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The poll bound state of Kerala has received major funding for development of inland waterways up to the tune of Rs 1,500 cr.

On Friday the 23rd of January 2026, the all-powerful Inlands Waterways Development Council (IWDC) met in Kochi, Kerala under the chairmanship union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and gave a go-ahead to projects for Kerala to be put on fast-track.

The IWDC noted that since Kerala has an extensive backwater and canal network, under the Jal Vahak scheme time is perhaps ripe for major expansion of national waterways in the region.

Under the scheme, cargo owners can receive reimbursement of up to 35 per cent of operating expenditure for cargo moved through inland waterways, encouraging private participation and making water-based logistics commercially attractive for shipping companies, freight forwarders and bulk cargo operators.

The meeting also announced the launch of Fixed Day Scheduled Sailing Services on commercially viable stretches to demonstrate the reliability and efficiency of inland waterways for cargo movement.

Particularly for the state of Kerala, the approved package includes the development of river cruise jetties and the induction of a survey vessel, strengthening capacity for passenger movement, tourism and safe navigation.

IWDC 3.0 identified asset procurement worth over ₹465 crore to enhance year-round navigability and safety.

This includes survey vessels in Kerala, Ro-Pax berthing jetties in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, floating pontoons and quick-opening mechanisms in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, as well as hybrid survey vessels, dredgers and tug-barge units.

The IWDC meeting also took decisions for new projects worth over ₹900 crore were also reviewed, including a slipway facility at Kochi, construction of 110 jetties across Odisha and the Northeast, implementation of the National River Traffic and Navigation System in Maharashtra, a Rs 70-crore cruise terminal at Uzan Bazar Ghat in Guwahati, and a Rs 144-crore approach road to the Bogibeel River Port in Dibrugarh on the Brahmaputra (NW-2).

The areas in the Northeast gets special emphasis for funding where plans to develop 85 jetties are earmarked with an investment exceeding ₹500 crore.

This fresh impetus, IWDC hopes would boost better connectivity in the region with improvement in trade, tourism and livelihoods of riverine communities.

Sonowal said the region holds a central place in India’s inland waterways vision and has the potential to emerge as a major hub for sustainable transport and regional integration.

The council was informed that cargo movement on national waterways has surged from 18 million tonnes in 2013–14 to 145.84 million tonnes in 2024–25, while the number of operational national waterways has increased from three to 32.

Luxury river cruise vessels have grown from five to 25, operational terminals from 15 to 25, and floating jetties from 30 to 100, reflecting growing confidence among investors and state governments.

IWDC 3.0 reviewed regulatory issues, urban water transport initiatives and the expansion of green and hybrid vessels, digital navigation systems and modern terminals.

The success of the Kochi Water Metro was cited as a model for replication in cities such as Guwahati, Varanasi, Patna, Tezpur and Dibrugarh.