Doyang lake and Noune set for inland transport and tourism push
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 North East, an official statement said on Friday.
It said the 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 Central Sector Scheme (CSS), during the meet. The review meet focussed 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.
In Nagaland, IWAI is preparing DPRs for developing inland water transport facilities at Doyang Lake, and for promoting water sports and tourism at Noune and Shilloi lakes under CSS.
The meeting also cleared a concept study for an-all 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 Rs 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 (DGLL) signed an agreement to establish a collaborative framework aimed at enhancing river navigation safety and promoting tourism along National Waterway 2 (NW-2) in Assam.
An MoU of Rs 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.
For the development of cruise terminals at Neamati, Silghat, Biswanath Ghat and Guijan in Assam, an investment of Rs 299 crore has been earmarked, the statement said. For the development of the Regional Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh with a project value of Rs 188 crore, alongside a Rs 55-crore plan for developing a key land parcel in Guwahati, two other MoUs were also signed.
“Our collaboration to export products to neighbouring markets and the creation of a Regional Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh reflect our commitment to innovation and global integration. We are transforming our waterways into engines of growth, prosperity and pride,” Sonowal had said.
The IWAI also signed two MoUs to strengthen Assam’s inland water transport network and industrial logistics.
The agreements — with Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APL) and the state government — aim to promote the movement of cargo and passengers through the state’s extensive river systems, advancing the goals of sustainable connectivity and regional growth.
The MoU with APL aims to collaborate for the transportation of methanol and formalin through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) and the National Waterways.
The second MoU, signed with the state government, focuses on the development and promotion of an Urban Water Transport (UWT) System, or Water Metro, in Tezpur, Guwahati, and Dibrugarh.