The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has achieved two key milestones under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) on National Waterway-1, advancing India’s inland water transport network.

The Kalughat Intermodal Terminal (IMT) in Bihar has been formally handed over to SAPL – Summit Alliance Port East Gateway (India) for operations and maintenance. Simultaneously, cargo operations have commenced at the Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal (MMT) in West Bengal, operated by IRC Natural Resources, with Tata Steel dispatching the first consignment of Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS) bound for Pandu, Guwahati in Assam.

These developments mark a major stride in the professional and sustainable management of terminals developed under JMVP, furthering the government’s vision of integrated multimodal connectivity, public–private partnerships (PPP), and green logistics along the Ganga–Bhagirathi–Hooghly river system.

Kalughat Terminal Handover to SAPL

Constructed with World Bank assistance, the Kalughat IMT is located in Saran district, Bihar, and is designed to handle diverse cargo types, thereby boosting trade and connectivity in the region. Under the PPP model, SAPL will operate and maintain the terminal on a revenue-sharing basis, with IWAI receiving 38.30 per cent of the gross revenue. This partnership ensures commercial efficiency while safeguarding public interest.

Haldia MMT Begins Cargo Operations

At the downstream end of NW-1, the Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal, also built under JMVP, has begun operations with a cargo handling capacity of 3.08 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA). Its first consignment from Tata Steel marks a significant step in positioning inland waterways as an economical and eco-friendly logistics corridor linking Eastern India with the North East.

Driving Sustainable Inland Logistics

These initiatives align with the government’s broader mission to make Inland Water Transport (IWT) a central pillar of India’s logistics ecosystem. Under JMVP, IWAI has enhanced the 1,390 km stretch of NW-1 through fairway development, construction of terminals, and installation of over 60 community jetties for riverine communities.

Sunil Kumar Singh, Chairman, IWAI, said, “The transfer of Kalughat and Haldia terminals to PPP operators marks a major milestone in optimising terminal operations, improving cargo efficiency, and unlocking new opportunities for trade and growth across riverine regions.”

The transition to PPP-led operations underlines IWAI’s continued commitment to sustainable infrastructure, operational excellence, and seamless cargo movement—strengthening India’s inland waterways and promoting a greener, integrated logistics future.