Jaipur: The desert state of Rajasthan is all set to embark on a journey of industrial development and trade through the sea. Jalore district of the state will be directly connected to the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Kutch as efforts have begun to develop an inland port (waterway) in Jalore.
A significant MoU was signed last month in Mumbai between the Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority and the Inland Waterways Authority of India, a central government body, regarding the construction of an inland port in Jalore which will connect this district to Arabian Sea through dredging in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The Water Resources Minister of the state Suresh Singh Rawat said, "this will usher in a new era of maritime connectivity for Rajasthan as this is the biggest step towards developing an inland port (waterway) in Jalore after the Jawai-Luni-Run of Kutch river system was declared National Waterway 48. Rajasthan will join the maritime states and move towards becoming a logistics powerhouse.”
This ambitious project will directly connect Rajasthan to Kandla Port (Kutch). Currently, studies are underway to establish a waterway to Jalore. This includes the Bhawatara-Navlakhi route and the Kandla Creek (approximately 262 km). According to the MoU, dredging will cost more than ₹10,000 crore.
Minister Rawat said that the Inland Waterways Development Authority of India, the National Institute of Technology for Ports, Waterways and Coasts, IIT Madras, and the Water Resources Department are conducting a survey on the waterway's DPR. This includes year-round water availability, land requirements for the project, and estimated costs. Experts from IIT Madras will soon visit Rajasthan for field studies.
Notably, the Luni-Jawai Basin and the Jalore-Barmer region have significant trading activities involving textiles, stone, agricultural products, oilseeds, guar, pulses, and millet. A refinery project is also nearby. The state government is hoping that sea connectivity will accelerate the expansion of industries and a significant portion of cargo will be transported via waterways, reducing the burden on roads and rail.
