Jalvahak Initiative Boosts Sustainable Freight Transportation on India’s National Waterways

The Union government has taken a major step towards promoting economical and sustainable transportation on National Waterways 1 (Ganga), 2 (Brahmaputra), and 16 (Barak river) by introducing the ‘Jalvahak’ initiative. This initiative aims to boost freight movement on inland waterways, with the official launch of fixed scheduled service of vessels and the flagging off of three cargo ships by Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. The goal is to relieve congestion on road and rail networks, reduce logistics costs, and maximize the commerce potential of inland waterways. Freight owners shipping goods over 300 kilometers by canal can receive up to 35% reimbursement of operational expenses under this program.

The three-year ‘Jalvahak’ program is designed to enhance supply chains for large shipping corporations, freight forwarders, and trade associations. Collaboration between Inland & Coastal Shipping Ltd (ICSL), a division of the Shipping Corporation of India, and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) will facilitate the implementation of the initiative. Through this cargo promotion initiative, a modal shift of 800 million tonne-kilometers by 2027 is expected, with an estimated investment of Rs 95.4 crore. To showcase the readiness of waterways for efficient and environmentally responsible freight transportation, a fixed-schedule sailing service will operate vessels on specific routes.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal highlighted the significant growth in cargo transportation on national waterways, with a more than 700% increase from 18.07 million tonnes in 2013–14 to 132.89 million tonnes in 2023–24. The government aims to further increase this volume to 200 million tonnes by 2030 and 500 million tonnes by 2047. Shantanu Thakur, the Union Minister of State for Shipping, assured that the government is closely monitoring bilateral trade and emphasized that India’s vast inland waterway network, spanning 20,236 km, remains underutilized for freight transportation compared to countries like the US and China.

In a landmark project in 2023, UltraTech utilized inland and coastal waterways to transport 57,000 metric tons of phosphogypsum from Paradeep port in Odisha to their manufacturing unit in Gujarat. This move aligns with UltraTech’s sustainable supply chain framework, aiming to establish a robust supply chain that supports operations and reduces risks. The launch of the ‘Jalvahak’ initiative and the utilization of waterways for freight transportation signify a step towards achieving the government’s targets for cargo movement and harnessing the potential of inland waterways for efficient and sustainable transportation.

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