India has begun constructing its first riverine lighthouses along the Brahmaputra River under National Waterway-2 (NW-2) to strengthen inland water navigation infrastructure. Best Book for Current Affairs & General Knowledge Preparation
The foundation stones were laid by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, marking the first lighthouse infrastructure on an inland waterway in India.
Key Locations of the Lighthouses
Four riverine lighthouses will be constructed at strategic points along NW-2 in Assam.
Proposed Sites
Pandu (Kamrup Metro district)
Bogibeel (Dibrugarh district)
Silghat (Nagaon district)
Biswanath Ghat (Biswanath district)
These locations lie along the Brahmaputra’s National Waterway-2, an important cargo and passenger corridor in Northeast India.
Technical Features of the Lighthouses
Each lighthouse will be around 20 metres tall and operate using solar power.
The structures will have a geographical range of about 14 nautical miles and a luminous range of 8–10 nautical miles.
They will also include weather observation sensors to assist vessels navigating the river.
Importance for Inland Water Transport
The lighthouses will enable 24×7 safe navigation, addressing the major limitation of restricted night navigation on rivers.
This development comes as cargo movement on NW-2 increased by about 53% in FY 2024-25, according to the Inland Waterways Authority of India.
About National Waterway-2 (NW-2)
NW-2 runs along the Brahmaputra River from Dhubri to Sadiya, covering about 891 km.
It is considered the longest navigable inland waterway stretch in India and plays a crucial role in regional trade and connectivity in Northeast India.
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