The cost of neglecting water transport

03 Feb 2025

The cost of neglecting water transport
Image source: Hydrofoil-7, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Inland water transport is widely recognised as a cheaper and environment friendly mode of transport and, as per a report prepared by RITES, the engineering consultancy arm of Indian Railways, in 2014, an integrated national waterways grid would be the most cost-effective mode of transport compared to road and rail networks.

It seems, the government has invested more in road and rail development at the cost of water transport. That could also be the reason that inland water transport continues to be a laggard.

India is bestowed with a vast network of rivers and water bodies that can be used for transporting people and goods. But, the prolonged neglect of water transport has stymied innovation, leaving the country stuck with the old catamaran for long.

All this while the world has moved ahead with faster versions of the catamaran as also steam and petrol boats. Electric-powered green vessels as also faster vessels like the hovercraft that can rival automobiles and trains have also been in use across the world for a long time now.

Faster Vessels

It took as far as last year for India to think of locally manufacturing the hovercraft, although with mostly foreign inputs.

The development came after the defence ministry floated a tender for six Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) in 1917, for use by the Coast Guard. Goa-based Chowgule & Company signed the contract with the defence ministry in October 2024 for developing and supplying six amphibious hovercraft.

Although hovercraft is mainly used for people transport, the defence ministry wanted it enhance the operational capabilities of maritime security forces.

The Indian Coast Guard can use Air Cushion Vehicles with amphibious capabilities to reinforce its patrolling and reconnaissance capabilities.

These modern Air Cushion Vehicles can be used for multiple roles in shallow waters as also deep sea search and rescue operations.

The government’s Make in India policy seems to have changed the country’s manufacturing scenario. New ideas and enhanced capabilities are now driving enterprise in India. 

Recent reports say a woman entrepreneur in Coimbatore has succeeded in designing an indigenous hovercraft that is capable of traversing both land and water. The hovercraft also claims to have impressive speed capability of reaching 100 kmph on road surfaces and 80 kmph on water

Supritha Chandrasekar, the pioneering woman entrepreneur, claimed success with her Eurotech Pivot Solutions Private Limited carrying out trial run of the hovercraft on Coimbatore’s Sulur Lake.

Significance of Waterways

Waterways have historically been the lifeline of communities, especially in the case of civilisations that originated on river basins. However, the basic tenet of river-based development has been largely left out of national priorities. It also became the slowest means of transport thanks to prolonged neglect by successive governments.

A World Bank study has found that while one litre of fuel moves about 24 tonnes/km on road and 95 tonnes/km on rail, inland water transport gives an average 215 tonnes/km. The comparative cost of freight movement works out to Rs2.50 per tonne/km on roads, Rs1.36 per tonne/km on rail and Rs1.06 per tonne/km on inland waterways, as per the study.

Also, water transport is so far the cleanest mode of freight and people movement compared to road, rail or air transport.

The question arises as to why this cheaper and cleaner mode of transport has so far been neglected in India. One reason could be cheap oil – sourced from cheaper sources or sold cheap through government subsidies - made road and rail transport look superficially cheap.

The cost of reviving water transport is enormous as far more investments are needed for revival of water bodies. 

River Based Development

Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC), constituted to make recommendations on matters related to inland water transport, has suggested major infra upgrades on National Waterways costing around Rs50,000 crore over the next five years. This has also been accepted by the Inland Water Transport Authority, the nodal agency for development of inland water transport. 

IWDC also mooted Riverine Community Development Scheme as a major policy initiative to improve the socio-economic well-being of coastal communities by developing infrastructure, promoting trade and tourism along the riverine ecosystem, providing skill enrichment trainings and upgrading knowledge of river among communities.

Development of strategic regional projects in collaboration with neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and beyond will facilitate regional trade and seamless connectivity in South Asia.

Plans are afoot to develop the main waterways like NW 2, NW 16 and the IBPR by 2030. Also, shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal has proposed to launch 1,000 Green Vessels in the next five years to boost Inland Waterways.

Greening of Waterways

Perhaps, the lone innovation in water transport could be the Water Metro Project in Kochi, Kerala, which Sonowal wanted to replicate in 15 cities of India, including Guwahati.

As a first step towards the greening of inland water transport Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 23 February 2024, dedicated to the nation two hybrid electric catamaran vessels – MV Guh and MV Nishadraj - built by Cochin Shipyard Limited.

MV Guh will sail on river Saryu in Ayodhya, and MV Nishadraj on river Ganga in Varanasi. These state-of-the-art vessels, with a seating capacity of 50 passengers each, are powered by fast-charging batteries and are designed to reduce carbon emissions by 400 tonnes annually.

Sonowal also launched the National River Traffic & Navigation System and announced various projects, including the setting up of ship repair facilities at more National Waterways.

The minister also announced plans to set up 62 new jetties across states to ramp up inland waterways transport.

IWDC is looking for solutions to tide over challenges in order to unlock the vast potential of rivers to spur innovation for economic development. 

History of Hovercraft Part 1

History of hovercraft Part 2

History of hovercraft Part 3

 

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