The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, announced that the government aims to operationalise 76 waterways by 2027 and expects inland cargo traffic to grow to 156 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by March 2026—approaching the Maritime India Vision 2030 target of 200 MTPA. Speaking at a Consultative Committee meeting in Mumbai, he highlighted the expansion of inland water transport from 11 states in FY 2024 to 23 states and 4 Union Territories by FY 2027. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is actively enhancing navigability through monthly surveys and infrastructure development, supported by ₹1,400 crore worth of projects.
The government is also progressing on a ₹5,000 crore roadmap to develop waterways in the Northeast, including a proposed 4,067-km Regional Waterways Grid to improve connectivity from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via the India-Bangladesh Protocol route. Key waterways such as NW-1 (Ganga), NW-2 (Brahmaputra), NW-16 (Barak), and NW-31 (Dhansiri) are undergoing significant upgrades, including terminals, ship repair facilities, and road connectivity.
In addition to infrastructure, the focus is on eco-friendly initiatives and boosting river cruise tourism. Under the Harit Nauka Guidelines, the ministry is promoting electric and hydrogen-fueled vessels, water metro projects, and sustainable transport. River cruise tourism has expanded significantly, with 15 operational circuits and the number of luxury cruise vessels increasing from 3 in 2013–14 to 25 in 2024–25. The ministry plans to develop 51 new cruise circuits and build world-class terminals in Kolkata, Varanasi, and Guwahati, with additional ones planned in Assam. Minister of State Shantanu Thakur emphasized strategic partnerships to enhance cruise tourism across major rivers like the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, and Narmada, driving regional economic growth and sustainable tourism.
