Centre Reviews Rs. 24.53 Crore Project to Link Tripura’s Gomati River with Bangladesh’s Meghna via Waterway
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, November 23, 2025
A high-level review meeting was held on Friday under the chairmanship of Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal to evaluate major waterway and port-linked projects across the Northeastern region, including the proposed waterway connection between Tripura’s Gomati river and Bangladesh’s Meghna river. Senior officials from the ministry and representatives from Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya were present.The projects reviewed are aligned with the Government of India’s flagship initiative PM Gati Shakti, the National Master Plan for multimodal connectivity.As part of regional connectivity enhancement, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has undertaken two key projects in Tripura aimed at strengthening transport and tourism infrastructure. A project worth Rs. 24.53 crore has been sanctioned to establish a direct waterway link between the Gomati river in Tripura and the Meghna river in Bangladesh. The allocation covers river channel development, embankment protection, and construction of nine jetties along the route.Additionally, a proposal to introduce a luxury cruise service at Dumbur Lake to boost tourism in Tripura is being examined with priority.
Meanwhile, IWAI, the nodal agency under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, signed two Memorandums of Understanding, one with Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited and another with the Government of Assam to strengthen industrial supply chains and passenger movement through Assam’s extensive river network. These agreements aim to capitalize on inland waterways for regional trade and transport.Speaking at the meeting, Sonowal said the MoUs mark a major step toward realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming the Northeast into a hub of inland waterway connectivity and industrial growth. He emphasized the Centre’s commitment to exploring the full potential of the region’s river systems for economic development, trade, and sustainable growth.
A proposal was also placed to develop inland water transport infrastructure on the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh. The project includes construction of terminals with supporting facilities such as internal roads, jetties, navigational infrastructure, solar systems, and floating platforms. Provisions for high-speed boats, ferries, and FRP vessels have also been included to support tourism and passenger mobility.
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