FCC

Bihar Unveils Major Infrastructure Plan for Inland Waterways

2025-06-18

Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced a comprehensive infrastructure initiative to strengthen inland water transport in Bihar. Launched in Patna during the first workshop on National Waterway 1 (the Ganga), the plan aims to transform the waterway into a modern, sustainable transport network.

Key project highlights and infrastructure upgrades include:

Two hybrid electric catamaran vessels, offering cleaner and quieter river transport
Installation of Quick Pontoon Opening Mechanisms (QPOMs) at four locations, enhancing river crossing efficiency
Two RO PAX terminals for streamlined ferry operations across passenger and vehicle corridors
Expansion of community access: 16 new river jetties alongside 21 operational ones, boosting local connectivity
Development of a ship repair and construction facility in Patna to support vessel maintenance and construction
Establishment of a joint task force comprising Bihar state, ports ministry and the Inland Waterways Authority to explore sustainable development
Upgradation of the National Inland Navigation Institute in Patna to a Centre of Excellence in navigation and training

The workshop also provided an update on the Jal Marg Vikas Project—the development of the Ganga corridor from Varanasi to Haldia. The waterways authority is targeting ₹35 billion in infrastructure projects across India by 2030. In Bihar alone, GWTP (Gearless Water Transport Project) traffic has soared from approximately 5 million tonnes in 2014–15 to over 16 million tonnes in 2024–25.

Since 2014, cargo movement on inland waterways has increased over 700 per cent, while operational waterways have multiplied nearly nine fold. This resurgence marks waterways as a pivotal, eco friendly alternative for transporting bulk freight and catalysing regional commerce.

This initiative signals a paradigm shift in transport policy, positioning river transport as an engine for sustainable economic growth and promoting the Ganga as a vibrant river centric corridor for trade, mobility, tourism and innovation in Bihar and beyond.