First river terminal in Guwahati nears completion

Guwahati: India's first modern river ferry terminal, which is being built on the south bank of Brahmaputra in Guwahati, is nearing completion. The construction work on the Guwahati Gateway Ghat (GGG) was inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in 2022.

In February, Assam's Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, during a state Assembly session, announced that 60% of the highly-anticipated had already been completed.

GGG, funded by the World Bank through the Assam IWT Project, is located in the commercial hub of Fancy Bazar opposite the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority's (GMDA) multi-level car parking premises. Construction is being undertaken by L&T Geostructures Pvt Ltd.

After the completion of the project, it will ensure safe passage for passengers between Guwahati and nearby ghats all year round. At present, ferry services are usually stopped during the peak monsoons in the state. Temporary stops are issued in case of stormy or windy conditions as well.

Meanwhile, the Inland Water Transport (IT) department of Assam has commenced work on constructing four modular river ferry terminals at North Guwahati, Umananda, Nimatighat, and Aphalamukh, aiming to enhance waterway connectivity across the state. The estimated cost of these four projects is Rs 136.703 crore. The department had in 2022 said that that the GGG project would be completed by December 2024.

Moreover, the time required to travel between several commercial points in the state will be reduced drastically. The new river initiatives could also potentially unlock new economic opportunities.

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