♦ Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Jogighopa, Assam marking a milestone in India’s inland water transport network.
♦ To commemorate the occasion, a vessel with two barges—MV Trishul, accompanied by Barges Ajay and Dikshu—was flagged off, carrying 110 metric tonnes of coal and stone chips to Bangladesh.
♦ The foundation stone for the terminal was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2021.
♦ The newly inaugurated terminal in Jogighopa is strategically located and connected to the Multi-Modal Logistics Park.
♦ It is expected to serve as an international port of call for Bhutan and Bangladesh, facilitating seamless cargo movement across Assam and the Northeast region.
♦ The Jogighopa terminal plays a crucial role in India’s trade with Bangladesh and Bhutan.
♦ It is located 91 km from Gelephu (Bhutan), 108 km from the Bangladesh border, and 147 km from Guwahati. Additionally, it serves as a designated Port of Call under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWT&T) agreement with Bangladesh.
♦ By 2027, the terminal is projected to handle 1.1 million tonnes of cargo annually.