Page 41 - NIS English 16-30 September, 2025

1 year of Cruise Bharat Mission | FLAGSHIP
Dibrugarh
Guwahati Cruise journeys are
becoming popular
The number of cruise 10
Cruise journeys by about 400% between
passengers has increased
the years 2015 and 2025.
Not only this, river cruise
272
128
rapidly with 25 ships on 13
2015-16 2024-25 operations have grown
national waterways in 2024-
25 as compared to only 5
ships on three waterways
Number of passengers 1.26 LAKH 4.92 LAKH in 2013-14. The number
of waterways was only 5 in
2014, whereas today work
is being done to develop
111 national waterways in
2015-16 2024-25
24 states.
Cruise Bharat Mission’s 3-Phase Plan
n Phase 1 (October 2024 to September 2025):
Modernization of current terminals with market
research, master planning, and cruise partnerships
with neighboring countries.
n Phase 2 (October 2025 to March 2027):
Developing new cruise terminals with a focus on
areas full of tourism potential.
n Phase 3 (April 2027 to March 2029): Connecting
cruise circuits across the Indian subcontinent.
Steps taken to promote cruise tourism
n Priority in providing platforms at ports.
n A rationalized tariff in terms of port charges and
passenger charges. Discount in port tariff from
10% to 30%.
n Cabotage has been waived for foreign cruise vessels,
allowing them to transport Indian nationals from
one Indian Port to another.
n The E-Visa and on-arrival visa facilities extended. time, 29 national waterways are operational in 11
n e-Landing Card has been introduced. Valid for all
ports in cruise itinerary.
n Rationalised cruise tariff has been introduced.
Cruise Bharat Mission’s 2029 Targets
Lakh jobs to be created 15
4 in the cruise sector. Lakh river cruise
Initial target: 1 lakh.
Lakh sea cruise passengers passengers in the
in the future, a sharp rise future from the
present 5 lakh
n There will be 10 international cruise terminals;
from 5 lakh at present
currently, there are 2.
n 100 river cruise terminals in future; currently, there are 50.
Waterways are not only good for protecting the
environment but also save money. According
to a study, the cost of transportation by
waterways is two and a half times less than by
road, while the cost is one-third less than by
rail. You can imagine how much fuel is saved
by waterways, and how much money is saved.
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
ties, so that a large section of foreign tourists can
be attracted to India. Also, cruise shipping can be
made popular among Indian tourists.
The movement of inland ships continues on
National Waterway Number-One (1,390 km) from
Varanasi to Haldia, started by the Inland Waterways
Authority of India. In the last financial year, 4,229
ships moved on this waterway passing through
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
CRUISE TERMINALS IN 6 MAJOR PORTS
OF THE COUNTRY
At present, there are 6 major ports in the country:
Mumbai Port in Maharashtra, Mormugao in Goa,
Kochi in Kerala, Chennai in Tamil Nadu, New Man-
galore Port in Karnataka, and Visakhapatnam in
Andhra Pradesh. Also, there are cruise facilities in
Puducherry, Lakshadweep, and Sri Vijayapuram
in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. At the same
states by the financial year 2024-25, out of which
3 national waterways are exclusively dedicated to
cruise traffic. n
September 16-30, 2025 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 39