IWAI signs MoUs to enhance water transport and river tourism in the North East

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed a series of memoranda of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the North East’s inland water transport network, cargo logistics, and river-based tourism.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, was present at the signing, which marks a significant push toward enhancing connectivity and economic development across the Northeast.

According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, a key MoU was signed with Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APL) to transport Methanol and Formalin through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route and National Waterways. The ₹400-crore initiative includes procurement of tanker vessels and development of related infrastructure, enabling Assam to expand exports to Bangladesh and Southeast Asia while strengthening domestic supply chains. The IWAI will provide operational support at its terminals in Bogibeel, Pandu and Jogighopa, along with assistance in developing 10 tanker barges.

Water metro

A second MoU with the Government of Assam focuses on developing an urban water transport system — water metro — in Guwahati, Tezpur and Dibrugarh. Supported by electric-hybrid boats, the project aims to build a modern mobility network along the Brahmaputra. Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. is preparing the feasibility study, and the project cost is pegged at ₹1,000 crore.

The IWAI also signed MoUs to expand cruise tourism, enhance navigational safety and boost multimodal cargo capacity. These include ₹500 crore for river cruise operations with heritage River Journeys, a navigation-safety partnership with the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships, and a ₹1,000-crore agreement with Rhenus Logistics for modern tug-barge induction.

The review meeting, chaired by Sonowal also assessed progress on 15 major projects and 10 Central Sector Scheme initiatives across Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Additional projects — ranging from river terminal construction to cruise routes and IWT infrastructure upgrades — are being advanced across the region, reflecting the government’s plan to invest over ₹5,000 crore in the Northeast’s inland waterway ecosystem.

Mr. Sonowal said the initiatives align with the vision of transforming the Northeast into a hub of connectivity, trade and tourism through the revival of its rivers.