The Sutlej River has been designated as National Waterway-98 (NW-98), stretching from the Bridge at Sunni in Mandi District, Himachal Pradesh, to Harike Barrage in Punjab, and also traversing Rupnagar District. A feasibility study for NW-98 is currently underway and is anticipated to be completed by May 2026. The Indian government has allocated Rs. 2.82 crore for this feasibility study, which will assess aspects such as waterway infrastructure, including jetties and terminals, as well as technical, hydrological, and environmental constraints. This initiative is a foundational step towards achieving the objectives of the Maritime India Vision 2030, with developmental works planned to benefit the general public, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, and farmers. This information was provided by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, in response to a query in the Lok Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
National Waterway-98 (NW-98): The declared waterway for inland water transport in Punjab.
Maritime India Vision 2030: The overarching objective under which the feasibility study for NW-98 is being undertaken.
Sutlej River: The river declared as National Waterway-98, central to the policy's scope.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: The government body responsible for the policy and the feasibility study.
Punjab: The primary location where the inland water transport initiative is focused.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
INLAND WATER TRANSPORT IN PUNJAB
Posted On: 14 MAR 2026 9:42AM by PIB Delhi
Sutlej River has been declared as National Waterway-98 (NW-98) from Bridge at Sunni (District Mandi,
Himachal Pradesh) to Harike Barrage (Punjab) and passes through Rupnagar District also. The feasibility
study of Sutlej River (NW-98) is being carried out and the report is expected to be submitted by May,
2026.
An amount of Rs. 2.82 crore has been sanctioned for undertaking feasibility study of NW-98. The
provision of waterway infrastructure such as jetties, terminals, technical, hydrological and environmental
constraints etc. will be a part of the feasibility report.
The preparation of a feasibility report is the first step undertaken under the objectives of Maritime India
Vision 2030. The developmental works will be undertaken for the benefit of the common public including
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises and farmers as per the feasibility report.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda
Sonowal, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
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MI/PN/IY
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