New Nodal Waterways Office To Unleash ‘Growth Rivers’ In J&K

With the Government suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on April 23, a day after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on May 13 officially opened its new regional headquarters at Srinagar’s Transport Bhawan.

It will now serve as the nodal point of all IWAI activities and river navigation infrastructure projects in the Union Territory. The IWAI is planning widespread water infrastructure development to unlock the full potential of the J&K's rivers – Chenab, Jhelum and Ravi.

The space for the IWAI Srinagar office has been provided by the J&K administration. And it is not just another government outpost, but the pivotal centre to transform regional waterways into engines of growth, eco-tourism and sustainable transport.

"We feel that by unlocking J&K's water transport systems, we can catalyse the economy—not only will waterways be used for moving freight at cheap costs, but they will also be used for tourist movement," officials said.

A Development Plan For J&K Waterways

In March 2025, IWAI and the J&K government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development of three national waterways: NW-84 on the Ravi, NW-49 on the Jhelum, and NW-26 on the Chenab.

The basic roadmap for developing these NWs was already in place. The IWAI will build floating jetties at 10 strategic points, which will provide landing stations for water vessels and ferries. Development of these NWs is likely to open up new trade and travel routes.

However, there are other supporting activities to be undertaken. Strategic dredging operations will create navigable fairways, which will enable heavy boats to ply even during lean seasons. As the IWT is currently in abeyance, navigation in these waterways should be a smooth affair.

In supplementary infrastructure, night navigation lights will be installed across the riversides. Frequent hydrographic surveys will also be done for the safety of the water channels. All these logistics are meant to add heft to the region’s existing tourism potential. River-based tourism anywhere in the world attracts visitors. The scenic beauty of the Kashmiri riverbanks will add to that.

The waterways plan will seamlessly merge with water infrastructure development in iconic spots, like the Dal and Wular lakes. There are even proposals for floating luxury cruise hotels in these lakes. If these materialise, they can redefine luxury leisure in the Kashmir Valley.

National Waterways Policy Roadmap

Officials told The Secretariat, “This is nothing short of a ‘river renaissance’. The development of these waterways is about to change the way people and goods move in these mountains and valleys full of geographical challenges.”

Currently, "building fresh road and rail infrastructure takes time and involves huge costs because of the number of tunnels that have to be dug. Using waterways wherever possible can be a far cheaper alternative," they pointed out.

The vision of the central government is also to reduce environmental degradation through extensive road construction by integrating water transport into the region’s multimodal logistics network. "The end benefits of river transport will be lower carbon emissions and creation of green jobs," said officials.

Therefore, the future development activities originating from the new IWAI office at Srinagar are expected to neatly segue into the national vision of making India’s waterways the fulcrum of a new age and a sustainable transport system.

In Kashmir, local entrepreneurs will find new opportunities, eco-tourism operators will find new river cruise routes, and the residents will gain better connectivity and lower transport costs.

The aim is to utilise waterways to engine growth in the region that is traditionally famous for its landscapes. The J&K rivers may soon turn into a “ship of prosperity”, with the IWAI steering it.