IWDC Meet To Boost Growth Of Inland Waterways
The day-long meeting would be chaired by Union shipping and waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal, with minister of state Shantanu Thakur and ministers from various states in attendance.
VIJAYAWADA: The third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council would be held in Kochi on January 23.
The national meet aims at reviewing the achievements in inland water transport and chart the next phase of growth for the sector across the country.
The day-long meeting would be chaired by Union shipping and waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal, with minister of state Shantanu Thakur and ministers from various states in attendance.
Andhra Pradesh will be represented by the roads minister B.C. Janardhan Reddy.
During the meet, the Union minister would announce initiatives to further strengthen inland water transport. State support agreements are also likely to be signed, reinforcing Centre–state collaboration for faster execution of IWT projects, an official release here said.
The IWDC meet, it said, is expected to provide a clear roadmap for the sustainable expansion of inland waterways nationwide.
Sessions would focus on building resilient urban water transport systems, improving cargo efficiency, promoting green vessels for passenger movement, expanding river cruise tourism, and adopting digital and sustainable practices.
The council would also review the regulatory framework and address concerns raised by states on ongoing and proposed projects.
India’s inland waterways have emerged as a cost-effective and eco-friendly transport alternative, carrying over 145 million tonnes of cargo annually.
Of the 111 national waterways across 23 states and four UTs, 32 are currently operational for cargo and passenger movement. The sector is overseen by the Inland Waterways Authority of India.
Cargo movement has risen sharply from 18 million tonnes in 2013–14 to 145.84 million tonnes in 2024–25, while passenger traffic touched 7.64 crore, driven by schemes such as ‘Jalvahak’ and ‘Jal Samriddhi’.
For Andhra Pradesh, the IWDC meet would focus on strengthening the operational Krishna–Godavari river system (NW-4). Terminals at Muktyala and Harishchandrapuram are under development to boost cargo movement, while six floating pontoons are being introduced to promote Godavari river cruise tourism.