Guwahati: The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has entered into agreements worth Rs 3,000 crore with various stakeholders for developing the sector and boosting industrial connectivity in the Northeast, an official statement said on Friday.
It said Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed during the India Maritime Week 2025, held recently in Mumbai.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal also chaired a comprehensive review meeting with senior officials of the ministry as well as the IWAI on all projects in Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya, including those under the Central Sector Scheme (CSS), during the meet.
The review meeting focused on 15 primary projects in progress as well as 10 CSS projects, including three in Mizoram, two each in Nagaland and Tripura, and one in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
The meeting also cleared a concept study for a weather approach road at Bogibeel for smooth passage to the cargo-cum-tourist terminal.
With a vision to expand river cruise tourism, the IWAI signed an MoU of ₹500 crore with Heritage River Journeys Pvt Ltd to develop and induct new cruise vessels and expand cruising operations on the national waterways, it said.
The partnership aims to strengthen premium tourism experiences and tap the heritage and natural appeal of the Brahmaputra and other major rivers.
IWAI and the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships signed an agreement to establish a collaborative framework aimed at enhancing river navigation safety and promoting tourism along National Waterway 2 in Assam.
A MoU of ₹1,000 crore with Rhenus Logistics was inked, which will enable the induction of modern tug-barges on the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, significantly enhancing cargo transportation capacity and improving multimodal logistics efficiency for the Northeast.
