Inland Waterways Development Council earmarks Rs 45,000 crore for developing river cruise tourism

New Delhi [India], January 8 : The maiden edition of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC), chaired by Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday, committed an investment of Rs 45,000 crore for the development of river cruise tourism in the country.

The country's first Inland Waterways Development Council culminated with many firsts to ramp up capacity and augment the viability of the inland waterways of the country.
The meeting, chaired by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal and Ayush, was attended by key stakeholders, including ministerial representations from states as well as prominent stakeholders, including policymakers and industry leaders.
As per the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, "The meet, with an objective to enable inland waterways as conduits of economic growth and commerce in the country, committed an investment of Rs 45,000 crore for the development of river cruise tourism in the country."
The meeting aims to enable inland waterways as conduits of economic growth and commerce in the country and committed an investment of Rs 45,000 crores for the development of river cruise tourism in the country.
Of this ambitious sum, an estimated Rs 35,000 crore has been earmarked for cruise vessels and another Rs 10,000 crore for the development of cruise terminal infrastructure at the end of Amrit Kaal, i.e., by 2047.
To amp up inland waterways for cargo trade, an investment of Rs 15,200 crore has arrived at the Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS), held in Mumbai in October 2023.
This is likely to register a growth rate of more than 400 per cent, increasing the volume up to 500 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2047.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also launched 'Harit Nauka' guidelines and 'River Cruise Tourism Roadmap, 2047' at the inaugural session of IWDC here today.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said, "India has been growing impressively under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014. The immense potential of the blue economy must be realised as we work towards becoming a leader in the blue economy of the world, a vision of Modi."
"The Inland Waterways Development Council was conceived to rejuvenate our rich, complex, and dynamic waterways. Since the days of yore, waterways have been the conduit of economic growth and the development of human civilization. However, these brilliant, proven tracks of prosperity remained neglected for decades, resulting in a waste of invaluable wealth for the country. In order to attempt to resuscitate our waterways, IWDC is making an attempt with a modern approach, a clear strategy, and a goal to ensure sustainable development for an Atmanirbhar Bharat by the end of Amrit Kaal," Sonowal said.
The Ministry further said, "At the IWDC, a roadmap was chalked to enable capacity in an
additional 26 waterways, fit for River Cruise tourism, from an operational strength of 8 waterways. The number of cruise circuits with night stays will increase from 17 to 80 during the same time.
In an effort to boost infrastructure in the inland waterways, the number of river cruise terminals is to be increased to 185, representing a growth of 1233 per cent from the present strength of 15 terminals.
"Building on the capacity of enhanced circuits, the cruise tourism traffic with night stays is expected to be moved up from 5,000 to 1.20 lakh by 2047. Similarly, the local cruise tourism traffic on National Waterways without night stays is to be increased from 2 lakh to 15 lakh by 2047," the Ministry added.
The one-day meeting was held on board the vessel MV Ganges Queen at the Kolkata Dock Complex.
Adding further, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said, "Inland waterways are the arteries of progress, and the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) marks a pivotal stride in our commitment to harness their potential. Under the leadership of PM Modi and with collaborative efforts and strategic initiatives, we aim to unlock the full spectrum of opportunities, fostering sustainable development and growth in inland water transport
sector."
"With the launch of 'Harit Nauka - Guidelines for Green Transition of Inland Vessels,' MoPSW embarks on a journey towards a sustainable and eco-friendly future for our inland waterways. The roadmap had identified 30+ additional potential routes for different cruise types, including long and short, recreational and heritage segments, to attract all tourist categories," added Sonowal.
"An action plan and roadmap, including route development, marketing strategy, infrastructure development and navigation, to effectively proceed with developing such additional river cruises is also ready," Sonowal said further.
The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, which was in a loss in 2014, has been turned around and this year it will achieve a net surplus of over Rs 550 crores for FY2023-24.
The government, in alignment with its vision to enhance the role of IWT, initiated various measures, including the flagship Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) for the development of the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system (NW 1).
This project focused on cargo, RoRo, and passenger ferry movement, along with the inclusion of small villages through community jetties. Moreover, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) set ambitious targets, aiming to increase the modal share of IWT from 2 per cent to 5 per cent, as outlined in the Maritime India Vision 2030. The goal also involved elevating the existing IWT cargo volume from ~120 MTPA to more than 500 MTPA, in line with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
Significant progress in waterway infrastructure includes the establishment of multimodal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj, and Haldia, enhancing regional connectivity. The Kalughat intermodal terminal is making substantial strides to facilitate seamless transportation and boost trade activities. The completion of a new navigational lock at Farakka enhances waterway navigability.
The ongoing construction of over 60 community jetties underscores a commitment to local connectivity and accessibility. These achievements collectively promote efficiency, connectivity, and local development in waterway infrastructure.
Inland Water Transportation (IWT) provided a unique opportunity to promote the use of electric, hybrid, hydrogen, and derivative (such as ammonia or methanol) propulsion fuels for ships. In the initial phase, a strategic move was made with the deployment of eight electric catamaran vessels.
These vessels were strategically placed for pilgrimage tourism, with two stationed at Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Mathura on National Waterway 1 and two at Guwahati on National Waterway 2.
IWT plays a pivotal role in transforming the logistics and passenger movement landscape in the country.
Spanning over 22,000 km across 24 states, with 111 notified national waterways, IWT emerged as an effective alternative mode of transportation.
Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 represents the true development potential inherent in India's coastline of 7500 km, in its vital network of inland waterways, and the coastal districts, with direct sectoral synergy and a cross-sectoral multiplier effect on inclusive growth and employment.
There are 46 initiatives identified to develop IWT under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, of which the key initiatives for enhancing the modal share of coastal shipping and inland water transport include the creation of port-based agglomeration centers, the creation of coastal berths near coast-based production and demand centers, and road, rail, and IWT connectivity and expansion projects.