Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has made clear his intention of having at least 10 of the proposed 111 declared national waterways operational by the end of 2018. The flagship project of Gadkari’s ministries, the move aims to provide a faster and more economical transport option to the goods and freight sector, as well as reduce the load on the railways and highways.

The Modi government had introduced the National Waterways Act in Parliament in 2016, declaring 111 stretches of rivers and canals as national waterways for transporting freight as well as passengers. Earlier this year (January), the government followed up by overhauling the 100-year-old Inland Vessel Act which pertains to matters about inland water limits, safety of vessels, employment, pollution control and insurance. A month later in February, the ministry began the process of allocating Rs 2,500 crore from the Central Road Development Fund towards developing inland waterways.

On 24 May, Gadkari tweeted out a list of 24 inland waterways that would be given priority over the next three years.