DIBRUGARH: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday inaugurated three major inland waterways infrastructure projects on National Waterway-2 (River Brahmaputra).
The projects include the Customs and Immigration Complex at Bogibeel, the Customs and Immigration Complex at Dhubri, and the renovated Heritage Building of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) at Dibrugarh.
The inaugural programme, held at Chowkidingee Field, was attended by Assam Power Minister Prasanta Phukan, Public Works Minister Jogen Mohan, Industries and Commerce Minister Bimal Borah.
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MP Rameswar Teli, MLAs Terash Gowalla, Chakradhar Gogoi, Binod Hazarika, Ponakan Baruah, Taranga Gogoi, Sanjoy Kishan, and Bhaskar Sharma were also present, along with Vijay Kumar, secretary, MoPSW and Sunil Paliwal, Chairman, IWAI, among other senior officials of the Ministry and IWAI.
Addressing the gathering, Sonowal said the projects reflect the dynamic governance model of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that seeks rapid development without losing cultural identity.
“Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we are moving ahead with a clear vision of Vikas and Virasat. We are striving toward progress and economic development while preserving our roots, our heritage and our culture. The Brahmaputra is not just a river; it is our lifeline, our history and our future,” Sarbananda Sonowal said.
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Sonowal said the newly inaugurated infrastructure will strengthen logistics, enhance passenger movement and unlock fresh opportunities for trade and tourism in the Northeast.
According to an official statement, the Customs and Immigration Complex at Bogibeel has been developed as part of a modern tourist-cum-cargo terminal integrating customs, immigration and IWAI administrative functions within a single complex. The facility includes dedicated arrival and departure waiting halls, cargo storage areas, administrative blocks, staff amenities and integrated security systems, aimed at improving operational efficiency along NW-2 and facilitating trade under the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes.
While the Dhubri Customs and Immigration Complex is designed to enhance regulatory oversight and boost export-import operations in western Assam, positioning the town as a strategic gateway for inland water transport and cross-border commerce with Bangladesh and Bhutan, the renovated Heritage Building at Dibrugarh combines restoration of architectural features with upgraded operational infrastructure.
Officials said the building will serve IWAI’s administrative requirements on NW-2 while also contributing to riverine tourism and preserving the region’s architectural legacy.
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Sonowal further said that the government is reclaiming the Brahmaputra, which he claimed was neglected and underutilized by the Congress, as a national growth engine — strengthening connectivity, empowering local communities, boosting trade and tourism, and building a future where development flows as powerfully and purposefully.
“For six decades, our most precious asset — the mighty Brahmaputra — was neglected and underutilised by the Congress, despite its immense potential to transform the economy of Assam and the entire Northeast. Today, under the visionary and inspiring leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we are correcting that historic neglect. We are reclaiming the Brahmaputra as a national growth engine — strengthening connectivity, empowering local communities, boosting trade and tourism, and building a future where development flows as powerfully and purposefully as this great river itself,” Sonowal said.
It may be mentioned that 20 rivers in the Northeast have been declared National Waterways under the National Waterways Act, 2016, with the Brahmaputra (NW-2), Barak (NW-16), Dhansiri (NW-31) and Kopili (NW-57) being actively developed.
Meanwhile, Vijay Kumar, secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Sunil Paliwal, chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India, highlighted the government’s initiatives to strengthen inland waterways as a viable alternative mode of transport and to revive traditional river-based connectivity for promoting trade and tourism.
They expressed confidence that the infrastructure being developed on National Waterway–2 would further accelerate efforts to position the Northeast as an engine of growth. The projects are expected to reduce logistics costs, strengthen cross-border trade, improve passenger and cargo movement and reinforce the Brahmaputra’s role as a dependable and sustainable economic corridor for the Northeast.