Archive · 24 Jan 2026
Inland Waterways Council Approves Major Investments
The Inland Waterways Development Council had a big meeting in Kochi.
They decided to spend a lot of money to make India's rivers better for transporting goods and people.
They plan to build new places for boats to dock and for people to take cruises.
The minister in charge, Sarbananda Sonowal, said this will help make travel easier and cheaper.
They also talked about how rivers can help the economy grow and connect different parts of the country.
Many states were involved in the meeting, and they all agreed to work together to make these plans happen.
The third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council in Kochi approved major infrastructure investments to expand India’s inland water transport network.
Projects worth over ₹1,500 crore were identified, focusing on green mobility, multimodal logistics, and river-led economic development.
Foundation stones were laid for projects exceeding ₹150 crore, including river cruise jetties in multiple states.
The meeting emphasized the strategic role of inland waterways in reducing road congestion and logistics costs.
Union waterways and ports minister Sarbananda Sonowal chaired the meeting, which was attended by ministers from various states.
- Who
- Inland Waterways Development Council, chaired by Sarbananda Sonowal
- What
- Approval of major infrastructure investments and a roadmap for expanding India’s inland water transport network
- When
- During the third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council
- Where
- Kochi
- Why
- To strengthen cargo movement, promote green mobility, and enhance multimodal logistics and river-led economic development
- Meeting Location
- Kochi
- Chairperson
- Sarbananda Sonowal
- Total Projects Value
- ₹1,500 crore
- Foundation Stones Laid
- ₹150 crore
- Key Projects
- Ro-Ro and cargo terminals, river cruise jetties
- States Involved
- Kerala, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab
