Navigating India’s Waterways: Building a Safer, Smarter Network

Key Highlights:

• India's inland waterways cargo movement increased from 29 MMT in 2014–15 to 218 MMT in 2025–26, exceeding the Maritime India Vision 2030 target.
• The country has 111 National Waterways (NW), with 32 currently operational, spanning 20,187 km across 23 States and 4 Union Territories.
• India's first four riverine lighthouses were established on National Waterway-2 (Brahmaputra) in March 2026, enhancing 24x7 navigation.
• Digital platforms like PANI, IWAI Vessel Tracker, and Naudarshika provide real-time depth, route, and weather information for safer navigation.
• Water transport is significantly more cost-efficient and generates fewer carbon emissions than road or rail transport.

Detailed Insights:

• Hydrographic surveys are continuously conducted by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to map river depths, bed profiles, and morphological changes.
• These surveys include thalweg surveys to identify the deepest navigable channel and terminal/jetty surveys for approach conditions.
• Least Available Depth (LAD), a critical output of hydrographic surveys, determines permissible vessel draft and cargo capacity.
• Aids to Navigation (AtoN), governed by the Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021, include buoys, radar beacons, and lighthouses to guide vessels.
• National Waterway-3 in Kerala is fully equipped with 312 solar-powered lighted FRP buoys and 17 beacon lamp posts for round-the-clock navigation.
• The Brahmaputra lighthouses, a ₹74-crore project, rise 20 meters, have a geographical range of 14 nautical miles, and are solar-powered with weather sensors.
• Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) are available for 18 waterways, translating river information into a navigation-ready digital format.
• Naudarshika, the National River Traffic and Navigation System, launched in 2025, integrates real-time LAD information for efficient vessel movement.
• River Information Services (RIS), implemented on National Waterway-1 (Ganga), use AIS, VHF communication, and meteorological sensors for real-time traffic monitoring.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Waterways (NW): Designated rivers and canals developed for shipping and navigation, offering a cost-efficient transport mode.
• Hydrographic Surveys: Measurement and description of water bodies, including depth, bed structure, and flow, to support navigation and chart production.
• Least Available Depth (LAD): The minimum water depth available in a navigation channel, crucial for determining vessel draft and cargo capacity.
• Aids to Navigation (AtoN): Devices or systems external to vessels (e.g., lighthouses, buoys) designed to enhance safe and efficient navigation.