Future-ready logistics in NE get major push with new IWAI MoUs
In a major leap toward next-generation logistics and transport modernization, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed landmark agreements valued at approximately ₹3,000 crore to establish a future-ready inland waterway and industrial transport ecosystem across Assam and the Northeastern region.
New Delhi, Nov 21: The MoUs, finalized during India Maritime Week 2025, aim to reshape how industries, passengers and tourists move across the Northeast, unlocking river-based logistics, hybrid transport systems and new tourism routes that will connect the region to Bangladesh and Southeast Asia.
These developments are designed to support the country’s broader vision of transforming river systems into strategic economic corridors powered by smart infrastructure, digital monitoring systems and green transportation modes.
A comprehensive review meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, where senior officials assessed ongoing and upcoming strategic projects in Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, including those under Central Sector funding.
Major Agreements
- Petro-Chemical Cargo Over Waterways
One of the key agreements involves IWAI and Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APL), enabling Methanol and Formalin to be transported across:
- National Waterways
- Indo–Bangladesh Protocol Routes
- Corridors leading toward Southeast Asia
With an investment outlay of ₹400 crore, the initiative will allow APL to shift nearly 3 lakh tonnes of annual production through cleaner, cheaper and digitally tracked water logistics.
IWAI will provide:
- Technical navigation support
- Bunkering and firefighting systems
- Access to Smart Integrated River Terminals
APL will oversee vessel operations and compliance. The collaboration will also see the development of 10 modern tanker barges, equipped for automated navigation and efficient cargo management.
- Urban Water Transport – Future “Water Metro” Systems
Another major MoU was signed with the Government of Assam to create an Urban Water Transport (UWT) system — also referred to as a futuristic Water Metro — in:
- Guwahati
- Tezpur
- Dibrugarh
The project, estimated at around ₹1,000 crore (excluding land), will integrate Electric and hybrid ferries, Smart city mobility grids, Road, rail and bus connectivity and Real-time service management systems.
Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. is preparing a feasibility study, incorporating data-driven passenger modeling and AI-based route optimization.
- High-End River Tourism & Cruise Development
A separate MoU worth ₹500 crore was signed with Heritage River Journeys Pvt. Ltd. to strengthen the cruise tourism landscape in Assam.
The project will introduce advanced cruise vessels and create new tourism circuits along the Brahmaputra and allied waterways, making river tourism more competitive, tech-enabled and globally marketable.
Government Vision
Addressing the gathering, Minister Sonowal stated that these agreements accelerate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of developing the Northeast as:
- A national inland transport hub
- A gateway to international industrial corridors
- A centre of water-driven economic expansion
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to positioning rivers as economic engines powered by modern logistics, energy efficiency and long-term sustainability.
Outlook
With policy backing, digitized monitoring, hybrid transportation infrastructure and cross-border commercial corridors gradually taking shape, the Northeast is positioned to emerge as one of India’s most advanced inland waterway-driven economic zones by the end of the decade. (With inputs from IANS)
