Fellows Seminar Series | Developing Inland Waterways: Ecological Integrity and Transport Alternatives

India is at a pivotal moment in its infrastructure trajectory. The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) and the National Logistics Policy are driving a significant revival of Inland Water Transport (IWT), positioning it as a low-carbon, cost-efficient alternative to road and rail freight. With over 20,000 km of navigable waterways and a target to increase IWT's freight share from 2–3% to 10% by 2047, the stakes — both economic and ecological — are enormous.

Yet this expansion is unfolding across some of India's most biodiverse river systems. The Ganga and Brahmaputra — the two primary operational corridors — are home to the endangered Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica), India's National Aquatic Animal, whose habitat overlaps with nearly 90% of current and proposed national waterways. Channel dredging, vessel noise, river training works, and night navigation collectively threaten riverine biodiversity in ways that current regulatory and environmental assessment frameworks are ill-equipped to address.

This seminar brings together experts from ecology, government, academia, and civil society to examine this paradox — and chart a course toward wildlife-compatible inland navigation. The format of the seminar will include an Author’s Presentation drawing on the study, Navigating the Paradox: India’s Blue Economy and the River Dolphin Conservation Imperative.

Programme