Sonamura-Daudkandi Inland Waterway Route | 12 Sep 2020
Why in News
Recently, Sonamura-Daudkandi inland waterway route between India and Bangladesh was operationalised.
- Daudkandi is in Bangladesh, while Sonamura is in Tripura, India.
Key Points
- Sonamura-Daudkandi Route: The inland waterway route over river Gumati was included in the list of Indo-Bangla Protocol (IBP) routes in May 2020.
- It connects Tripura with the National Waterways of India through Bangladesh.
- Benefit of the Route:
- It will improve the connectivity of Tripura and the adjoining States with Indian and Bangladesh’s economic centers and will help the hinterland of both the countries.
- It will open up new avenues for economic development in both the countries.
- Protocol on Transit and Trade: Bangladesh and India have a long standing and time-tested Protocol on Transit and Trade through inland waterways.
- It provides inland waterways connectivity between the two countries, particularly with the North Eastern Region of India and also enhances bilateral trade.
- This Protocol was first signed in 1972.
- It was last renewed in for five years with a provision for its automatic renewal for a further period of five years.
Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Routes
- As per the IBP on Inland Water Transit & Trade, inland vessels of one country can transit through the specified routes of the other country.
- The existing protocol routes are:
- Kolkata-Pandu-Kolkata
- Kolkata-Karimganj - Kolkata
- Rajshahi-Dhulian-Rajshahi
- Pandu-Karimganj-Pandu
- Sonamura-Daudkandi
- Under the Protocol, 50:50 cargo sharing by Indian and Bangladeshi vessels is permitted both for transit and inter country trade.
- Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the Competent Authority on Indian side.
River Gumati
- It is the largest and longest river of Tripura with a cumulative length of 180 km.
- Dumbur dam is built over the river.
- The river meets with river Meghna in Bangladesh.