Jaipur, April 4: Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has emphasized that the development of waterway transport is a key priority for the state government. He has instructed officials to prepare a detailed report to advance the proposed Jawai-Luni-Rann of Kutch National Waterway (NW-48) project.
During a review meeting at the Chief Minister’s office, he directed the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and IIT Madras to conduct a comprehensive study on the project’s technical and financial feasibility, as well as a comparative analysis of vessel traffic for potential freight transport.
Notably, under the Chief Minister’s leadership, the state government signed a memorandum of understanding with IWAI on October 27, 2025, for the development of NW-48.
Professor K. Murali from IIT Madras presented the progress of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) during the meeting. The Chief Minister stated that once operational, the waterway would significantly benefit not only Rajasthan but also industries and traders in neighboring states, facilitating smoother freight transport.
He mentioned that this project would lay a strong foundation for the state’s overall development, promote business activities, and lead to a notable reduction in logistics costs. Furthermore, the operation of NW-48 would enable seamless freight transport to the Arabian Sea via the Rann of Kutch.
This waterway, traversing through Rajasthan and Gujarat, will assist in the transportation of petrochemicals, minerals, cement, chemicals, and other industrial products.
The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Chief Secretary V. Srinivasan, Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Abhay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (CMO) Akhil Arora, IWAI Chairman Sunil Paliwal, and Principal Secretary (Finance) Vaibhav Gahlot.
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