"India Expands Hydrographic Surveys and Navigation Aids on Waterways"
Hydrography
the science of measuring and describing a water body's depth, bed, flow and hazards for navigation
Thalweg survey
survey that identifies and monitors the deepest navigable channel along a river stretch
India's National Waterways Act, 2016 declared 111 rivers and water bodies as National Waterways. This replaced an earlier system where only a few routes were active. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) was set up under the IWAI Act, 1985. It develops and maintains these waterways for shipping and navigation. The Sagarmala Programme (2015) provides the larger policy framework. It links port-led development, coastal shipping and inland waterway connectivity to reduce logistics costs. The Inland Vessels Act, 2021 modernised vessel safety and registration rules. It replaced a colonial-era law.
Recent numbers show the scale of this framework. The 111 National Waterways stretch across 20,187 km in 23 States and 4 Union Territories. However, only 32 are currently operational. Cargo on these waterways rose from 29 MMT in 2014-15 to 218 MMT. This is a CAGR of 20.13%. This growth has already crossed the 200 MMT target set under Maritime India Vision 2030. These numbers show that the port-led, cost-cutting strategy behind Sagarmala is working. A follow-on Sagarmala 2.0 now aims to turn India into a maritime innovation hub. It will link to the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Sagarmala 2.0 extends the original Sagarmala Programme's port-led growth strategy. It positions India as a global maritime innovation hub. This aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 visions. The growth in coastal and inland waterway shipping volumes shows the effectiveness of Sagarmala's approach. Cargo rose to 218 MMT with a CAGR of 20.13%. This demonstrates the effectiveness of Sagarmala's cost-effective and sustainable infrastructure approach.
Hydrography is the science of measuring and describing a water body's depth, bed structure, flow and hazards to support safe navigation. IWAI conducts hydrographic surveys across National Waterways. These include thalweg surveys, which identify the deepest navigable channel along a river stretch. They also include terminal or jetty surveys that check depth near loading points. As of a recent count, regular thalweg surveys cover 22 National Waterways. These are done weekly, fortnightly or monthly depending on how much a river's depth varies. They extend to the Indian portion of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route. This channel allows cargo transit between the two countries.
A key output of these surveys is the Least Available Depth (LAD). …
Consider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of the Government of India:
1.The Sagarmala Programme seeks to achieve port-led economic growth through cost-effective and sustainable coastal infrastructure.
2.The success of the Sagarmala Programme is reflected in significant growth in coastal and inland waterway shipping, along with improved global port rankings.
3.Sagarmala 2.0 aims to position India as a global maritime innovation hub aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 visions.
Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct?
1.Statement 2 validates the effectiveness of the strategies envisioned in statement 1.
2.Statement 3 extends the objectives of statement 1 by embedding them into a future-oriented innovation framework.
3.Statement 1 contradicts statement 3 by focusing only on traditional infrastructure instead of modern innovation.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Consider the following statements: 1. The Sagarmala Programme aims at port-led economic growth through coastal infrastructure development. 2. Cargo movement on India's inland waterways has grown at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of over 20% in the decade ending 2025-26, surpassing the target set under Maritime India Vision 2030. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Match the following institutions/instruments with their correct function:
List-I
A.IWAI
B.DGLL
C.SOLAS
D.IALA
List-II
1.Hydrographic surveys of National Waterways
2.Management of coastal Aids to Navigation
3.International convention requiring member states to maintain navigation aids
4.International body issuing AtoN guidelines
Consider the following statements regarding National Waterways in India: 1. India has 111 National Waterways declared under the National Waterways Act, 2016. 2. All 111 National Waterways are currently operational for cargo movement. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to Aids to Navigation (AtoN) in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021 formally defines and recognises Aids to Navigation. 2. The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) is responsible for AtoN only along inland National Waterways, and not along the coastline. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to inland waterway navigation in India, consider the following statements: 1. Least Available Depth (LAD) refers to the minimum water depth available in a navigation channel for a given stretch and period. 2. A thalweg survey identifies and monitors the deepest navigable channel along a river stretch. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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