The Business Bytes
New Delhi, August 2, 2024 (TBB Bureau): The volume of cargo transported through India’s inland waterways has soared more than six-fold from 18.07 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2013-14 to 133.03 MMT in 2023-24, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Starting from FY 2014-15, the country’s waterways traffic has been rising at an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18.07 per cent, according to the Union Minister. He highlighted that 106 new National Waterways were declared in 2016, increasing the number of operational waterways from just three in 2013-14 to 26 by 2024.
In response to queries about the development of new waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal revealed that 14 new National Waterways (NWs) have been approved for development. These waterways, located in Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam, are being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 400 crore.
With ambitious targets set under the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, the Central government aims to further boost cargo traffic, targeting 200 MMT by 2030 and an impressive 500 MMT by 2047, he added.
Sarbananda Sonowal emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on holistic development and his mantra of ‘Transformation through Transportation’ are turning waterways into the new highways of India.
The last decade has seen tremendous improvements in this sector, which is both affordable and eco-friendly. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) is committed to further developing and modernizing the over 14,500 km of inland waterways, in alignment with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
Among the significant measures taken by the government to enhance cargo movement through waterways is the introduction of the Inland Vessels Act, 2021. This modern regulatory framework has replaced a century-old law, facilitating seamless transportation, trade, and ease of doing business in the inland waterways sector, the Union Minister said.
The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP), launched in 2018, aims to augment the capacity of NW1 (Ganga – Bhagirathi – Hooghly river system) from Haldia to Varanasi, covering a total length of 1,390 km. This project is being implemented with a financial outlay of Rs 5,369.18 crore. Additionally, the government approved the development of 13 new NWs in 2022.
The opening of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route has further boosted cargo movement by linking NW 1 and NW 2 (Brahmaputra river), thereby enhancing trade and commerce in the Northeast. Significant projects are also underway on NW 2 and NW 16 (Barak river), promising to further boost cargo movement in the North East and along the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.
Digital initiatives are playing a pivotal role in increasing cargo movement on waterways. Innovations such as the IWAI Vessel Tracker and the PANI Portal provide real-time tracking and navigation information, while the CAR-D portal streamlines cargo and passenger data management, Sarbananda Sonowal added.
With these strategic developments and technological advancements, India’s inland waterways sector is poised for a transformative journey, turning waterways into the nation’s new economic highways and significantly contributing to the country’s economic growth and environmental sustainability.
