(THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA.COM)
First trial run successfully completed on the new #IBP route to tripura from Bangladesh. A landmark moment for Inland Water Transportation IWT. The vessel with cement shipment was recieved by the Chief Minister Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb at Sonamura.

The background
A new route Sonamura – Daudkandi – Sonamura, as IBP route 9 & 10, was added in the 2nd addendum to the PIWT&T in May 2020 with Sonamura (Tripura) and Daudkandi (Bangladesh) declared as additional ports of call for vessels plying on IBP routes. The inclusion, of this 93 km stretch of Gumti River in the protocol, was a landmark step to enhance the connectivity of Tripura & adjoining North East States with Mainland India as well as Bangladesh via IWT mode.On the Indo – Bangladesh border at the bank of River Gumti at Srimantapur (Sonamura), an adjacent Land Custom Station (LCS) already exists with good and new infrastructure facilities such as custom bound truck parking area, customs office, immigration and allied facilities. IWAI has constructed a floating HDPE enveloped MS Steel pontoon adjacent to the Srimantapur LCS at an estimated cost of Rs. 65 lakhs.Sriman.