India to Operationalise 76 Waterways by 2027, Targeting 156 MTPA Cargo Surge: Sonowal

Mumbai: India is poised for a major transformation in its inland waterways network, with 76 waterways set to become operational by 2027 and cargo volumes expected to rise by 156 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by the end of FY 2026, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced on Tuesday.

Chairing a meeting of the Consultative Committee on Inland Waterways Transport in Mumbai, the Minister highlighted the rapid progress being made under the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and reiterated the government’s commitment to building a future-ready, eco-friendly, and efficient logistics network.

“Inland waterways are emerging as a watershed moment in India’s transport sector,” Sonowal said. “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s leadership, transformational policies like the National Waterways Act, 2016 and Inland Vessels Act, 2021, along with flagship programmes like Jal Marg Vikas, Arth Ganga, and Jal Samriddhi, are reshaping India’s maritime vision.”

The footprint of inland water transport is set to expand from 11 states in FY 2024 to 23 states and 4 Union Territories by FY 2027, backed by investments worth ₹1,400 crore, launched during the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) meet in January 2025. The IWAI is currently conducting 10,000 km of monthly surveys to assess navigability and ensure continuous Least Available Depth (LAD).

The ambitious roadmap contributes to achieving the Maritime India Vision 2030 target of 200 MTPA cargo movement through inland waterways.

One of the key developments is the Regional Waterways Grid, a strategic 4,067 km economic corridor connecting Varanasi to Dibrugarh, Karimganj, and Badarpur via the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route. A traffic study and DPR are underway for the Jangipur navigation lock, with an estimated cargo potential of 32.2 MTPA by 2033.

Work is progressing on National Waterway 1 (Ganga), a 1,390 km waterway being developed to support 1,500–2,000 DWT vessels, with cargo terminals at Varanasi, Kalughat, Sahibganj, and Haldia. In the Northeast, a ₹5,000 crore roadmap over five years will boost infrastructure on NW-2 (Brahmaputra) and NW-16 (Barak), including the development of permanent terminals and a ₹208 crore ship repair facility at Pandu.

In line with the Harit Nauka Guidelines, the Ministry is promoting eco-friendly vessels, including electric catamarans and hydrogen fuel cell-powered boats. Water metro projects and cruise tourism are central to this green push. Sonowal emphasized that the government is “paving the way for a cleaner, greener future in inland waterway transport.”

India’s river cruise industry has seen unprecedented growth, with 15 cruise circuits now active across 13 National Waterways, up from just 3 in 2013-14. Luxury cruise vessels have also surged from three to 25 during this period. To sustain this momentum, 51 new cruise circuits on 47 waterways are being developed by 2027.

Three world-class cruise terminals are underway, including one in Kolkata, while feasibility studies for Varanasi and Guwahati terminals are in progress by IIT Madras. Additional terminals will come up at Silghat, Bishwanath Ghat, Neamati, and Guijan.

Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Shantanu Thakur highlighted ongoing collaborations with private players to promote luxury cruises on rivers such as the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, and Narmada, emphasizing their potential to drive tourism and regional economic growth.