India’s first-ever river ferry terminal coming up in Guwahati by December 2024

Guwahati is set to receive India's first modern river ferry terminal by December 2024, with the Inland Water Transportation (IWT) sector leading the construction of the Guwahati Gateway Ghat Terminal.

A river ferry terminal will be built at Brahmaputra in the Fancy Bazaar opposite the World Bank-funded parking structure.

Once completed, the terminal will ensure the safe transportation of passengers throughout the year in the capital and nearby ghats. This Rs 340 crore project promises to end the problems facing the inland waterway ferries during the monsoon season when the Brahmaputra river rises at an alarming rate.

IWT (Assam) director Partha Pegu while speaking to the media said that the terminal will be equipped with all modern facilities providing a safe mode of transport for passengers.
 
Pegu further added that the terminal will include cafes, canteens, ramps and parking lots to provide passengers with a comfortable experience similar to that enjoyed by people in countries like Singapore.

He said the central government is focused on improving waterway connectivity as a cost-effective means of transport, and the Brahmaputra ferry terminal is a step in that direction.

The terminal will initially be used only for passenger ferries, but later will also be used for cruises. Peg said the terminal can accommodate four large ferries at the same time.

The foundation stone for the construction of the ferry terminal was laid by Prime Minister Himanta Biswa Salma in May. The project is being carried out by his L&T GeoStructure, a construction engineering firm in Chennai.

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