The Centre is set to invest nearly ₹4,800 crore in inland waterways infrastructure across the Northeast over the next five years, with Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday unveiling an integrated river development strategy for the Brahmaputra that spans transport, trade, tourism, and scientific river basin management. The roadmap was presented at the High Powered Review Board meeting of the Brahmaputra Board in Guwahati, attended by ministers, technical experts, and representatives from northeastern states.

What the ₹4,800 Crore Plan Covers

The proposed outlay will fund community jetties, cruise terminals, dredgers, cargo vessels, and urban water transport systems aimed at improving last-mile connectivity and logistics efficiency in riverine areas. Sonowal described the Brahmaputra — designated as National Waterway-2 — as a 'critical national asset' capable of driving economic growth across the region.

'The Brahmaputra is emerging as an economic lifeline for the Northeast. Inland waterways offer an environmentally sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective mode of transportation that can transform connectivity and commerce in the region,' Sonowal said at the meeting.

Work Already Under Way

Projects worth nearly ₹751 crore have already been completed in Assam, including terminals at Pandu, Dhubri, and Jogighopa, along with floating jetties and upgraded shore infrastructure, according to officials. A further ₹1,100 crore worth of works are currently in progress, covering fairway development on the Brahmaputra, ship repair facilities, tourist jetties, and a Regional Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has been developing the waterway to improve cargo movement and passenger connectivity through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route, which links the Northeast with Kolkata and Haldia ports. This comes amid a broader push by the Centre to reduce the region's dependence on road transport, which remains vulnerable to landslides and seasonal disruptions.

Integrated River Basin Management

Sonowal stressed the need for a holistic approach combining flood management, dredging, erosion control, and infrastructure development while preserving ecological balance. He also called for blending traditional and indigenous water management practices of the Northeast with modern technologies such as Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) surveys, and digital monitoring systems.

The Brahmaputra is one of the world's most flood-prone and erosion-intensive rivers, and managing its flow has long posed a challenge for both state and central governments. The High Powered Review Board meeting is a key institutional mechanism for coordinating flood control and water resource planning across the northeastern states.

Who Was at the Meeting

The Guwahati meeting was attended by Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Paatil, ministers from northeastern states, and senior officials of the Brahmaputra Board. The multi-ministry, multi-state composition of the gathering signals the Centre's intent to treat the Brahmaputra corridor as a shared regional priority rather than a single-state concern.

With guidelines and project timelines expected to be firmed up in the coming months, the initiative could significantly reshape freight and passenger movement across one of India's most geographically challenging regions.