In a significant push towards achieving Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India), two enormous reactors weighing a staggering 1160 MT and 663 MT were successfully transported from Surat in Gujarat to Assam’s Numaligarh Refinery using National Waterway-2.

Expressing his excitement on Twitter, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote, “This is excellent news. Before 2014, who would have imagined that heavy industrial machinery would be transported from Gujarat to Assam via waterway and not the highway!”

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, also highlighted the transformative potential of waterways, stating, “Waterways are becoming the New Highways of #NewIndia. Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s efforts have rejuvenated the sector, and this is just the start of an exciting future.”

Moreover, Northeast India is poised for a transportation revolution with the inauguration of the Sittwe Port, as shared by Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush.

The port, constructed under the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) with financial support from the Government of India, will serve as an alternative route to international sea routes for the landlocked Northeast region. Once operational, the Sittwe Port is expected to facilitate seamless multi-modal transit connectivity with Southeast Asia, acting as a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity in South Asia.

Additionally, the Jogighopa Project, covering 317 acres of land along the Brahmaputra River, is under development by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited. The project will establish a comprehensive transportation network linking Jogighopa with Guwahati through a 154 km 4-lane road, a 3 km railway line, and an inland waterway connection. The project will feature advanced facilities such as warehouses, railway sidings, cold storage, customs clearance houses, workshops, and more, enabling direct connectivity through waterways, land, rail, and air.

The state-of-the-art Jogighopa Project, with an investment of Rs 693.97 crore, aims to revolutionize transportation in the region, fostering economic development and enhancing connectivity on multiple fronts.