The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) under the leadership of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, has provided information in the Rajya Sabha regarding the ongoing construction of bridges over the Brahmaputra river. Presently, five bridges are under construction across the Brahmaputra River, which extends 891 km from Dhubri to Sadia, officially declared as National Waterway-2 ((NW-2) in September 1988.

According to the Inland Waterways Authority of India (Classification of Waterways in India) Regulations, 2006, as amended in 2016 and 2022, the Brahmaputra River from Dhubri to Dibrugarh is classified as a Class-VII waterway, requiring a minimum horizontal clearance of 100 mtrs. between the two piers and a minimum vertical clearance of 10 mtrs. The stretch from Dibrugarh to Sadia is classified as a Class-V waterway, requiring a minimum horizontal clearance of 80 mtrs. between the two piers and a minimum vertical clearance of eight mtrs.

The construction of any bridge over a national waterway requires obtaining a 'No Objection Certificate' (NoC) from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to meet the essential parameters related to horizontal and vertical clearances, which are critical for maintaining safe navigation. The Ministry also confirmed that the NoC for constructing a bridge connecting Bharalumukh (South Guwahati) to North Guwahati, was issued by the IWAI in 2018 to the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). The bridge adheres to necessary regulations, facilitating the safe and efficient movement of vessels along the waterway.