Lok Sabha Question No. 722 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-29
Subject: Waterways Projects on Brahmaputra River
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Shri Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.722

ANSWERED ON 29.11.2024

## WATERWAYS PROJECTS ON BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER

722. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYSbepleasedto state:

## पȅन , पोत पįरवहन और जलमागŊ मंũी

- a) the  current  status  of  the  10  waterways  projects  on  the  Brahmaputra  River announced in March 2024, project-wise;
- b) the current status of the plans of the Government to develop river tourism and water sports along Brahmaputra, project-wise;
- c) the details of the progress made for the development of the Eastern Grid at Brahmaputra and Barak rivers;
- d) the progress of the development  work  of  slipways  in Majuli and  the construction of six tourist jetties including the one proposed at Neamati; and
- e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  revisit  the  Indo  Bangladesh  Protocol (IBP) in light of the current geopolitical scenario and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) Ministry  of  Ports,  Shipping  and  Waterways  has  approved  Government  of Assam's  proposal  for  development  of  10  waterways  projects  along  with  riverine infrastructure at various locations along NW-2 on River Brahmaputra with total outlay of Rs.645.56 Cr. for assistance under Sagarmala Scheme. Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance has conveyed in-principle approval for 10 projects of Government of Assam.The details of projects isat Annexure.

- (b) The following inland waterway infrastructure has been developed on Brahmaputra River (NW-2), for cargo/passenger movement and river tourism.
-  12  floating  terminals,  2  Multimodal  Terminals  at  Pandu  &  Jogighopa  and  2 permanent terminals at Bogibeel and Dhubri which arealso used for berthing of river cruise vessels.
-  Fairway with required depth and width is also maintained for smooth plying of cruise vessels.
-  A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed on 19.05.2024 to take  up  the  project of ' Riverine  based  Religious  Tourism  Circuit  in  SPV framework '  among  Sagarmala  Development  Company  Limited  (SDCL),  Assam Tourism  Development  Corporation  Limited  (ATDC),  Directorate  of  IWT  Assam (DIWT) and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
-  The project aims to connect seven temples through waterways by deploying appropriate capacity of vessels on Hop on & Hop off basis as given below:-
- (i) Kamakhya Temple, (ii) Pandunath Temple, (iii) Ashwaklanta Temple, (iv) DoulGovinda  Temple,  (v)   Umanada  Temple,  (vi)  Chakreshwar  Temple  &  (vii) AuniatiSatra.
-  IWAI's mandate is to develop National Waterways for the purpose of Shipping and navigation. Hence, there is no plan to develop water sports on or along River Brahmaputra.  However,  if  a  request  is  received  from  the  State  Government  for development  of  fairway  related  to  water  sports,  it  can  be  considered  under  the central sector scheme for development of IWT infrastructure in NER State.
- (c)  For  comprehensive  development  of  the  Brahmaputra  and  Barak  rivers,  three projects with an estimated investment of Rs 1010 crore have been approved by the Government. The details of three projects are mentioned below:-

## I.  Comprehensive Development of NW-2

-  Sanctioned Cost Rs. 474.00 Cr
-  Total expenditure Rs.378.60
-  Overall physical progress 79.87% till October 2024

## II. Development of Approach Road from Pandu Port Terminal to NH-27 and Development of Ship Repair Facility at Pandu, Guwahati (Assam)

-  Sanctioned Cost Rs.388.00 Cr.
-  Total expenditure Rs.235.44 Cr.
-  Overall physical progress 60.68% till October 2024

## III. Comprehensive  Development  of  NW-16  &  Indo  Bangladesh  Protocol Route (IBP)

-  Sanctioned Cost - Rs.148.00 Cr.
-  Total expenditure Rs. 24.26 Cr .
-  Overall physical progress 16.39% till October 2024

(d) Ministry  of  Ports,  Shipping  and  Waterways  has  approved  Government  of Assam's  proposal  for  construction  of  slipway  at  Majuli  district  in  Assam  on  River Brahmaputra with outlay of Rs.96.60 Cr. for assistance under Sagarmala Scheme.Department of Expenditure,  Ministry of Finance has conveyed in-principle approval for the aforesaid project.

Progress on construction of six tourist jetties is as given hereunder-

-  The overall progress of development of floating RCC tourist jetties at Bogibeel and Pandu is 85%.
-  For  development  of  tourist  steel  jetties  at  04  locations,  namely:  Silghat, BishwanathGhat, Neamati&Guijan, the project has been assigned to Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation Limited (IPRCL).
- (e)  No

Annexure

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|   S. No | Proposal Name                                                                                  | District                      | Cost (In Cr.)   |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------|
|       1 | Proposal for construction of slipway at Maya Ghat, Dhubri, Dhubri district in Assam            | Dhubri district               | Rs.96.60 Cr.    |
|       2 | Proposal for construction of passenger terminal at Ghagor, North Lakhimpur district in Assam   | North Lakhimpur district      | Rs. 26 Cr.      |
|       3 | Proposal for construction of slipway at Majuli district in Assam                               | Majuli district               | Rs.96.60 Cr.    |
|       4 | Proposal for construction of passenger terminal at Bahari , Barpeta district in Assam          | Barpeta district              | Rs. 91.20 Cr    |
|       5 | Proposal for construction of passenger terminal at Goalpara, Goalpara district in Assam        | Goalpara district             | Rs. 92.06 Cr    |
|       6 | Proposal for construction of passenger terminal at Guijan, Tinsukia district in Assam          | Tinsukia district             | Rs. 36.00 Cr    |
|       7 | Proposal for construction of passenger terminal at Kurua , Darrang district in Assam           | Darrang district              | Rs. 49.00 Cr    |
|       8 | Proposal for construction of passenger terminal at Dhubri , Dhubri district in Assam           | Dhubri district               | Rs. 72.10 Cr    |
|       9 | Proposal for construction of passenger terminal at Disangmukh ,Sibsagar district in Assam      | Disangmukh, Sibsagar district | Rs. 40.00 Cr    |
|      10 | Proposal for construction of passenger terminal at Matmora , North Lakhimpur district in Assam | North Lakhimpur district      | Rs. 46.00 Cr    |

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