Glamour Glides In: Rs 45,000 crore investment sets sail for luxury river travel

The inaugural Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) has pledged an investment of Rs 45,000 crore to advance inland waterways across the nation. An estimated Rs 35,000 crore has been allocated for the enhancement of cruise vessels, with an additional Rs 10,000 crore earmarked for the development of cruise terminal infrastructure by 2047. These initiatives are expected to catalyze a four-fold increase in cargo volume, reaching 500 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2047.

Sarbananda Sonowal, the Minister for Union Ports, Shipping, and Inland Waterways, unveiled the 'Harit Nauka' guidelines and the 'River Cruise Tourism Roadmap, 2047' during the IWDC meeting in Kolkata. He revealed that the roadmap identifies over 30 potential routes for various cruise types, encompassing long and short journeys as well as recreational and heritage segments. The comprehensive plan includes aspects such as route development, marketing strategy, infrastructure enhancement, and navigation.

The government's objective is to expand river cruise tourism to 26 additional waterways, increasing the number of cruise circuits with overnight stays from 17 to 80. The plan also envisions raising the count of river cruise terminals from 15 to 185, fostering a substantial surge in cruise tourism traffic by 2047.

Furthermore, the IWDC, the foremost advisory body, incorporates representation from North-Eastern states including Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, and Nagaland. This ensures comprehensive input from diverse regions when formulating strategies for the country's waterway development.

News by Rahul Yelligetti