{"id":57202,"date":"2025-10-18T19:58:27","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T14:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=57202"},"modified":"2025-10-22T13:39:40","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T08:09:40","slug":"india-waterways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/18-10-2025\/india-waterways","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Waterways Rediscovered: Charting a New Course for Viksit Bharat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Infrastructure<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s rivers, once the arteries of trade and cultural exchange, are being reimagined as engines of modern economic growth.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As India Maritime Week 2025 approaches, the nation\u2019s focus on inland waterways reflects a shift towards green logistics, inclusive growth, and sustainable development.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The government\u2019s efforts under the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) embody the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, where ecological balance and economic efficiency coexist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>River Transport in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s rivers were the <strong>nation\u2019s first highways,<\/strong> goods floated effortlessly from the <strong>Ganga and Brahmaputra in the north<\/strong> to the <strong>Godavari and Krishna in the south<\/strong>, carrying grain, salt, and stories downstream.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ancient cities like <strong>Varanasi and Kolkata<\/strong> thrived as river ports, and colonial powers relied heavily on riverine routes for trade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>But with time, <strong>steel rails and asphalt<\/strong> replaced these natural arteries, leaving rivers as silent witnesses to a bygone era of trade.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Infrastructure neglect and sedimentation further reduced navigability, leaving this once-thriving network underutilized.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Strategic Shift Toward Waterways<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>India\u2019s vast network of 14,500 km<\/strong> of navigable inland waterways is being positioned as a key pillar of sustainable infrastructure, which were historically underutilized. It includes:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Jal Marg Vikas Project<\/strong> o<strong>n the Ganga River<\/strong> to enhance navigation from Haldia to Varanasi.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Development of National Waterways<\/strong>, with <strong>over 100 declared routes.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integration with PM GatiShakti,<\/strong> the national master plan for multi-modal connectivity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Economic and Environmental Advantages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Waterways offer distinct advantages: lower fuel consumption, reduced emissions, and cost-effective logistics.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cargo Movement:<\/strong> from 18 million tonnes (2013\u201314) to 145 million tonnes (2024\u201325);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Target:<\/strong> 200 million tonnes by 2030 and 450 million tonnes by 2047;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These advantages are especially critical as India aims for 8\u201310% annual growth to meet its development targets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Every litre of fuel can move 24 tonnes\/km by road; 95 tonnes\/km by rail; and 215 tonnes\/km by inland waterway;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Thus, expanding inland shipping could save billions in fuel imports while slashing emissions, aligning with <strong>India\u2019s commitment to net-zero by 2070.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reviving Riverine Economies:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Boosting local employment through port development and logistics hubs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encouraging tourism and cultural exchange along heritage river routes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhancing connectivity for remote regions, especially in the <strong>Northeast and Eastern India.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Related Initiatives &amp; Efforts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP): <\/strong>It is supported by the <strong>World Bank, <\/strong>aims to restore the <strong>Ganga<\/strong> as a viable economic corridor, spanning <strong>1,390 km from Varanasi to Haldia<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Its terminals at <strong>Varanasi, Sahibganj, Kalughat,<\/strong> and <strong>Haldia<\/strong> handle cargo.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It complements the <strong>Eastern Waterway Grid Connectivity Project<\/strong>, linking the <strong>Ganga, Brahmaputra,<\/strong> and <strong>Barak<\/strong> rivers into a seamless network.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI):<\/strong> It has spearheaded a revival \u2014 rediscovering, reimagining, and rejuvenating India\u2019s rivers as sustainable transport routes.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India now boasts <strong>111<\/strong>, covering <strong>14,500 km<\/strong> of navigable channels, from just <strong>5 national waterways in 2014<\/strong>. Of these, <strong>32 are operational<\/strong>, marking a tenfold expansion in less than a decade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ro-Ro, Ro-Pax &amp; Smart River Systems: <\/strong>The introduction of <strong>Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax<\/strong> services in <strong>Assam, Kerala, Bihar,<\/strong> and <strong>West Bengal<\/strong> has created <strong><em>floating bridges<\/em><\/strong> for passengers and vehicles, reshaping daily commutes.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Meanwhile, <strong>digital tools<\/strong> like:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Jal Samriddhi Portal:<\/strong> streamlines approvals for jetties and terminals;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Naudharshika:<\/strong> a real-time river traffic monitoring system, acting as India\u2019s maritime GPS;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These innovations ensure safety, transparency, and efficiency across India\u2019s waterways.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cruise Tourism: <\/strong>River tourism has surged from just <strong>5 vessels a decade ago<\/strong> to <strong>25 cruise ships<\/strong> across <strong>13 waterways<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Ganga, Brahmaputra,<\/strong> and <strong>Kerala backwaters<\/strong> host luxury cruises equipped with electric shore power and 24-hour navigation systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Future plans include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cruise tourism<\/strong> on the <em>Narmada<\/em> and <em>Yamuna;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Eco-tourism circuits<\/strong> along <em>Ravi, Chenab,<\/em> and <em>Jhelum;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Urban water metros<\/strong> in <em>18 cities<\/em>, modeled on <em>Kochi\u2019s Water Metro<\/em>, integrating sustainability with everyday life.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Key Legislation and Green Innovation: <\/strong>India\u2019s legislative reforms have modernized the inland waterways ecosystem:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/14-05-2025\/india-strengthening-inland-water-transport\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/14-05-2025\/india-strengthening-inland-water-transport\">National Waterways Act (2016)<\/a>:<\/strong> expanded the network;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inland Vessels Act (2021)<\/strong>: standardized safety and certification;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Harit Nauka Guidelines (2024):<\/strong> promoted hybrid and green vessels;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jalvahak Scheme:<\/strong> incentivizes modal shift from road to water, exploring <strong>carbon credits;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Cochin Shipyard<\/strong> has launched <strong>India\u2019s first hydrogen-fuel-cell vessel<\/strong> in <strong>Varanasi.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hybrid and electric barges<\/strong> are being deployed to reduce emissions, while digital systems like <strong>CAR-D<\/strong>, <strong>PANI<\/strong>, and <strong>Vessel Tracker<\/strong> enhance logistics management.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Building Skills for a Blue Economy: <\/strong>Reviving river highways means nurturing a new generation of skilled professionals \u2014 <strong>navigators, engineers, and environmentalists<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To bridge this gap, IWAI has established training hubs such as:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National Inland Navigation Institute<\/strong>, Patna;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Centre of Excellence<\/strong>, Bogibeel (Assam);<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These institutions are preparing India\u2019s workforce for a <strong>blue economy<\/strong> built on innovation and ecological balance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Strengthening India\u2019s Waterways Transport<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways recently announced that India is targeting <strong>\u20b980 lakh crore in maritime investments<\/strong> and the<strong> creation of 1.5 crore jobs by 2047<\/strong>. It includes:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Expansion of port capacity across all 12 major ports;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Development of National Waterways, with over 100 declared routes;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integration with PM GatiShakti for multimodal logistics;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s rediscovery of its waterways is more than a logistics reform \u2014 it\u2019s a civilizational reconnection.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As <em>Viksit Bharat 2047<\/em> envisions a high-income, sustainable economy, rivers are reasserting their role as catalysts of inclusive development.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inland waterways could transform the way India moves, trades, and thrives, with policy continuity, digital navigation systems, and private participation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Discuss how the revitalization of India&#8217;s inland waterways contributes to the vision of Viksit Bharat. Evaluate the economic, environmental, and social implications of this shift in transport strategy.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.business-standard.com\/opinion\/columns\/india-s-waterways-rediscovered-charting-a-new-course-for-viksit-bharat-125101601459_1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: BS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-18-October-2025.PDF.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India\u2019s rivers, once the arteries of trade and cultural exchange, are being reimagined as engines of modern economic growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57202"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57245,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57202\/revisions\/57245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}