The upcoming Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) 3.0 meeting in Kochi is expected to serve as a key forum to assess the potential and advantages of the inland water transport sector and to chart a clear roadmap for its future growth.
Kerala, with its extensive backwaters and 44 rivers, has immense potential for inland water transport. The meeting—aimed at showcasing the achievements of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector and outlining its future vision—is expected to be a game changer for the host state.
Waterways have traditionally been central to Kerala’s transport network. The state has around 1,900km of navigable routes, many of which pass through densely populated regions—most notably the West Coast Canal—where livelihoods have long depended on coir, cashew processing, brick-making and fishing. Strengthening inland waterway infrastructure would therefore have a direct and positive impact on the well-being of these communities.
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Kerala currently has five notified National Waterways: NW-3 (West Coast Canal, including the Champakkara and Udyogmandal canals), NW-8 (Alappuzha–Changanassery Canal), NW-9 (Alappuzha–Kottayam Canal), NW-13 (AVM Canal) and NW-59 (Vechoor–Athirampuzha Canal), together spanning 465.89 km. At present, only NW-3, NW-8 and NW-9 are operational.
These waterways function round the clock, ensuring uninterrupted navigation, and together carried 3.559 million tonnes of cargo in the last financial year. Around 1.12 crore passengers also travelled on these three waterways during the same period. Notably, both cargo and passenger traffic have shown a steady rise over the past three years.
Sources say IWDC 3.0 will place special focus on advancing key inland water transport infrastructure in Kerala, including the modernisation of the Thrikkunnapuzha lock gate and the reconstruction of the Kovilthottam foot-over bridge on NW-3.
The agenda also includes fairway development, terminal operations and the resolution of implementation challenges, such as dredged material disposal, in coordination with the state government.
There is, however, a strong demand from Kerala for initiatives to make the Kottapuram–Kochi–Kollam stretch (168 km) of NW-3 fully functional for cargo movement. At the very least, stakeholders argue, the Kochi–Kollam sector should be opened for regular barge movement within a defined timeframe as a specific project.
Experts also stress the need to make better use of unused or underutilised infrastructure owned by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), and to push for its gainful utilisation for cargo transport, vessel repair, tourism, and logistics.
They also point to the need for better Centre–State alignment to fully harness Kerala’s waterways. The Kerala government had earlier requested the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to initiate steps to declare the Kovalam–Kollam and Kozhikode–Bekal stretches of the West Coast Canal under appropriate National Waterway classifications (Class I/Class III), in line with existing standards.
The NW-3 stretch from Kottapuram to Kozhikode has already been extended under the National Waterways Act, 2016. However, the Centre has maintained that the remaining stretches—Bekal to Kozhikode in the north and Kollam to Kovalam in the south—cannot be considered for declaration as National Waterways, based on studies conducted by the National Transport Planning and Research Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.
Another key issue requiring close Centre–State coordination relates to the non-availability of dumping grounds for dredged material generated during fairway development, as well as the removal of fishing nets from navigation channels identified by the Inland Waterways Authority of India. According to the Centre, these concerns are being regularly taken up with the Kerala government for resolution.
During IWDC 2.0, held in Kaziranga, Assam, last January, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal had announced that the Kochi Water Metro model would be expanded to 15 cities across India. IWDC 3.0 is expected to feature a dedicated session on the water metro scheme.
Building on the success of the Kochi Water Metro, feasibility studies are currently underway to assess the potential for developing urban water transport systems in Alappuzha and Kollam districts in Kerala.
With rising IWT activity in Kerala—including cargo movement, tourism, cruise operations, water sports and pleasure craft—along waterways that also support traditional passenger ferries and fishing, navigation safety has assumed critical importance.
Experts argue that existing guidelines and organisational arrangements should be reviewed by an expert committee, with further steps taken to strengthen safety based on its recommendations. There are also demands for a special initiative by IWAI and the Union government to motivate, train and certify women, and to encourage their participation in inland waterways and navigation-related sectors.
Notably, on the evening of January 23, Union Minister Sonowal will meet Union ministers from Kerala, MPs and other political leaders, as well as representatives of Vizhinjam Port and Cochin Port.
Kerala is anticipating significant investments as the Vizhinjam International Seaport at Thiruvananthapuram moves towards full capacity augmentation by 2028. Speaking to THE WEEK, Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) CMD Divya S. Iyer said that once the port’s capacity augmentation is complete, its operations will be integrated with Kerala’s inland waterways. As per current plans, Vizhinjam’s capacity will increase to 5.7 million TEUs after the augmentation is completed in 2028.
On January 24, the capacity augmentation phase of the Vizhinjam International Seaport is scheduled to be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, with Union Minister Sonowal attending as the chief guest.
