Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated an elevated road corridor connecting Pandu Port in Guwahati to National Highway-27.
He also laid the foundation stone for the Cruise Terminal at Biswanath Ghat, performed the Bhoomi Pujan for the Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE) at Bogibeel, Dibrugarh, and initiated the Cruise Terminal at Neamati.
The four projects, with a combined investment of Rs 526 crore, aim to strengthen infrastructure along National Waterway-2 (NW-2) on the Brahmaputra River. They are being implemented by the Inland Waterways Authority of India under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Prime Minister Modi said, “Tourism in Assam is no longer limited to just travel and sightseeing, it is becoming a new engine of local development and public prosperity.” He added that the projects would expand water tourism, create jobs for youth, and provide new markets for artisans, shopkeepers, boatmen, and hospitality workers.
The programme was held at Jyoti-Bishnu Auditorium in Guwahati, attended by Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and other dignitaries.
PM Modi said Assam is emerging as a model for the Northeast and called for collective efforts for a “Viksit Assam.” He also expressed his gratitude for visiting Maa Kamakhya ahead of Navratri: “I have been blessed with the fortune of having your darshan on this pious land of Maa Kamakhya, just before Navratri begins.”
Union Minister Sonowal said, “Prime Minister Modi ji has done what decades of governance could not — he has turned the Northeast from a region of promise into a region of progress. The Brahmaputra is no longer just a river. Under his leadership, it is becoming a highway of opportunity for millions of people. The upcoming cruise terminals at Biswanath Ghat and Neamati will act as new livelihood platforms for enriching thousands of families along the river. The Regional Centre of Excellence at Bogibeel ensures this growth is sustainable by building the skilled human capital to expand this ecosystem for the benefit of the next generation.”
The elevated road corridor, built at Rs 180 crore, improves last-mile connectivity to Pandu Port and reduces logistics costs. The RCoE, with an investment of Rs 188 crore, will train over 5,000 students annually in inland navigation and maritime logistics.
The two cruise terminals, costing Rs 158 crore, will enhance passenger amenities, cruise operations, and local economic opportunities.
Together, these initiatives aim to boost trade, tourism, skill development, and employment along NW-2, advancing the government’s vision of developing the Brahmaputra as a major logistics and tourism corridor for Assam and the Northeast.