A Ride through the Inland Waterways of India

The Union Budget 2026-27 has announced to operationalise 20 new National Waterways (NWs) over the next 5 years.

Scale of the Network
- India has 111 National Waterways (NWs) spanning 20,187 km across 23 States and 4 Union Territories.
- As of March 2026, 32 NWs are operational, covering 5,155 km.
- The Union Budget 2026–27 announced plans to operationalise 20 new NWs in the next 5 years.

Cargo & Passenger Growth
- Cargo transport reached 145.84 MMT in FY 2024–25 and 198 MMT by Feb 2026.
- Passenger traffic surged from 1.61 crore (2023–24) to 7.6 crore (2024–25).
- Inland waterways now support cargo, cruise, and passenger services on multiple NWs, with 11 waterways offering all three modes.

Infrastructure & Policy Push
- Jal Marg Vikas Project (NW-1): ₹5,061 crore project to improve navigability on the Ganga (Varanasi–Haldia stretch). Cargo movement here grew 220% in a decade.
- Arth Ganga (JMVP-II): Focuses on socio-economic development along the Ganga, with 66 community jetties already operational.
- Jalvahak Cargo Promotion Scheme (2024): Incentivises cargo shift to waterways, reimbursing up to 35% of operating costs.
- Harit Nauka Guidelines (2024): Targets 30% carbon intensity reduction by 2030 and 100% green vessels by 2047.

Tourism & Regional Development
- River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047: Identifies 34 NWs plus Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes for cruise tourism.
- Cruise voyages rose 19.4% in one year (371 in 2023–24 → 443 in 2024–25).
- North-East focus: Major investments in NW-2 (Brahmaputra) and NW-16 (Barak), with new cruise terminals at Guwahati, Neamati, Silghat, and Guijan.

Digital Modernisation
- CAR-D Portal: Tracks cargo and cruise data.
- LADIS: Shares real-time water depth info.
- River Information Services (RIS): Enables vessel tracking and voyage planning.
- PANI & Jal Samriddhi Portals: Support e-navigation and digital approvals for jetties/terminals.

The Way Forward
India aims to raise inland waterways’ cargo share from 2% to 5% by 2030, and to 12% (with coastal shipping) by 2047. The strategy blends infrastructure, green transition, tourism, and digital governance—turning rivers into engines of growth, sustainability, and inclusion.