CARGOCONNECT-JANUARY2025 - Flipbook - Page 12
C A T A P U L T
Maximising the
Potential of India’s
Inland Waterways
List of new NWs sanctioned under
Phase-I development:
1. NW-8- AlappuzhaChanganassery Canal in Kerala
2. NW-9- Alappuzha-Athirampuza
Canal in Kerala
3. NW-27-Cumberjua River in Goa
4. NW-68- Mandovi River in Goa
5. NW-111- Zuari River in Goa
6. NW-86- River Rupnarayan in
West Bengal
7. NW-97- Sundarbans
Waterways in West Bengal
8. NW-40- Ghaghra River in
UP and Bihar
9. NW-44- Ichamati River in
West Bengal
10. NW-10- Amba River in
Maharashtra
11. NW-28-Dabhol Creek Vashisthi
River in Maharashtra
12. NW-57- Kopili River in Assam
13. NW-31- Dhansiri River in Assam
14. NW-16- River Barak in Assam
12 | CARGOCONNECT JANUARY 2025
T
he government's push
for cargo movement
by inland waterways
(rivers and creeks) has
resulted in a 700%
increase in ferrying of
goods by the greenest transportation
mode in the past 10 years.
Since FY2013-14, cargo movement through inland waterways has
surged exponentially, with the total
tra昀케c increasing from 29.16 million
metric tonnes (MMT) in FY2014-15
to 133.03 MMT in FY2023-24. This
represents an impressive Compound
Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of
18.07%. In FY23-24 alone, 100 MMT
of cargo was transported via inland
waterways by December 2023, a
more than six-fold increase compared to the 18.07 MMT recorded in
FY2013-14. Notably, tra昀케c movement
on National Waterway-1 (NW-1) has
also grown robustly, with a CAGR
of 10.85%.
In line with the ambitious
targets outlined in the Maritime
India Vision 2030 and Maritime
Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, the Inland
Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
aims to increase the share of freight
movement through Inland Water
Transport (IWT) from 2% to 5% by 2030, with the
total tra昀케c volume expected to exceed 200 MMT by
2030 and reach 500 MMT by 2047.
The growth in cargo movement is particularly
evident in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa.
In Maharashtra, the volume of cargo transported via
waterways has increased sixfold, from 10.2 MT in
2013-14 to 63.1 MT in 2023-24. By December 2023,
the state had already transported 52.4 MT of cargo
via inland waterways. Similarly, Gujarat saw its cargo
movement increase to 27.7 MT in FY2022-23, up from
11.5 MT in FY2017-18. By December 2023, nearly 23.5
MT of freight had already been transported via the
Narmada and Tapi waterways.
To support this growth, the development of inland
waterways is being prioritised. In addition to the 昀椀ve
existing NWs (NW-1 to NW-5), the Ministry of Ports,
Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has approved the
development of 14 new NWs across Kerala, Andhra
Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Maharashtra, and Assam, with an estimated investment
of `400 crore in 2024. The IWAI is also focussing on
further developing 16 additional National Waterways,
including NW-3, NW-4, and NW-5, to enhance the
e昀케ciency and capacity of this growing sector.
A Decade of Transformation:
Key Milestones
* The revitalisation of India’s inland waterways system
began with a strategic vision to modernise and expand
the network. A landmark moment came in 2016 when
the Government of India declared 106 new national
waterways, transforming the landscape of inland
transport. This expansion increased the number of
operational waterways from just three in 2013-14 to an
impressive 26 by 2024. This rapid growth has not only
facilitated greater cargo movement across the country
but also alleviated pressure on road and rail networks,
playing a crucial role in overall economic growth.
* A 昀氀agship initiative during this transformation was
the launch of the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) in 2018.
This ambitious project aimed at enhancing the capacity
of NW-1, which spans the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly
River system, covering 1,390 kilometers from Haldia
to Varanasi. With a 昀椀nancial outlay of `5,369.18 crores,
the JMVP has signi昀椀cantly improved the navigability
of this critical waterway. The project has facilitated
the seamless transportation of goods, contributing to
economic development along the route and advancing
broader national economic goals.
* In addition to the developments on NW-1, substantial
progress has been made on other national waterways.
The Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route, linking NW-1
and NW-2 on the Brahmaputra River, has greatly
enhanced cargo movement in the Northeast region.
The Government's ongoing e昀昀orts to develop NW-2 and
NW-16 (Barak River) further reinforce its commitment
to boosting trade and commerce in the Northeast and
enhancing connectivity along the Indo-Bangladesh
Protocol Route.
