The Government of Assam (GoA) has taken up a Project titled ‘Assam Inland Water Transport Project’ to transform the quality of inland water transport services and integrate high quality passenger and vehicle ferry services into Assam’s wider transport network through financing from World Bank. A society in the name and style of ‘Assam Inland Water Transport Development Society ‘ has been formed by the GoA under Transport Department to implement the Project. The Project will not only help in promoting the use of Inland Water Transport as eco-friendly, economic and convenient mode of transport but will also result in regional & economic development of Assam and nearby states as well as in providing better connectivity and access to the hinterland where the ‘ infrastructure’ is quite rudimentary.

A massive ferry disaster took place on 30th April, 2012 of the river passenger ferry ‘SB Panch Bhai", which was travelling from Kachari Ghat, Dhubri to Medertari Ghat, reportedly with 213 persons on board including passengers and crew. A total of 41 dead bodies were recovered, 8 persons are reported to be missing after incident. The number of passengers and crew who survived stands at 164, including 35 injured passengers.

The Government of Assam vide Notification No. PLA. 247/2012/2 dated 1st May, 2012 constituted a One-Man Enquiry Committee headed by Shri Jitesh Khosla, IAS, then "Additional Chief Secretary" to the Government of Assam, to enquire the incident of ferry accident in Bura Buri Channel of Brahmaputra River near Mederatari Ghat at 5:30pm on 30th April, 2012 under Fakiraganj Police Station of Dhubri District. The report concluded that the enforcement envisaged in the statutory framework to ensure river worthiness and safety of vessels plying on the river, was not done for the river in question. As per the Report, reason for this is more likely systematic rather than individual negligence. Indeed, such reasons could be lack of personnel, absence of training, knowledge, equipment, capacity etc. The Report recommended to set-up a River Transport Regulator along with many other suggestive measures to improve the inland water transport considering safety of passengers.