Kochi, Jan 22 (UNI) The third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC 3.0) will be held here on January 23, aimed at reviewing the progress of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector and charting its future roadmap with a strong focus on sustainability and green mobility.
The day-long meeting will be chaired by union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and attended by Minister of State Shantanu Thakur, along with ministers and senior officials from various state governments.
During the meeting, the union Minister is expected to launch new initiatives to further strengthen inland water transport across states. Several State Support Agreements are also likely to be signed, reinforcing Centre-State cooperation in the planning and execution of IWT projects.
The IWDC 3.0 agenda includes deliberations on developing resilient urban water transport systems, improving cargo movement efficiency, promoting green passenger vessels, boosting river cruise tourism, and adopting digital and sustainable practices.
The Council will also review the existing regulatory framework and address concerns raised by states regarding ongoing and proposed inland waterways projects.
India has an extensive inland waterways network, with more than 145 million tonnes of cargo transported annually through this fuel-efficient and environment-friendly mode. Inland waterways help ease pressure on rail and road networks and support initiatives such as Roll-on-Roll-off (Ro-Ro) services and river cruise tourism.
Out of the 111 National Waterways spread across 23 states and four union Territories, 32 are currently operational for cargo and passenger movement. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, is responsible for their development, maintenance and regulation.
Cargo movement on national waterways has grown significantly from 18 million tonnes in 2013–14 to 145.84 million tonnes in 2024–25, while passenger traffic touched 7.64 crore in the same period.
This growth has been driven by initiatives such as the ‘Jalvahak’ Cargo Promotion Scheme, which encourages shippers to shift cargo from road and rail to waterways, and ‘Jal Samriddhi’, aimed at enhancing private sector participation in terminal development and operations.
IWAI Chairman Sunil Paliwal said the IWDC has emerged as a collaborative national platform under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bringing together policymakers and state governments to shape the future of inland waterways.
He noted that the Council has helped align Centre-State priorities, translate policy intent into action, and promote a greener and more efficient transport ecosystem.
He added that IWDC 3.0 in Kochi would consolidate progress made since IWDC 1.0 in 2024 and IWDC 2.0 in 2025, while accelerating project execution and the adoption of green, technology-driven solutions.
The Kochi meeting is expected to serve as a key forum to assess the sector’s potential and outline a clear roadmap for its sustained growth and expansion.
Kerala has five notified National Waterways—NW-3, NW-8, NW-9, NW-13 and NW-59—covering a total length of 465.89 km, of which NW-3, NW-8 and NW-9 are currently operational. These waterways operate round the clock and have together handled 3.559 million tonnes of cargo over the past five years.
Building on the success of the Kochi Metro, feasibility studies are also underway to explore the development of urban water transport systems in Alappuzha and Kollam districts.
IWDC 3.0 will focus on advancing key inland water transport infrastructure in Kerala, including the modernisation of the Thrikkunnapuzha lock gate and reconstruction of the Kovilthottam foot-over bridge on NW-3, along with fairway development, terminal operations and the resolution of implementation challenges such as dredged material disposal in coordination with the state government.
