Govt Working On Plan To Rollout Water Metro Transport System In 18 Cities

New Delhi: The shipping and waterways ministry on Monday said that the government is working on a plan to rollout water metro transport system in 18 cities across the country.

The draft National Water Metro Policy for an inter-ministerial consultation ahead of the national rollout of the project, according to the Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry. In the first phase, the ministry is planning to start a water metro in Srinagar, Patna, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Prayagraj, the ministry said in a statement.

In the second phase, Tezpur and Dibrugarh in Assam will get a water metro. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a review meeting on the rollout of the much-anticipated water metro services.

According to an official statement, building on the success and learnings from the Kochi Water Metro, the government is now scaling up a national framework to introduce water-based urban mobility solutions across cities with navigable waterways. The proposed rollout aims to transform inland waterways into efficient, sustainable, and modern public transport corridors, it added.

Highlighting the rationale behind the initiative, Sonowal underscored, “The proposed water metro systems are significantly less capital-intensive as they utilise existing waterways with minimal civil infrastructure.”

With faster construction timelines, lower land requirements, and reduced operational costs, particularly through the adoption of electric and hybrid ferries, the system offers a viable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional urban transport. These services will contribute to reducing congestion in cities while offering a comfortable, scenic, and smoother commuting experience, he added.