IWAI Signs MoU with J&K to Boost River Cruise Tourism.
MOUs and Agreement
In March 2025, Noida (Uttar Pradesh) based Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) to boost river cruise tourism on three National Waterways in J&K.
- The three National Waterways (NW) in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir covered under this agreement include River Chenab (NW-26), River Jhelum (NW-49), and River Ravi (NW-84), among the 111 recognized National Waterways in India.
- The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, MoPSW, and Minister of State (MoS) Shantanu Thakur, MoPSW, during the Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session) in Srinagar, J&K.
- The MoU aims to enhance tourism, create job opportunities, drive economic growth, and introduce a new form of leisure and budget tourism along the rivers in J&K. To promote river cruise tourism, several cruise routes were announced for development, stretching from Kashmir to Kerala and Assam to Gujarat, during the Second Meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) in January 2025.
Main Point :- (i) In two months, IWAI took a step towards developing river cruise tourism in J&K, with an estimated budget of Rs. 100 crore. Under the MoU, IWAI will develop waterside infrastructure, including ten floating jetties, as well as landside facilities, such as waiting halls and other amenities for cruise passengers.
(ii) Of the ten floating jetties, two will be installed at 'Akhnoor' and 'Reasi' (near Jammu) on the designated section of River Chenab (NW-26). Seven floating jetties will be set up at 'Pantha Chowk', 'Zero Bridge', 'Amira Kadal', 'Shah-e-Hamdan', 'Safa Kadal/Chattabal Shrine', 'Sumbal Bridge', and 'Gund Prang' (in Srinagar and Bandipora) on River Jhelum (NW-49). One floating jetty will be installed at Sohar on River Ravi (NW-84).
(iii) The J&K government will provide land for landside facilities, handle approvals, and appoint cruise operators, while IWAI will offer technical support as needed.
About Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
Chairman : Vijay Kumar
Headquarters : Noida
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