After Indus Treaty Suspension, Inland Water Transport Gets Boost In Jammu-Kashmir With Srinagar Office

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has inaugurated its new regional office at Transport Bhawan, Srinagar. In a land provided by the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government, the office will serve as the nodal point for all IWT projects in the region.

IWAI, under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the J&K government to develop navigation infrastructure across three declared national waterways — NW-26 (River Chenab), NW-49 (River Jhelum), and NW-84 (River Ravi).

The move comes at a time when India has placed the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, following the brutal Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

In this context, the strengthening of inland water transportation infrastructure in J&K is not only a developmental priority but also a strategic assertion of India’s sovereign rights over its river systems.

The authority, which started functioning on 13 May, will begin development works under this framework, including the installation of floating jetties at ten locations, the creation of navigable fairways through dredging, the provision of night navigational aids, and conducting hydrographic surveys to ensure safe vessel movement.

"Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the able guidance of Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, IWAI has made several infrastructural interventions to develop waterways as a robust engine of growth," the press statement read.

It added that the partnership between IWAI and the J&K government is a significant step that promises to promote eco-tourism in the union territory while stimulating the local economy.

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