Geography · Ch 15 — Transport and Communication — India
Inland Waterways
Inland Waterways
India’s inland waterways were once the chief mode of transport, long before railways arrived. They lost that position because road and rail transport offered faster, more reliable alternatives. On top of that, large amounts of river water are diverted for irrigation, which leaves many stretches too shallow for navigation. Today, India has about 14,500 km of navigable waterways, but they carry only around 1% of the country’s total transportation. These waterways include rivers, canals, backwaters, and creeks.
National Waterways
To develop and regulate these routes, the Inland Waterways Authority was set up in 1986. Initially, five stretches were declared National Waterways (NWs). Then, under the National Waterways Act, 2016, a total of 111 inland waterways were declared as National Waterways. This includes the five original ones listed in the table below. The aim is to create a wide network and promote inland water transport as an economical and environment-friendly supplement to rail and road.
| Waterway | Stretch | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| NW 1 | Prayagraj – Haldia (1,620 km) | The most important waterway in India. Mechanical boats can go up to Patna; ordinary boats can go up to Haridwar. Developed in three parts: Haldia–Farakka (560 km), Farakka–Patna (460 km), Patna–Prayagraj (600 km). |
| NW 2 | Sadiya – Dhubri stretch (891 km) | The Brahmaputra is navigable by steamers up to Dibrugarh (total 1,384 km). This river stretch is shared by India and Bangladesh. |
| NW 3 | Kottapuram – Kollam (205 km) | Includes 168 km of the west coast canal, plus the Champakara canal (14 km) and the Udyogmandal canal (23 km). |
| NW 4 | Specified stretches of Godavari and Krishna rivers, along with Kakinada–Puducherry canal stretch (1,078 km) | Connects river systems with canals. |
| NW 5 | Specified stretches of the Brahmani river, along with the Matai river, delta channels of Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers, and East Coast canals (588 km) | Links river channels and delta systems. |
The Inland Waterways Authority has also identified 10 other inland waterways that could be upgraded in the future.
The Backwaters of Kerala
The backwaters (locally called Kayal) of Kerala hold special importance among India’s inland waterways. They are not just a cheap means of transport; they have become a major tourist attraction. The famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Vallamkali) is held in these backwaters every year, drawing large crowds.
Konkan Railway (a related achievement) …
The photograph in Figure 7.6 shows a single, large wooden ferry boat on a wide river in Northeast India. The boat is flat-bottomed, with a raised prow at the front where a boatman stands, likely steering or poling the vessel. The deck is densely crowded with passengers — some seated, some standing — indicating that this is a common, everyday mode of transport rather than a tourist attraction.
This image illustrates the continued use of inland waterways for passenger movement in the northeastern region, even though the textbook notes that river navigation has declined elsewhere due to competition from roads and railways, and because of irrigation diversions. The Brahmaputra River (part of National Waterway 2) is the major navigable river in the Northeast, and this photograph likely shows a ferry on that river or one of its tributaries. The crowded boat makes a visual point: where rivers remain deep and wide enough, water transport remains vital for local connectivity, especially in areas where road and rail networks are sparse or difficult to build due to hilly terrain. …
Figure 7.7 is a composite illustration that packs two views into one frame. On the left is a photograph of a Kerala backwater canal, lined with tall palm trees. The water is crowded with long rows of people and boats — this is a boat race, the famous Vallamkali (Nehru Trophy Boat Race) mentioned in the textbook text. The image immediately connects the idea of inland waterways to a living cultural event, not just a transport route.
On the right side of the figure is a sketch map of National Waterway No. 3 (NW 3). The map is not drawn to scale, and it runs alongside the Arabian Sea on the Kerala coast. A boxed key explains the map: it shows the 'Waterway Alignment' and gives the distances for the entire stretch.
The map labels, reading from north to south, are: Periyar River, Kottapuram, Tattapalli River, Aluva, Udyogamandal Canal, CEPZ (Cochin Export Processing Zone), Ambalamugal, Kochchi (Kochi), Ernakulam, Champakkara Canal, Vaikom, Cherthala, Vembanad Lake, Alappuzha (Alleppey), Vattakkayal, Pamba River, Ambalapuzha, Thottapalli, Trikunnapuzha, Kayamkulam Kayal, Kayamkulam, Chavara, Ashtamudi Kayal, and Kollam.
The key also provides the distance breakdown:
- Kottapuram to Kochchi: 0–30 km
- Kochchi to Alappuzha: 30–92 km
- Alappuzha to Kollam: 92–168 km
- Champakkara Canal: 14 km
- Udyogamandal Canal: 23 km
The total length is given as 205 km, which matches the textbook's Table 7.3 entry for NW 3. …
| Waterways | Stretch | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| NW 1 | Prayagraj–Haldia stretch (1,620 km) | It is one of the most important waterways in India, which is navigable by mechanical boats up to Patna and by ordinary boats up to Haridwar. It is divided into three parts for developmental purposes – (i) Haldia–Farakka (560 km), (ii) Farakka–Patna (460 km), (iii) Patna–Prayagraj (600 km). |
| NW 2 | Sadiya-Dhubri stretch (891 km) | Brahmaputra is navigable by steamers up to Dibrugarh (1,384 km) which is shared by India and Bangladesh |
| NW 3 | Kottapuram-Kollam stretch (205 km) | It includes 168 km of west coast canal along with Champakara canal (14 km) and Udyogmandal canal (23 km). |
| NW 4 | Specified streches of Godavari and Krishna rivers along with Kakinada Puducherry stretch of canals (1078 km) |