Mode · Inland waterways

Freight on the river.

Bulk moves on the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, with a truck at each landing.

Andaman & Nicobar IslandsAndhra PradeshArunachal PradeshAssamBiharChandigarhChhattisgarhDadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & DiuDelhiGoaGujaratHaryanaHimachal PradeshJammu & Kashmir and LadakhJharkhandKarnatakaKeralaLakshadweepMadhya PradeshMaharashtraManipurMeghalayaMizoramNagalandOdishaPuducherryPunjabRajasthanSikkimTamil NaduTelanganaTripuraUttar PradeshUttarakhandWest Bengal
National Waterways 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 16. India boundary per Survey of India (state layer: DataMeet, CC BY 4.0). Moving marks are illustrative.
  • 145.5 MT on National Waterways FY2024-25 · PIB
  • +9.34% growth in a year PIB
  • 111 waterways declared National Waterways Act, 2016
  • 2,660 km Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route IWAI

How it moves

  1. Mine / plant SSL
  2. To the landing SSL
  3. Barge Our desk
  4. From the landing SSL
  5. Consignee SSL
Barge legs arranged by our desk.

Scale

Million tonnes a year, by mode

FY2024-25 (million tonnes). Road publishes no national tonnage; it carried 71% of freight in 2020 (NITI Aayog).
  1. Rail (originating loading) 1,617.4 MT
  2. Major Ports (sea) 853.6 MT
  3. National Waterways 145.5 MT
  4. Airports (air cargo) 3.7 MT

PIB (Railways), MoPSW (ports), PIB (waterways), AAI (air).

Frequently asked questions

What moves on India’s rivers?
Mostly bulk: coal, iron ore, iron ore fines, sand and fly ash made up over 68% (PIB, FY2024-25).
Why would I use a waterway?
For large, steady bulk volumes along the Ganga or Brahmaputra belts, a barge can take trucks off long congested roads. Our desk checks whether it fits your lane.

Ask whether the river fits.

Our desk replies on WhatsApp and confirms your price, which we never publish.

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