The Government of India has laid the foundation stones for four river lighthouses along the Brahmaputra River, marking the first time lighthouse infrastructure will be established on an inland waterway in India. The project will be developed along National Waterway 2 (NW-2), one of the country’s key inland cargo and passenger transport corridors. These lighthouses will support 24×7 safe navigation on the Brahmaputra waterway.
Locations of the River Lighthouses
The four lighthouses will be constructed at strategic points along the Brahmaputra River:
- Bogibeel – Dibrugarh district
- Pandu – Kamrup (Metro) district
- Silghat – Nagaon district
- Biswanath Ghat – Biswanath district
Among these:
- The first three are located on the south bank of the Brahmaputra.
- Biswanath Ghat is the only site on the north bank.
Institutional Collaboration
The project is being implemented through collaboration between:
- Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL)
- Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DGLL and IWAI was signed in April 2025 covering all four sites.
- Sites were transferred to DGLL through Right of Use agreements in June 2025.
- Each lighthouse is expected to be completed within 24 months after contract award.
Project Cost and Technical Specifications
- Total project outlay: Approximately ₹84 crore
- Height of each lighthouse: 20 metres
- Geographical range: 14 nautical miles
- Luminous range: 8–10 nautical miles
- Energy source: Fully powered by solar energy
Need for the Project
- The project responds to a 53% surge in cargo movement on the Brahmaputra waterway during FY 2024–25, according to the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
- The Brahmaputra corridor plays a crucial role in transporting tea, coal and fertiliser. It also supports passenger transport and river tourism.
- The lighthouses will also host weather observation sensors, improving navigation safety.
About Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL)
- It is the statutory authority responsible for providing, maintaining, and managing general aids to marine navigation along India’s 11,098 km coastline and inland waterways
- Headquarters: Noida
- It functions as a subordinate office under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Government of India.
About National Waterway-2
- National Waterway 2 runs along the Brahmaputra River from Dhubri to Sadiya in Assam.
- Length: 891 km
- It is the longest navigable stretch of any inland waterway in India.