- 145.5 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) Cargo Movement on inland waterways in FY 2024–25 with a compound annual growth rate of 20.86%.
- National Waterways extended from 5 to 111 waterways, with operational length rising to 4,894 km.
- The Jalvahak Scheme, launched by Indian Water Transport (IWT), provides 35% cost compensation for shifting cargo to waterways, budgeted at ₹95.42 crore. And other policy measures to bring growth in inland water transport.
- Construction of multi-modal terminals (MMTs), inter-modal terminals (IMTs), community jetties, floating terminals, and tourist jetties across major waterways to increase cargo and passenger movement.
India has accomplished a major landmark in its inland water transport sector by progressing a record 145.5 million metric tonnes of cargo in the fiscal year 2024–25, according to the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). The ongoing efforts of Inland Waterway Cargo to expand waterways, improve infrastructure, and facilitate eco-friendly transport solutions have led to this success, as reported by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
Sets the Exponential Growth Over the Last Decade
Cargo traffic increased from 18.1 MMT in FY 2013–14 to 145.5 MMT in FY 2024–25, with a growth rate (CAGR) of 20.86% along with 9.34% yearly growth compared to FY 2023–24. Major commodities include coal, iron ore, sand, and fly ash, accounting for 68% of total cargo.
Passenger movement also reached 1.61 crore in 2023–24, showcasing the dual benefits of cargo and passenger connectivity.
The Expansion of India’s National Waterways Network
Heretofore 2014, the government invested ₹6,434 crores in waterway infrastructure:
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has raised the count of National Waterways from 5 to 111. The operational length of waterways also attained a growth to 4,894 km in 2023–24 from 2,716 km in 2014–15.
Digital tools such as the Least Available Depth Information System (LADIS), River Information System (RIS), Car-D, MIRS, and PANI have been introduced to simplify navigation, promote transparency, and improve operational efficiency. Moreover, Initiatives such as Hybrid Electric Catamarans and Hydrogen Vessels are also being introduced to reduce pollution and promote river tourism.
Jalvahak Scheme & Other Policy Measures
The Jalvahak Scheme, initiated in December 2024, provides cargo owners with a 35% cost compensation for shifting from road/rail to waterways. Scheduled services aim to make cargo transport reliable on NW-1, NW-2, and NW-16 by helping nearby regions and building confidence in using waterways for transport.
Port Integration: Multi-Modal Terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj, Haldia, and the Intermodal Terminal at Kalughat are being transferred to Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, for smoother cargo handling.
Involvement of PSUs: More than 140 Public Sector Units have been intended to shift a part of their cargo to Indian Water Transport. Ministries like Petroleum, Fertilizer, Coal, Steel, and Heavy Industries are participating to align their cargo movement plans to meet the modal shift targets outlined in the Maritime India Vision.
Other than these, the Extension of tonnage tax to inland vessels, new regulations for private investment, Digital registration portals, cargo aggregation hubs, and Indo-Bangladesh route operationalization to bring growth in Inland water transport.
Setting Target for Future Cargo Movement
By Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, India intends to raise IWT’s modal share of freight movement from 2% to 5% and increase cargo movement’s traffic volume to 200+ MMT by 2030 and 500+ MMT by 2047.
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Source: Press Information Bureau
