The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, under the leadership of Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, has provided detailed information in the Rajya Sabha today regarding the ongoing construction of bridges over the Brahmaputra River, which is part of National Waterway-2. Presently, five bridges are under construction across the Brahmaputra River, which extends 891 kilometers from Dhubri to Sadia and was officially declared as National Waterway-2 in September 1988.

The construction of any bridge over a National Waterway necessitates obtaining a "No Objection Certificate" (NoC) from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). This requirement ensures that the bridges meet the essential parameters related to horizontal and vertical clearances, which are critical for maintaining safe navigation. According to the Inland Waterways Authority of India (Classification of Waterways in India) Regulations, 2006, as amended in 2016 and 2022, the Brahmaputra River from Dhubri to Dibrugarh is classified as a Class-VII waterway, requiring a minimum horizontal clearance of 100 meters between the two piers and a minimum vertical clearance of 10 meters. The stretch from Dibrugarh to Sadia is classified as a Class-V waterway, requiring a minimum horizontal clearance of 80 meters between the two piers and a minimum vertical clearance of 8 meters.

The Ministry also confirmed that the NoC for constructing a bridge over the Brahmaputra River, connecting Bharalumukh (South Guwahati) to North Guwahati, was issued by the IWAI on 28th February 2018 to the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). This clearance ensures that the bridge adheres to the necessary regulations, facilitating the safe and efficient movement of vessels along the waterway.

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MJPS/AK