(THE GIST OF PIB) Inland water transport terminal

(FEBRUARY-2025)

Recently, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways inaugurated an Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) on Brahmaputra in Assam’s Jogighopa.

The terminal is set to transform the connectivity in the region and bolster our trilateral trade with Bhutan and Bangladesh.
The foundation stone for the terminal was laid in February, 2021.
It has been set up at a cost of Rs 82 crore.
It has the potential to boost trade by reducing transportation expenditure and offering an eco-friendly and alternative mode of transport via the Brahmaputra river.
By 2027, this terminal is expected to handle cargo of 1 million tonnes per annum.

It is a statutory body established under the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act (IWAI), 1985.
Purpose: The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance of IWT infrastructure on national waterways through grant received from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
It presently has five regional offices in Guwahati (Assam), Patna (Bihar), Kochi (Kerala), Bhubaneswar (Odisha) and Kolkata (West Bengal).
Headquarter: Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.