Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India.

Question

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Inland water transport offers cheap, low-carbon bulk freight, regional links and river tourism, but seasonal depth, siltation, barrages and weak terminal networks keep its freight share small. Cargo on National Waterways rose from about 18 million tonnes in 2013-14 to over 145 million tonnes in 2024-25.

**Introduction**

India has about 14,500 km of navigable waterways, and the National Waterways Act, 2016 created 111 National Waterways. Cargo on them rose from about 18 million tonnes (2013-14) to over 145 million tonnes (2024-25, IWAI), still a sliver of total freight.

**Prospects of Inland Water Transport**

SKETCH: comparison | Road vs Inland Waterway
a: Road
b: Inland waterway
- 24 tonne-km per litre :: 105 tonne-km per litre
- High emissions :: Lowest emissions
- Congested corridors :: Spare river capacity

1. **Cheap, green freight**: That efficiency suits bulk coal, cement and grain and supports the National Logistics Policy (2022) and net zero 2070.
2. **Jal Marg Vikas**: The World Bank-aided project gave NW-1 multimodal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia and a new Farakka lock.
3. **Regional links and tourism**: The Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route reaches the North East, Kaladan uses Sittwe port (2023), and the Ganga Vilas cruise (2023) showed tourism potential.

**Problems of Inland Water Transport**

1. **Seasonal depth**: Rivers lose depth in the lean season, so many of the 106 new waterways cannot carry year-round cargo.
2. **Siltation**: Heavy silt in the Ganga and Brahmaputra makes dredging costly and disturbs Gangetic dolphins in the Vikramshila sanctuary.
3. **Physical breaks**: Barrages, low bridges and power lines without locks or clearance interrupt routes, and irrigation withdrawals cut lean-season flow.
4. **Weak ecosystem**: Few linked terminals, small fleets, scarce return cargo and slow transit keep freight on road and rail.

**Conclusion**

Waterways can be India's cheapest and greenest freight corridors where depth, cargo and terminals coincide. Focusing on NW-1, NW-2 and NW-16 under the Jalvahak incentive (2024) and Harit Nauka green-vessel norms would make them a durable pillar of low-carbon logistics.

Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India.

Model answer

Practise this question

Indian Trade / Transport4 questions

Ghissu