Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday described India’s rivers as “highways of progress,” highlighting the country’s ongoing efforts to transform waterways into key components of national logistics and tourism infrastructure.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “India’s rivers are not just symbols of heritage, they are highways of progress!” He also shared an article by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, which focuses on India’s rejuvenated waterways and their role in achieving a Viksit Bharat.
In his article, Sonowal noted that India’s rivers once served as vital trade routes, carrying goods such as grain and salt from Patna and Dibrugarh to Kolkata, long before the advent of modern road transport. He said the government, through the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), has been working to rediscover and develop these traditional waterways as efficient and sustainable logistics channels.
The minister stated that India currently has over 14,500 kilometres of navigable waterways, with 111 declared as national waterways, compared to only five in 2014. Of these, 32 are operational.
He added that this expansion represents a tenfold increase and reflects the government’s focus on multimodal connectivity to reduce fuel use, lower emissions, and provide cost-effective transport solutions.
According to the article, cargo movement through inland waterways has grown from 18 million tonnes in 2013–14 to 145 million tonnes in 2024–25, with targets of 200 million tonnes by 2030 and 250 million tonnes by 2047.
Sonowal also highlighted the rise in river tourism, with 25 cruise vessels now operating across 13 waterways, compared to just five a decade ago. Facilities along the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Kerala backwaters have been upgraded with electric shore power and 24-hour navigation systems to ensure safe and sustainable operations.