Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, announced a major ₹5,000-crore investment to accelerate the development of waterways infrastructure in Northeast India. At the centre of this initiative is the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), which he described as a “lifeline for the region” and a key pillar of India’s Act East policy.
Sonowal stated that the Kaladan Project, a strategic collaboration under the India–Myanmar Friendship Treaty, will be fully operational by 2027. The project connects Kolkata to Sittwe Port in Myanmar, then via inland waterways to Paletwa, followed by a road link to Zorinpui in Mizoram. It aims to reduce dependency on the Siliguri Corridor by opening a shorter, more efficient trade route linking Northeast India directly with Southeast Asia. The corridor will also benefit Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal, while lowering logistics costs and cutting transportation time.
Once operational, goods from Kolkata can be shipped to Teknaf Port in Bangladesh and transported by road to Sabroom, Tripura—home to an integrated customs post. The project is expected to enhance exports from Myanmar including rice, timber, seafood, and garments, while facilitating imports of cement, steel, and other construction materials.
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Highlighting the broader vision behind the initiative, Sonowal said, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the Kaladan Project embodies inclusive growth. It empowers the Northeast with direct access to international sea routes and repositions the region as a gateway to Southeast Asia.”
Sonowal also detailed the government’s comprehensive efforts to revitalise the region’s maritime and inland waterway infrastructure. Over ₹1,000 crore worth of projects have been taken up in the last two years alone, including permanent cargo terminals, skill development centres, dredging operations for round-the-year navigation, and restoration of heritage assets in Dibrugarh. The deployment of 100 barges by global logistics major Rhenus on National Waterways 2 and 16 by 2025 is expected to further boost regional cargo movement. To support these routes, ten amphibian and cutter-section dredgers will be introduced at a cost of ₹610 crore.
In a push for regional employment, the government plans to train 50,000 youth from the Northeast in maritime skills over the next decade. The Maritime Skill Development Centre in Guwahati and the upcoming ₹200-crore Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh are expected to generate at least 500 jobs annually. “Our vision is to train, enable and empower the youth with world-class maritime skills to ensure meaningful employment and sustained economic growth,” said the Minister.
Water Metro projects are also being planned in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh, where feasibility studies have been completed. Cruise tourism infrastructure, community jetties, cargo terminals, and lighthouses with integrated weather forecasting systems are also part of the roadmap.
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“These projects reflect our deep commitment to transforming the Northeast into a vibrant hub of waterway-based trade, tourism, and employment. Guided by Modi ji’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, we are building a sustainable and connected future for the region,” Sonowal concluded.