The Union Government is moving decisively to transform the Brahmaputra river into a major economic and transport corridor for India’s Northeast, with a planned investment of nearly ₹4,800 crore in inland waterways infrastructure over the next five years.
The announcement was made at a High Powered Review Board (HPRB) meeting of the Brahmaputra Board, held in Guwahati, Assam, and chaired by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal. The meeting brought together ministers, technical experts and state representatives from across the region to discuss flood control, scientific river basin planning and the sustainable use of water resources.
Vision and Infrastructure
Minister Sonowal emphasised that the Brahmaputra must be viewed not just as a river, but as a vital national asset capable of fostering connectivity and economic growth. Declared as National Waterway 2 (NW2), it already serves as a vital inland transport corridor linking Assam and other parts of the Northeast to the ports of Kolkata and Haldia through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR).
Significant progress has already been made on the ground. Projects worth around ₹751 crore have been completed in Assam, including terminals at Pandu, Dhubri and Jogighopa, along with floating jetties and upgraded shore facilities. Work worth over ₹1,100 crore is currently ongoing, covering fairway development, ship repair facilities, tourist jetties and a Regional Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh. The future pipeline of projects worth ₹4,800 crore covers community jetties, cargo vessels, dredgers, cruise terminals and urban water transport systems, along with customs and immigration infrastructure at key river ports.
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Modernising River Management
The Brahmaputra Board is being repositioned as a technology-driven river basin organisation, with plans for digital governance, GIS-based planning, LiDAR mapping and hydrological modelling. Research institutions like the North Eastern Hydraulic and Allied Research Institute (NEHARI) are set to be revitalised. Minister Sonowal also called for traditional and indigenous water management practices of the Northeast to be woven into modern river basin management for better outcomes.
The growth in cargo movement since 2014 reflects the sector’s rising importance, from 18 million metric tonnes to over 218 million metric tonnes in 2025-26, a more than tenfold increase. Beyond domestic connectivity, the government views the Brahmaputra as a strategic lever for its Act East Policy, enabling cross-border trade and regional connectivity while offering a greener alternative to road and rail transport.
A Regional Effort
The HPRB meeting was attended by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary, and tourism, health, water resources and industries ministers from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura, along with Brahmaputra Board Chairman Dr Ranbir Singh.
The meeting signals a clear intent from the Centre to make the Brahmaputra central to the Northeast’s economic future, combining transport, trade, tourism and ecology into one integrated vision.
Source: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
