Assam Revives River Trade with First Cargo Trial Run on National Waterway-57
In a landmark move for Assam’s sustainable logistics and inland water transport, the National Waterway-57 (River Kopili) has been made operational with the first-ever cargo trial run. The vessel MV VV Giri transported 300 metric tonnes of cement from M/s Star Cement, covering a 300-kilometre route from Govardhan Bridge in Chandrapur, Kamrup to Hatsingimari in South Samara. The journey, which took 12–14 hours, traversed the Kopili River (NW-57) and the Brahmaputra River (NW-2).
This marks the revival of intra-state river-based cargo movement in Assam after more than a decade. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal hailed the initiative as a "watershed moment" for the Inland Waterways sector in Assam and the Northeast. With this development, over 1,168 km of National Waterways in Assam are now operational.
Hailing the development as a breakthrough in Assam’s logistics transformation, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “This is a watershed moment for Assam. With the operationalisation of NW-57 on River Kopili, we are not only reviving a lost artery of trade within the state, but also taking a major step towards building an inland water transport system that is economical, efficient, and environmentally sustainable. For far too long, the rich inter web of riverine transportation remained neglected post independence. Today, with the resumption of cargo movement on four National Waterways of Assam, on Brahmaputra (NW 2), Barak (NW 16), Dhansiri (NW31) & Kopili (NW 57), we have made 1168 kms of waterways operational, offering a reasonable, economic and effective alternative mode of transportation. This will not only decongest our roads but also bring economies of scale for our many riverine communities in Assam to prosper and secure opportunities.”
“Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India has placed a strong focus on revitalising our inland waterways to create multimodal logistics corridors. Assam is an important state in this regard as IWAI, the nodal agency of our ministry, is working on multiple projects to unlock value across our river ways. From Brahmaputra to Barak, from Dhansiri to now Kopili, this is only the beginning to power the growth of the region with empowered inland waterways. Reviving waterways like the Kopili is a direct contribution to Modiji’s vision of a thriving and self-reliant Northeast,” Shri Sarbananda Sonowal added.
Highlighting the practical implications of the move, the Union Minister noted, “By shifting freight movement from road to waterways, we reduce emissions, ease road congestion, and lower logistics costs, all while making better use of our natural resources. Today’s trial run replaces roughly 23 truckloads of cement, that’s the power and potential of inland water transport.”
This is the first cargo trial movement on the 46 kms long NW-57 since 2014, making it a turning point in the revival of intra-state cargo through Assam’s river systems. The operationalisation of this route is in line with the Maritime India Vision 2030 and PM Gati Shakti, which aim to establish sustainable, integrated, and efficient transport infrastructure across the country.
