Guwahati (Assam) [India] August 2 : In a historic step towards the revival of Assam's river-based trade and sustainable logistics, National Waterway-57 (River Kopili) was operationalised on Saturday with the first-ever cargo trial run from the Govardhan Bridge in Chandrapur, Kamrup to Hatsingimari in South Samara, an official release said.
The movement marks the resumption of intra-state waterborne freight transport in Assam after more than a decade.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, underlined this development as a "watershed moment" for Inland Waterways Transport in Assam and the Northeast.
The cargo vessel MV VV Giri, equipped with self-loading capacity, carried 300 metric tonnes of cement from M/s Star Cement along the 300-kilometre route on the Kopili River (NW 57) and the Brahmaputra River (NW 2), with a voyage time of approximately 12 to 14 hours.
"With this development, more than 1168 km of National Waterways in Assam has become operational," confirmed Sarbananda Sonowal.

Hailing the development as a breakthrough in Assam's logistics transformation, Union Minister 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 interweb 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," he said.
It 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 Narendra Modi ji, 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 riverways. From Brahmaputra to Barak, from Dhansiri to Kopili, this marks the beginning of empowering inland waterways to drive regional growth. Reviving waterways like the Kopili is a direct contribution to Modiji's vision of a thriving and self-reliant Northeast," 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 km 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.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has been proactively working on unlocking the navigational potential of rivers across the Northeast -- including the Brahmaputra (NW-2), Barak (NW-16), Dhansiri (NW-31) and now Kopili (NW-57).
Sonowal further emphasised, "The Kopili cargo movement is a symbol of the new Assam -- connected, empowered, and aligned with India's growth story. We are determined to build on this success and scale up cargo and passenger movement across all our major rivers. Waterways are not just a mode of transport; they are the arteries of regional prosperity."