https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

India’s Inland Waterways to Get Major Boost: 76 Waterways Operational by 2027, Targets 156 MTPA Cargo Growth

During the meeting of the Consultative Committee on Inland Waterways Transport, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) presented a detailed review of current and future projects, as well as upcoming policy directives.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Mumbai: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, chaired a high-level meeting in Mumbai on Monday, unveiling an ambitious plan to revitalize and expand India’s inland waterways infrastructure. The roadmap includes making 76 waterways operational by 2027 and driving an incremental cargo growth of 156 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by FY 2026. These initiatives are part of the broader Maritime India Vision 2030.

During the meeting of the Consultative Committee on Inland Waterways Transport, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) presented a detailed review of current and future projects, as well as upcoming policy directives. Several Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed their support for the plan, calling for enhanced budgetary allocations to accelerate the development of the sector.

Read More: Centre to Invest Rs1,000 Crore More in Inland Waterways Projects in Northeast by 2026: Sonowal

Expanding the Reach of Inland Waterways

By FY 2027, India aims to significantly increase the reach of inland water transport, expanding from 11 states in FY 2024 to 23 states and 4 Union Territories. This expansion is bolstered by the announcement of Rs 1,400 crore worth of projects in January 2025 under the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) meeting. These projects include extensive longitudinal surveys of 10,000 km to assess the Least Available Depth (LAD) for enhanced navigability.

Minister Sonowal emphasized the growing importance of inland waterways in India’s transport and logistics ecosystem, calling it a “watershed moment” for the sector. He highlighted legislative and programmatic measures, such as the National Waterways Act, 2016, the Inland Vessels Act, 2021, and flagship schemes like the Jal Marg Vikas Project, Arth Ganga, and Jal Samriddhi, which are facilitating this transformation.

Key Infrastructure Developments

One of the focal points of the development plan is the creation of a Regional Waterways Grid to allow seamless movement of vessels along key transport corridors. The Varanasi-Dibrugarh economic corridor, spanning 4,067 km, will be one of the marquee initiatives. This corridor, which will use the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route, is expected to handle 32.2 MMTPA of cargo by 2033.

On National Waterway-1 (NW-1), which runs along the Ganga, a 1,390 km waterway is being upgraded to accommodate 1,500–2,000 DWT vessels. The government is also focusing on developing major cargo terminals in key locations such as Varanasi, Kalughat, Sahibganj, and Haldia to support this growth.

In the Northeast, the government has proposed a Rs 5,000 crore roadmap for developing National Waterways-2 (Brahmaputra), National Waterways-16 (Barak), and National Waterways-31 (Dhansiri). This will include permanent terminals, a Rs 208 crore ship repair facility at Pandu, and a Rs 180 crore road connectivity project to support regional logistics and industries like Numaligarh Refinery Ltd. (NRL).

A Focus on Sustainability

The government is also prioritizing sustainability within the inland waterways sector. As part of this effort, the Harit Nauka guidelines have been introduced to procure electric catamarans and hydrogen fuel cell-powered vessels. Additionally, urban water transport and eco-friendly cruise tourism are being promoted through initiatives such as Water Metro Projects.

The river cruise tourism sector is witnessing impressive growth. Since 2013, the number of luxury cruise vessels operating on Indian rivers has increased from three to 25 in 2024-25. Furthermore, 15 cruise circuits are now operational across 13 National Waterways in nine states, and the government plans to expand this by introducing 51 new circuits by 2027. World-class terminals for river cruises are under construction in Kolkata, and feasibility studies are underway for new terminals in Varanasi and Guwahati.

Promoting Cruise Tourism and Regional Economic Development

Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shantanu Thakur, also addressed the meeting, emphasizing the government’s efforts to expand cruise tourism through strategic partnerships and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with private enterprises. “We are expanding cruise operations across key rivers like the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Yamuna, which will not only boost tourism but also contribute to regional economic development,” he said.

Support from Parliamentarians

The meeting was attended by several Members of Parliament, including Shatrughan Prasad Sinha, Bibhu Prasad Tarai, Hibi Eden, MK Raghavan, Naba Charan Majhi, Abhimanyu Sethi, and Seema Dwivedi. They reviewed the progress of inland waterway projects in states such as Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

The bold plans outlined at the meeting underscore the government’s commitment to revitalizing India’s inland waterways, positioning them as a key component of the nation’s transportation and economic future.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
bureaucracy news
Centre Cracks Down on Corruption: 13 Officers to Face Prosecution, 2 RAS Suspended, 7 Lose Pensions in Action Against 28 Officials
UPSC New Logo
UPSC to Publish Provisional Answer Key After Prelims for First Time, Enabling Objections and Transparency
Snow leopard cubs
Himachal Pradesh Records 83 Snow Leopards as Rare Pallas’s Cat and Flying Squirrel Spotted for First Time
Ministry of Mines
Ministry of Mines Opens ₹1,500 Crore Incentive Scheme for Critical Mineral Recycling in India
ICGS Akshar
ICGS Akshar Commissioned at Karaikal: Indigenous Fast Patrol Vessel Boosts Indian Coast Guard Capabilities
TEC IIIT Naya Raipur
TEC and IIIT Naya Raipur Sign MoU to Drive Innovation in 5G, 6G, and Future Telecom Standards
Bhupendra Patel Gujarat Dipotsavi 2081
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel Unveils Dipotsavi 2081 Celebrating State’s Rich Literary and Cultural Heritage
CEC Gyanesh Kumar
All Eyes on Bihar: EC Reviews Poll Readiness, CEC IAS Gyanesh Kumar Calls Political Parties Pillars of Democracy
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr G K Goswami IPS
Everything you ever wanted to know about e-murder, e-dacoity and data safety
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sagar Datta Majumdar UPSC CSE 2024 AIR 317
“Don’t get trapped in the vicious cycle of self-doubt,” says UPSC Achiever Sagar Datta Majumdar
Discover how Sagar Datta Majumdar from Agartala, Tripura, cracked UPSC CSE 2024 with All India Rank 317....
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
bureaucracy news
Centre Cracks Down on Corruption: 13 Officers to Face Prosecution, 2 RAS Suspended, 7 Lose Pensions in Action Against 28 Officials
UPSC New Logo
UPSC to Publish Provisional Answer Key After Prelims for First Time, Enabling Objections and Transparency
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr G K Goswami IPS
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT