Parliament Question: Sea and River Cruise Passengers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2311 ANSWERED ON 13.02.2026 SEA AND RIVER CRUISE PASSENGERS

2311. SHRI ALOK SHARMA:

SHRI LUMBARAM CHOUDHARY:

SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

SHRI BALABHADRA MAJHI:

SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:

SHRI P C MOHAN:

SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI:

SHRI RAVINDRA SHUKLA ALIAS RAVI KISHAN:

SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI:

SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: प(cid:517)न,पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी

(a) the number of sea and river cruise passengers in the country during the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26;

(b) the revenue collected from foreign cruise operators under the new Presumptive Taxation Regime (Section 44BBC);

(c) the total number of international cruise calls at the six major cruise ports as of December 2025;

(d) whether the Government has launched the “Cruise QR Code” clearance system at all international terminals;

(e) if so, the details thereof along with the manner in which it has been implemented and its impact on passenger convenience, timely clearance and transparency; and

(f) the new sea or inland river cruise routes/terminals planned/proposed indicating their locations timely clearance and expected tourism and employment benefits, State-wise?ANSWER MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) The numbers of sea and river cruise passengers in India for FY 2024-25 & for FY 2025-26 (up to December, 2025) are as below:

FY 2025–26 Year FY 2024–25 (up to December, 2025) sea cruise passengers 4,92,362 3,42,631 river cruise passengers 4,35,163 29,26,440

(b) (i) A new column related to Section 44BBC of the Income-tax Act, 1961 has been introduced in 1TR-3, ITR-5 and ITR-6 for AY 2025-26:  ITR-3: Schedule BP: (35)(vib) Profits and gains of business or profession deemed to be under -Section 44BBC  ITR-5: Schedule BP: (35)(vib) Profits and gains of business or profession deemed to be under -Section 44BBC  ITR-6: Schedule BP: (36)(vib) Profits and gains of business or profession deemed to be under -Section 44BBC

(ii) It has been observed that only three individuals have reported a total of Rs. 2,10,001/- as profits and gains of business u/s 44BBC of the Income-tax Act,1961 in above mentioned column of ITR -3 of AY 2025-26 (latest submitted upto 31st December 2025) .

(c) The total number of international cruises calls at the six major cruise ports for FY 2025–26 (up to December, 2025) was 25.

(d) & (e) Yes, the Cruise QR code has been launched at all major international Seaports by the Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs. All cruise passengers arriving in India on e-Visa have a QR Code on their e-Travel Authorization. Further, for Regular Visa holders, a QR Code is given to the passengers separately as per the passenger manifest received. In both cases, this single Cruise QR code enables cruise passengers to swiftly complete immigration procedure at the Seaport Cruise terminals during their movement between Cruise ship and port.

(f) Details annexed.Annexure-A

1. Sea International & Domestic Cruise Terminal is under construction at Mormugao Port, Goa.

2. River Details are as tabulated below.

No. of State(s) Name of NWs Cruise Circuits NWs Andhra 1 NW-79 (Pennar River) Pradesh PavitraSangamam local cruise NW-4 { Godavari river (Bhadrachalam to Rajahmundry &Bhadrachalam - Nashik), Andhra Kakinada Canal (Kakinada Pradesh, to Rajahmundry), Eluru Telangana, Canal (Rajahmundry to Mahabalipuram- Ediyur Bridge Chhattisgarh, Vijayawada), Krishna river Almatti Dam to Herkal 1 Karnataka, (Wazirabad to Vijayawada (Overnight) Tamil Nadu, &Wazirabad - Galagali), Narayanpur Dam Pudduchery Commamur Canal Tarlaguda-Bhadrakali and (Vijayawada to Kaleswaram-Sironcha Maharashtra Peddaganjam), North & SreepadaYelampalli South Buckingham Canals Sriramsagar and Marakanam to Kopargaon Puducherry through Nanded Kaluvelly tank Paithan Andhra Pradesh & NW-104 (Tungabhadra 1 Karnataka, River) Telangana Sunkesula Barrage Sindhort Dam -Kotna-Beach NW-66 (Mahi river) &Kadana Dam 2 Gujarat Dholka-Vataman& U/s of NW-87 (Sabarmati river) SantSarovar Dam 2 NW-73 (Narmada river) Gujarat & Kukshi-U/s of SardarsarovarNo.

of State(s) Name of NWs Cruise Circuits NWs Maharashtra Dam NW-100 (Tapi river) Surat Castle-Dumas Beach Dholavira&Lakhpat Fort-Narayan Gujarat & NW-48 (Jawai-Luni-Rann 1 Sarovar (MHA clearance is Rajasthan of Kutch River System) required) NW-25 (Chapora river) Chapora-Alorna Fort 6 Goa Cavolossim-Betul Fort-Betul NW-88 (Sal river) lighthouse NW-26 (Chenab river) Reasi-Akhnoor Jammu & 2 Kashmir NW-49 (Jhelum river) Wular Lake to PanthaChowk 1 UT of Ladakh NW-46 (Indus river) Rambirpora-Karu Jammu & Kashmir, 1 Himachal NW-84 (Ravi river) Pradesh & Punjab Sohar- Mini Goa Connected with 1 Jharkhand NW-56 (Kherkai river) Jamshedpur(NW-96) NW-59 (Kottayam-Vaikom 4 Kerala Canal) Kumarakom Kerala & 1 NW-13 (AVM Canal) Tamil Nadu Poovar Lake NW-41 (Ghataprabha River) Included in Almatti Dam circuit Local tourism across Reserve NW-51 (Kabini river) forest 9 Karnataka NW-52 (Kali river) Sadashivgad- Halgejoog-Sea NW-67 (Malaprabha river) Badami Caves, Pattakadl&Aihole NW-76 {Panchagangavali

(Panchagangoli) River} Kodi backwatersNo. of State(s) Name of NWs Cruise Circuits NWs NW-90 (Sharavati river) Gerusoppa-Honnavar NW-105 (Udayavara River) Malpe Sea View Karnataka & 1 NW-21 (Bheema river) Telangana Yadgir Fort NW-11 (Arunawati - Aran River System) Chincholi Dam NW-53 (Kalyan-Thane- Mumbai Waterway, Vasai Creek And Ulhas River Urban Transport connecting Navi System) Mumbai Airport 9 Maharashtra NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek) Agardanda NW-85 (Revadanda Creek - Kundalika River System) Revadanda Fort NW-89 (Savitri River (Bankot Creek) Harihareswar NW-70 (Manjara river) Octopus Lake &Nizamsagar Dam Maharashtra 3 NW-109 (Wainganga - & Telangana Pranahita River System) Sironcha- Kaleswaram NW-14 (Baitarni river) Bhitarkanika Forest NW-22 (Birupa - BadiGenguti - Brahmani 4 Odisha River System) Lalitgir-Udaigiri-Ratnagiri NW-23 (BudhaBalanga) Balasore-Hidden beach NW-64 (Mahanadi river) Jobra Odisha, NW-96 (Subarnrekha 1 Jharkhand & PanteiGhat-Bhusandeswara- River) West Bengal Bichitrapur Mangroves Religious circuits covering 4 NW-17 (Beas river) Punjab & gurudwaras 2 Himachal Naina Devi-Tattapani&Kiratpur Pradesh NW-98 (Sutlej river) Sahib-Anandpur SahibNo.

of State(s) Name of NWs Cruise Circuits NWs NW-20 (Bhawani river) PavitraSangamam local cruise NW-55 (Kaveri - Kollidam River System) Chidambaram-Pichavaram NW-75 (Palar river) Palar-Kalpakkam 8 Tamil Nadu NW-77 (Pazhyar river) Manakudi NW-80 (Ponniyar river) Cuddalore Town NW-99 (Tamaraparani River) Punnaikayal& Tirunelveli NW-107 (Vaigai river) Madurai NW-44 (Ichamati river) 2 West Bengal NW-97 (Sunderbans Waterways & 13 rivers) 16 NWs included in DIB NWs in 24 66 42 NW proposed for States development *****