Revolutionary Jogighopa IWT Terminal: Ushering a New Era of Thrilling Trade with Bhutan and Bangladesh
In a significant development for regional trade and transportation, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Bhutan’s Minister of Industries, Commerce, and Employment, Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji, inaugurated a cutting-edge Inland Water Transport (IWT) terminal at Jogighopa on the Brahmaputra River in Assam. This terminal, part of National Waterways-2, is positioned to become a pivotal international port, facilitating enhanced trade and cargo movement for Bhutan and Bangladesh, as well as boosting logistics in Assam and the broader northeastern region of India.
Strategically located near the upcoming Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in Bongaigaon district, the Jogighopa terminal is just 91 kilometers from Gelephu in Bhutan, where a modern city is under development. Its connectivity extends through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route, linking Bangladesh, South Assam’s Barak Valley, and other parts of India. The terminal will handle a diverse range of commodities, including food grains, fertilizers, coal, oil products, and stone chips. An official statement indicated plans to establish a railway broad-gauge siding connecting the terminal with MMLP. By 2027, the terminal is projected to manage 1.1 million tonnes of cargo annually.
Additionally, the MV Padma Navigation II ship and associated barges were launched, transporting 110 metric tonnes of coal and stone chips to Bangladesh. Sonowal highlighted the project’s role in enhancing regional connectivity and economic collaboration, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
Built at a cost of over Rs 82 crores, the terminal is equipped with an RCC jetty, ELL crane, administrative and customs offices, and extensive storage facilities. It covers 15 acres and is connected by a 4-lane road to MMLP and NH17. This initiative aligns with the India-Bangladesh MoU for developing an economic corridor under the Bharat Mala Program, emphasizing the Jogighopa terminal’s crucial role in regional trade and transit along the IBP route.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/jogighopa-iwt-terminal-to-usher-in-new-era-of-trade-with-bhutan-bdesh/articleshow/118365394.cms
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Publish Date: 2025-02-18 23:26:00
