Agartala: In a move to enhance trade between Tripura and Bangladesh, the Central government has initiated a project to connect the Gomati River in the state with the Meghna River in the neighboring country, allocating Rs 24.52 crore for the purpose.

Speaking with Business North East, Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury revealed that the project involves the dredging of the Gomati River from Sonamura in the Sepahijala District to Udaipur in the Gomati District of Tripura, covering a distance of approximately 40 km. Additionally, the installation of 9 floating jetties and measures to prevent river bank erosion are planned.

Chowdhury stated, "The Union Government's Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has taken the initiative to link the Gomati River in the state with the Meghna River in Bangladesh. The central government has already sanctioned Rs 24.52 crore for the construction of internal waterways in the state. In the said project, dredging of the Gomti River from Sonamura to Udaipur (40 km), installation of 9 floating jetties, and prevention of river bank erosion will be done."

He further mentioned that the Inland Waterways Authority of India had constructed a temporary floating jetty at Srimantapur in Sonamura under the Sepahijala district of Tripura, handed over to the Land Ports Authority of India on July 7, 2020.

"The embankment and excavation work is currently being carried out by the State Water Resources Department. Moreover, the Sonamura (Tripura)-Daudkandi (Bangladesh) river route was declared an international water communication protocol route on May 5, 2020, for the implementation of this plan. This protocol route will be linked to National Waterway-1 (River Ganges), National Waterway-2 (River Brahmaputra), National Waterway-16 (River Barak), and the Kaladan River in Myanmar. Consequently, Tripura will be connected with other states of mainland India and neighboring states of Southeast Asia through the waterway," the Minister added.

Chowdhury mentioned that the proposal to extend the Sonamura-Daudkandi protocol route up to Udaipur (40 km) in Tripura is under consideration by the central government. In the future, this waterway is expected to connect Tripura's Sonamura port to Bangladesh's Chittagong port and Kolkata's Haldia port.

The transport minister also revealed that the state transport department has already disbursed Rs 2 crore 90 lakh 50 thousand to the public works department for the dredging work of the Gomati River, increasing navigability, and reinforcing river bank barriers.

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