Sarbananda Sonowal dedicates IWT terminal at Jogighopa to nation

Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Jogighopa as he dedicated it to the people of the nation today. Marking the occasion, a ship with two barges was flagged off MV Trishul, along with Barges Ajay & Dikshu, by the Union Minister with 110 metric tonnes of coal along with stone chips to Bangladesh. The foundation stone for the Terminal was laid by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in February, 2021.

The terminal holds strategic importance as it is located at a distance of 91 km from Gelephu in Bhutan, 108 km from Bangladesh border and 147 km from Guwahati. This makes it crucial for India’s bilateral trade ties with Bangladesh and Bhutan. The Jogighopa terminal is also one of the declared Ports of call under PIWT&T between India and Bangladesh. By the year 2027, this terminal is expected to handle a cargo of 1.1 million tonnes per annum. The MV Padma Navigation II ship along with Barges Ajay and Dikshu are carrying 110 Metric Tonnes of coal, while MV Trishul is carrying stone chips to Bangladesh. 

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, said, “Today marks a historic day for the waterways transportation sector in the country as we dedicate the IWT Terminal at Jogighopa to the people and to the nation. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the waterways transportation has been undergoing a tremendous transformation propelling India’s logistics growth, propelling us towards Modi ji’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’. The IWT terminal at Jogighopa is set to transform the connectivity in the region and bolster our trilateral trade with Bhutan and Bangladesh. Its strategic position allows it to play the role of an economic multiplier for the region, a testament to PM Narendra Modi’s doctrine of ‘Neighbourhood First.’”