IWAI Accelerates Uttar Pradesh’s Inland Waterways Expansion with Major Investment Push

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has given a significant boost to Uttar Pradesh’s inland water transport ambitions by signing major agreements worth several thousand crores during the ‘India Maritime Week 2025’ (IMW). The initiatives aim to expand and modernise the Inland Waterways network, particularly along the Ganga (National Waterway-1).

IWAI, operating under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), signed MoUs totalling more than ?6,000 crore to strengthen the waterway infrastructure on NW-1. Additionally, it announced a further ?1,350 crore investment to accelerate river transport and cruise tourism development in the state.

The agreements focus on enhancing ship repair facilities, river cruise infrastructure, multimodal connectivity and clean-energy transportation. “These MoUs demonstrate how inland waterways are emerging as engines of growth, tourism and regional integration,” said Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, stressing India’s commitment to modernising river systems.

Uttar Pradesh emerged as a major beneficiary, with several agreements centred around expanding operations in Varanasi and across the Ganga corridor.

Key highlights include:

• Cruise Tourism Expansion:
  IWAI signed MoUs with Heritage River Journeys and Alaknanda Cruises for the development of new cruise vessels and the expansion of premium river tourism and heritage circuits along NW-1. Over ?800 crore has been allocated for these developments.

• Ship Repair Facility in Varanasi:
  IWAI and the UP government will jointly establish a new ship repair facility worth ?350 crore, providing essential infrastructure and boosting the local maritime ecosystem.

• New River Cruise Terminals:
  Two new cruise terminals will be built in Varanasi at an investment of ?200 crore, enhancing passenger amenities and operational efficiency.

• Clean Energy Mobility:
  To promote green river transport, a ?100 crore project has been approved for electric vessel charging infrastructure in alignment with the National Green Shipping Mission.

• Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE):
  A ?200 crore initiative will set up a state-of-the-art RCoE in Varanasi to support research, skill development, and innovation in inland water transport, vessel design and green technologies.

• Cargo Capacity Boost:
  A landmark ?1,000 crore MoU with Rhenus Logistics will introduce modern tug-barges on the Ganga and Brahmaputra, significantly improving cargo movement and multimodal logistics.

• Dredging Supervision Agreement:
  IWAI and NTCPWC of IIT Madras signed a ?1,500 crore MoU for supervision of dredging activities on NW-1, ensuring smoother navigation and improved channel depth.

Minister of State Shantanu Thakur added that these partnerships will enhance electric vessel infrastructure, strengthen ship repair capabilities and build robust training ecosystems across the state.

With inputs from IANS