DCI undertakes Rs.46cr dredging NW-16’s 10.5km in Barak River
Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has directed his officials to take all necessary measures including dredging, in order to ensure smooth passage of cargo vessels on National Waterways (NW-2) Brahmaputra and (NW-16) (Barak).
He gave the directive following a review of various projects under implementation around the North-East region by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) at a meeting held in Silchar, Assam, on 19 Nov 2022.
He reviewed the progress made on the renovation of existing shore facilities at Badarpur Terminal and renovation of existing shore facilities at Karimganj Terminal during his visit.
IWAI is carrying out the work for Renovation of IWAI terminals at Badarpur along NW-16 (Barak River) and Karimganj along IBP route (Kushiyara Rivere) in Karimganj District of Assam through CPWD.
Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) is undertaking Rs.45 crore dredging to maintain the Fairway on Barak between Bhanga to Badarpur (10.5-km) of NW-16.
The hydrographic survey in ‘No Man’s land of Kushiyara River between India and Bangladesh has been conducted by joint team of IWAI and BIWTA of the Bangladesh Government in the last week of October 2022.
The Barak River development is in line with the ‘Act East’ Policy of the Indian Government.
The river from Bhanga to Lakhipur (121 km) has been declared as National NW-16. It connects Barak Valley with NW-1 and rest of India through Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route 3 & 4 and with NW-2 (Brahmaputra) through IBP route 7 & 8.
Karimganj terminal is a notified Port of Call and Badarpur is an Extended Port of Call in NW-16. fiinews.com
