GUWAHATI: The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has achieved a record cargo movement of 145.5 million tonnes on National Waterways in FY 2024-25, marking the highest-ever figure in the inland water transport (IWT) sector. Operational waterways have also increased from 24 to 29 during the same period.
Cargo traffic has surged from 18.10 million tonnes in FY 2013-14 to the current high, with a compound annual growth rate of 20.86%. Compared to the previous financial year, FY 2024-25 saw a 9.34% year-on-year growth. Coal, iron ore, iron ore fines, sand, and fly ash accounted for over 68% of the total cargo moved.
The growth follows recent policy and infrastructure developments, including the Jalvahak scheme, which offers incentives covering 35% of operating costs to shift cargo to IWT. Scheduled services under this scheme are active on NW-1, NW-2, and NW-16 via the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol.
Other initiatives include streamlined digital NOC approvals for terminal construction, fairway development, Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax services, and navigation tools like Naudarshika. IWAI aims to solidify inland water transport as a reliable cargo route across India by boosting capacity of key waterways.
