HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Jan 21: The third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC 3.0) will be held on January 23, 2026, in Kochi, Kerala, to review achievements in India’s Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector and outline its future roadmap. The session will be chaired by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, with participation from Minister of State Shantanu Thakur and ministers from several state governments.
During the meeting, the Ministry plans to launch new initiatives to strengthen inland water transport, alongside signing multiple State Support Agreements to enhance Centre-State collaboration for IWT projects. Key discussions will cover building resilient urban water transport, boosting cargo efficiency, promoting green vessels for passengers, advancing river cruise tourism and implementing digital and sustainable practices. Regulatory frameworks and state concerns regarding ongoing and proposed IWT projects will also be reviewed.
Related Posts:
India has a vast inland waterway network, moving over 145 million tonnes of cargo annually. Inland waterways serve as fuel-efficient and eco-friendly alternatives to overburdened road and rail networks, supporting initiatives like Roll-on-Roll-off (Ro-Ro) vehicle transport and river cruise tourism. Of 111 National Waterways across 23 states and four union territories, 32 are operational for cargo and passenger movement, managed by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). Cargo movement on national waterways increased from 18 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 145.84 million tonnes in 2024-25, while passenger traffic rose to 7.64 crore. Schemes like ‘Jalvahak’ and ‘Jal Samriddhi’ have encouraged cargo shift to waterways and boosted private sector participation.
“Under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership, IWDC has become a collaborative platform aligning Centre-State priorities, translating policies into actionable outcomes, and advancing greener, efficient transport,” said Sunil Paliwal, Chairman of IWAI.
Assam’s NW2 (Brahmaputra) has seen steady growth, handling over 98% of the state’s inland waterways cargo, including vehicles, construction materials, and over-dimensional goods. Multimodal terminals at Pandu and Jogighopa, permanent terminals at Dhubri and Bogibeel, floating terminals, and assured depth maintenance from the Bangladesh border to Sadiya are redefining sustainable transport in the Northeast.
Investments of Rs 5,000 crore for inland waterways development in Assam are planned between 2025 and 2030, with projects worth Rs 1,152 crore already underway. The Kochi meet is poised to serve as a dynamic forum to evaluate the inland waterways sector and chart a clear roadmap for its sustainable expansion nationwide.
