NAVIGATING INDIA’S WATERWAYS

NEWS: Expansion of inland waterways aims to improve navigation safety, infrastructure and cargo transportation efficiency.

INDIA’S INLAND WATER TRANSPORT (IWT)

  • National Waterways: 111 NWs → 20,187 km across 23 States + 4 UTs; 32 operational.
  • Cargo Growth: 29 MMT (2014–15) → 218 MMT (2025–26); CAGR: 20.13%.
  • Target: Exceeded 200 MMT target under Maritime India Vision 2030.
  • Significance: Freight cost by water → ⅓ of road + ½ of rail; lower carbon emissions.

HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYS

  • Authority: Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
  • Purpose: Navigation channel development + dredging plans + safety.
  • Thalweg Survey → Identifies deepest navigable channel.
  • Terminal & Jetty Surveys → Assess water depth + approach conditions.
  • Least Available Depth (LAD) → Minimum water depth available for vessel operations.
  • Hydrography → Measurement and description of water bodies and physical features.
  • Dredging → Removal of sediments from waterbeds to improve navigability.

AIDS TO NAVIGATION (AtoN)

  • Legal Framework: Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021.
  • Authority: Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) → Manages general AtoN along India’s coastline.
  • International Framework: India is a signatory to SOLAS + follows IALA guidelines.
  • Major AtoN Devices:
    • Buoys → Mark locations + warn of hazards + guide vessels.
    • Radar Beacons (Racons) → Help identify navigation aids.
    • Riverine Lighthouses → First four announced on Brahmaputra (NW-2), connecting Dhubri to Sadiya.

DIGITAL NAVIGATION & REAL-TIME INFORMATION

  • PANI: Portal for Asset and Navigation Information → Navigation and asset information.
  • IWAI Vessel Tracker → Real-time vessel tracking + depth information.
  • Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs): As of September 2026, prepared for 18 operational and tidal waterways → Uploaded on PANI + IWAI Vessel Tracker.
  • Naudarshika: National River Traffic and Navigation System launched in 2025 → Incorporates real-time LAD information.
  • River Information Services (RIS) → Integrates vessel tracking + weather and water sensors + IT systems for real-time navigation data.
  • RIS Coverage: Implemented on three stretches of NW-1 (Ganga).
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