40 New Rescue Boats Inducted to Strengthen Disaster Response in Assam

In a major push to strengthen disaster preparedness, Assam’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta on January 3 handed over 40 motorised high-speed rescue inflatable rubber boats to the Fire and Emergency Services. The handover ceremony was held at the Gateway Terminal in Guwahati.

The new boats are expected to enhance rapid response and rescue capabilities, particularly during floods and other water-related emergencies that frequently affect the state.

Officials said the equipment will significantly improve the operational efficiency of the Fire and Emergency Services and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

The programme was attended by senior officials, including ADGP and Director of Fire & Emergency Services Surendra Kumar, ASDMA’s Minakshi Das Nath, and other senior officers from the Fire & Emergency Services, SDRF, and Inland Water Transport Development Society.

Officials said the boats were equipped with 30-horsepower engines, life jackets and advanced rescue equipment, enabling the evacuation of eight to ten people at a time. SDRF personnel conducted a procession of 15 boats on the Brahmaputra and demonstrated rescue drills during the event.

ASDMA stated that it had so far provided 301 such high-speed boats to the SDRF, including 52 during the 2025–26 financial year, as part of efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness across Assam.

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