Cargo shipment via NW 2 on Brahmaputra today

New Delhi, December 28

Union minister Nitin Gadkari will flag off first movement of cement cargo through National Waterway (NW) 2 on the Brahmaputra in Assam tomorrow, in an effort to push transportation of goods through water.

The idea is to develop Brahmaputra River (NW2) for commercial navigation and the efforts are part of renewed focus over the last three years to promote inland water transport in the North East Region.

“Marking a new milestone towards the government’s constant endeavours to promote economically more viable and environment friendly modes of transport, two barges of 200-metric tonne capacity each will carry 400 tonnes of cement from the Inland Waterways Authority of India’s Pandu Port to Dhubri covering 255 km. With this, the IWAI will be initiating regular cargo movement through inland waterways under the Sagarmala programme,” the Ministry of Shipping said.

Gadkari, the minister for Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, will lay the foundation stone for bank protection work of the Majuli island in presence of Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal. — PTI