The government has set a target to operationalise 76 waterways by 2027, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced during a Consultative Committee meeting on Inland Waterways Transport held in Mumbai on Monday.
Chairing the meeting, Sonowal also projected that cargo traffic is expected to grow significantly to 156 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by March 2026, inching closer to the Maritime India Vision 2030 target of 200 MTPA.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) presented a detailed overview of ongoing projects and upcoming initiatives, highlighting major infrastructure developments across the country’s inland waterways network.
According to a statement from the Ministry, inland water transport coverage will expand from 11 states in FY 2024 to 23 states and 4 Union Territories by FY 2027. To support this growth, the government has already launched or announced projects worth ₹1,400 crore, as revealed during the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) meeting in January 2025.
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance navigability, IWAI is conducting 10,000 km of monthly longitudinal surveys to assess the Least Available Depth (LAD) for vessels.
“Inland waterways are emerging as the watershed moment in India’s logistics and transport ecosystem. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we are witnessing a transformational shift with policy interventions like the National Waterways Act, 2016, the Inland Vessels Act, 2021 and supplemented by multiple programmes like Jal Marg Vikas Project, Arth Ganga, Jalvahak scheme, Jal Samriddhi scheme, Jalyan & Navic among others,” Sonowal said
“Through Maritime India Vision 2030 and the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. These roadmaps are not just policy documents—they are catalysts driving India toward becoming a global maritime powerhouse,” he added
Focus on Regional Connectivity
The meeting also featured discussions on the Regional Waterways Grid, a proposed 4,067-km economic corridor facilitating seamless vessel movement from Varanasi to Dibrugarh, Karimganj, and Badarpur via the India-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route. A traffic study and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the renovation of the Jangipur navigation lock is underway, with the cargo potential of the project estimated at 32.2 MMTPA by 2033.
“The Regional Waterways Grid aims to seamlessly connect Assam and the Northeast with the rest of India through an integrated network of inland waterways. This will boost regional trade, tourism, and connectivity while unlocking economic potential across the Brahmaputra and Barak River systems. Government is also working on a ₹5,000 crore roadmap for Inland Waterways Development in Northeast Over Next 5 Years,” Sonowal said
Infrastructure Expansion on Key Waterways
On NW-1 (Ganga), a 1,390-km corridor is being developed to support 1,500–2,000 DWT vessels, with cargo terminals at Varanasi, Kalughat, Sahibganj, and Haldia.
On NW-2 (Brahmaputra), four permanent terminals (Dhubri, Jogighopa, Pandu, Bogibeel) and 13 floating terminals are being enhanced. A ₹208 crore ship repair facility at Pandu and a ₹180 crore alternative road project are slated for completion by 2026 and 2025, respectively.
On NW-16 (Barak), active terminals exist at Karimganj and Badarpur, while NW-31 (Dhansiri) is being developed to support Numaligarh Refinery’s expansion.
Green Transport and Cruise Tourism
Sonowal stressed the development of eco-friendly transport solutions under the Harit Nauka Guidelines, including procurement of electric catamarans and hydrogen fuel-cell vessels. Efforts are also underway to strengthen urban water transport via water metro projects and promote green cruise tourism.
India’s river cruise sector has witnessed exponential growth, with 15 cruise circuits currently operational across 13 National Waterways in nine states. The number of waterways supporting cruises has risen from just 3 in 2013–14 to 13 in 2024–25, and luxury river cruise vessels have grown from 3 to 25 during the same period.
To further accelerate inland tourism, the ministry has identified 51 additional cruise circuits across 47 NWs for development by 2027. Three world-class cruise terminals are in the pipeline—Kolkata is under construction, while feasibility studies for Varanasi and Guwahati are being conducted by IIT Madras. Four more terminals at Silghat, Bishwanath Ghat, Neamati, and Guijan are planned by 2027.
Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shantanu Thakur, who was also present, highlighted efforts to enhance river cruise tourism.
“Special efforts are underway to advance river cruise tourism across India by developing modern cruise terminals and related infrastructure. Through strategic partnerships and MoUs with private enterprises, we are boosting luxury river cruises on the Ganga and Brahmaputra, while also expanding cruise tourism on the Yamuna, Narmada, and key rivers in Jammu & Kashmir. These initiatives not only promote tourism but also contribute to sustainable economic growth in the regions we serve,” Thakur said.
The meeting was attended by several Members of Parliament, including Shatrughan Prasad Sinha (Asansol, West Bengal), Bibhu Prasad Tarai (Jagdispur, Odisha), Hibi Eden (Ernakulam, Kerala), M.K. Raghavan (Kozhikode, Kerala), Naba Charan Majhi (Mayurbhanj, Odisha), Abhimanyu Sethi (Odisha) and Seema Dwivedi (Rajya Sabha, Uttar Pradesh).
