India-Bangladesh River Transportation Pact Honoured: Sonowal

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that agreements between India and Bangladesh for river transportation will be honoured. He emphasized the ongoing operations along the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route and highlighted the ministry's efforts in organizing stakeholder meetings to explore the potential of Northeast waterways.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, stated on Saturday that mutual agreements between India and Bangladesh for river transportation will be upheld.

Operations along the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route are continuing with regular diplomatic engagement, Sonowal revealed at 'The Assam Tribune-Dialogue 2024'.

He noted that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways is engaging with state governments and stakeholders to harness the potential of the Northeast's waterway system effectively.

A recent stakeholders' meet in Dimapur saw active participation from the Nagaland government, with another scheduled meet in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.

Sonowal emphasized the natural bounty and complex water bodies of the Northeast, stressing their sustainable development. The ministry aims to use waterway development as a growth mechanism and explore its potential through extensive stakeholder engagement.

He also highlighted the Sagarmala programme, which aims to upgrade India's ports to global standards by 2047, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The programme includes a total of 839 projects with an investment of Rs 5.79 lakh crore, with 262 projects already completed. The ministry is focusing on modernizing ports and improving coastal community livelihood.

Sonowal specifically mentioned the Brahmaputra river, where the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is dredging to facilitate smooth transit of vessels.

The success of large vessel transit to the Numaligarh refinery and the MV Ganga Vilas cruise highlights the revival of riverways as a viable and eco-friendly communication mode.

The government is also investing in infrastructure to support this waterway focus, Sonowal concluded.

(With inputs from agencies.)