India aims to operationalise 76 National Waterways by 2027, with 47 new additions and cargo volumes expected to rise to 156 MTPA by FY26, according to Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Speaking at the Consultative Committee meeting in Mumbai, Sonowal also announced a ₹5,000 crore roadmap for inland waterways development in the Northeast over the next five years.

Currently active in 11 states, inland water transport is set to reach 23 states and four UTs by 2027. Projects worth ₹1,400 crore have already been launched. A regional waterways grid will enable seamless vessel movement across a 4,067-km corridor from Varanasi to Dibrugarh.

Major upgrades are underway on NW-1 (Ganga), NW-2 (Brahmaputra), and NW-16 (Barak), including terminals, ship repair, and road connectivity. Cruise tourism is expanding too, with 15 circuits already operational and 51 more planned.

“Inland waterways are emerging as the watershed moment in India’s logistics and transport ecosystem,” said Sonowal, adding that green vessels and water metro projects will further boost sustainability. River cruise terminals are under development at Kolkata, Varanasi, Guwahati, and other locations.