A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is set to be signed on Friday (May 19) in Guwahati, marking the development of a ‘Riverine based tourism Circuit’ along the Brahmaputra River. The agreement will be made between the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Sagarmala Development Company Limited (SDCL), Assam Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ATDC), and Directorate of Inland Water Transport (DIWT) Assam.
The MoU signing ceremony will witness the presence of Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Chief Minister of Assam, and Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
This project, which falls under the Sagarmala Programme, will be initiated with an estimated cost of Rs 40-45 crores. According to an official statement, SDCL and IWAI will collectively contribute 55% of the project’s cost, while the remaining portion will be financed by ATDC. Furthermore, DIWT has agreed to provide the usage of Ghats near the temples at no charge for the project.
The Sagarmala project aims to establish a connection between seven historic temples in Guwahati: Kamakhya, Pandunath, Ashwaklanta, Doul Govinda, Umananda, Chakreshwar, and Auniati Satra. The circuit will commence its journey from Hanuman Ghat, Uzan Bazar, and will traverse all the aforementioned temples via waterways.
Once operational, the ferry service is expected to significantly reduce travel time, enabling completion of one complete circuit in less than two hours.
