Sarbananda Sonowal Reviews Expansion and Development Plans for India’s National Waterways

Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, recently visited the headquarters of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) in Noida to review the status of the country’s 111 national waterways. He was briefed on how inland waterways are becoming a sustainable transport option to complement roads and railways. The Minister unveiled a five-year plan for the development of new national waterways, emphasizing river cruising through campaigns and events to boost tourism and collaboration with states in the North Eastern Region to ensure effective implementation of projects.

During discussions with IWAI officials, Sonowal highlighted the need to expand national waterways and increase passenger and freight movement on the waterways. He commended efforts to promote river cruise tourism in the country and initiatives like introducing hybrid-electric catamaran vessels and the first hydrogen ship. The Minister also reviewed the progress of the World Bank-funded Jal Marg Vikas Project on National Waterway 1 – Ganges, focusing on improving waterway infrastructure with terminals and jetties to enhance connectivity and support freight movement.

In addition to addressing human resource issues and challenges on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route, Sonowal proposed innovative solutions to accelerate inland water transport in states like Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The emphasis is on leveraging technology and inter-state cooperation to enhance national infrastructure. IWAI is working on various projects, including building multimodal terminals at key locations like Varanasi, Sahibganj, and Haldia, as well as community jetties along the banks of the Ganges to benefit local communities. Sonowal’s visit underscored the government’s commitment to developing and promoting sustainable waterway transportation in India.

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