The Centre has identified 14 national waterways in Maharashtra, of which seven have been found feasible for development, marking a significant step towards strengthening inland water transport infrastructure in the State. The seven waterways together have a navigable length of 662.97 km, according to the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

The waterways cleared for development include National Waterway (NW)-4 on the River Godavari, NW-11 on the Arunavati–Aran rivers, NW-28 covering Dabhol Creek and the Vashishti River, NW-53 spanning the Kalyan–Thane–Mumbai waterway along with Vasai Creek and the Ulhas River, NW-85 on Revadanda Creek and the Kundalika River, NW-100 on the River Tapi, and NW-109 on the River Wainganga–Pranahita system.

In terms of cargo movement, Maharashtra plays a key role in the country’s inland water transport network. During 2024–25, waterways such as NW-10 (Amba River), NW-53, NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek), NW-85, NW-89 (Savitri River–Bankot Creek) and NW-91 (Shastri River–Jaigad Creek) together handled 45.35 per cent of India’s total inland water transport cargo.

To support further growth, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is providing assistance to cargo operators, as required, to promote both cargo and passenger movement through inland waterways in Maharashtra. These measures are aligned with the government’s broader logistics and multimodal transport strategy, aimed at reducing costs and easing pressure on road and rail networks.

IWAI is responsible for the development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation across the country. However, economic activity and industrial development along river banks fall under the jurisdiction of State governments, making coordinated Centre–State action critical for unlocking the full potential of inland waterways in Maharashtra.

News source: The Hindu Businessline