New Delhi, Apr 27: The Union government has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to expand inland water transport across India, but Jammu & Kashmir and its river systems do not feature prominently in the current list of operational or priority waterways.
According to an official statement, India now has 111 declared National Waterways spanning over 20,187 km across 23 states and four Union Territories. Of these, 32 waterways are currently operational, facilitating cargo and passenger movement. The Union Budget 2026–27 has proposed to operationalise 20 additional waterways over the next five years as part of a broader push to enhance logistics efficiency and sustainability.
The inland waterways sector has witnessed significant growth, with cargo movement reaching a record 145.84 million metric tonnes in 2024–25. The government aims to increase the modal share of inland water transport from 2 percent to 5 percent by 2030, and further to 12 percent by 2047 when combined with coastal shipping.
Key initiatives include the development of National Waterway-5 in Odisha, expansion of infrastructure such as terminals and navigation systems, and the establishment of training institutes and ship repair ecosystems. Policy frameworks like the Jalvahak Cargo Promotion Scheme and the Jal Marg Vikas Project are also being scaled up to incentivise cargo movement and improve navigability, particularly along the Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems.
The government has also introduced digital platforms for real-time vessel tracking and navigation, alongside environmental initiatives such as the Harit Nauka Guidelines, which aim to reduce carbon emissions and promote green vessels.
However, a review of the operational waterways list shows no inclusion of rivers from Jammu & Kashmir. Major river systems in the region, including the Jhelum, are not currently part of the active inland water transport network, nor have they been highlighted among the immediate expansion priorities.
While the policy signals a strong national push towards leveraging riverine transport, the absence of J&K from the current operational framework suggests that the region may not benefit in the near term unless specific projects are taken up in future phases.
