Union minister of ports, shipping & waterways and Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday launched multiple projects for the development of the Bogibeel region in Dibrugarh.
The Union minister, besides laying the foundation of construction of two floating jetties at Bogibeel and Guijan, also inaugurated the Bogibeel riverfront passenger jetty. The event was also attended by Union MoS of state for petroleum & natural gas and labour Rameswar Teli, chairman of IWAI Sanjay Bandopadhyaya and the GM of NF Railways Anshul Gupta, among others.
The two floating jetties at Bogibeel in Dibrugarh district and Guijan in Tinsukia district will be constructed as state-of-art terminals using the most advanced and updated technology. Both the jetties are being constructed by IWAI over National Waterways-2 (NW-2).
The two jetties are estimated to be built at a cost of Rs 8.25 crores and is scheduled to be completed by February, 2023.
Sonowal also inaugurated the Bogibeel Riverfront Passenger Jetty which has been developed by the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) as part of riverfront development near the Bogibeel bridge. Plans are afoot to construct an open platform, a restaurant, 8 biotoilets and 6 awnings as part of the riverfront site. The entire structure has been constructed over railcolumns with angle frame covered by WPC board floorings. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 2.5 crore.
A total of 3,560 square meters are being developed under this project. The riverfront development work has been going on with a vision to make this area as a tourist hub in this region.
Speaking at the event, the Union minister said, “The vision of PM Narendra Modi is to harness the potential of an economic and ecologically sound logistics avenue of inland waterways. The PM Gati Shakti National Master plan is exactly the key that we are using here today to unlock the huge potential of inland water transportation in Assam using National Waterways 2. We must tap this opportunity and build an economic advantage, which will power the whole of the northeast as the new engine of growth for India. Our government is also identifying avenues to promote inland navigation, river cruise tourism and construction of suitable terminals across the Brahmaputra.”
The Union minister also added that India’s longest river cruise service will begin from early next year between Varanasi and Bogibeel, traversing a distance of more than 4,000 km via Ganga, IBPR and the Brahmaputra. This is going to usher in a novel opportunity for people of Assam to use inland waterways to promote their trade and livelihood in tourism and cargo transportation.
In addition to the floating jetties, ferry ghats, floating restaurants, public eating stalls, tourist visits, picnic spots and eco resorts are also being planned. A permanent cargo terminal at Bogibeel is also being planned for conducive transport of cargo from the neighbouring industries like Brahmaputra Cracker & Polymer Limited and Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited.
