawng and Chhimtuipui rivers in Mizoram, as well as the Umiam Lake and Ummgot River (NW106) in Meghalaya.On the Barak River, Sonowal confirmed that dredging, survey operations, and floating terminals at Karimganj and Badarpur underscore the Centre’s commitment to positioning the Northeast as a vital part of India’s maritime future.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code