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.

Source: IE