In a major push under the Act East Policy, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed an agreement with Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Ltd to build the first slipway or ship repairing facility on the banks of Brahmaputra river, thenationalwaterway-2, at Pandu here. The agreement was inked in presence of Union minister for ports, shipping and waterwaysSarbananda Sonowaland Asam chief ministerHimanta Biswa Sarma.

With technical support from the IIT-Madras, the facility will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 75 crore over 3.67 acres of land provided by the Assam government at Pandu and is expected to be completed by August 2023.

Sharing nearly 4,500 kilometres of International Border with neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Myanmar, the region is strategically and economically crucial for being the gateway to the southeast Asian countries. Also, the regions connectivity with the other parts of the country by means of protracted modes of transport has become a thrust area for the government.

To include most of the hinterlands of the NE region, 20 waterways have been declared as national waterways, to provide access to Kolkata and Haldia .