Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a high-level review meeting on the rollout of Water Metro services across 18 cities, marking a major step towards expanding sustainable water-based public transport across India.
Under Phase I of the initiative, Guwahati has been identified alongside Srinagar, Patna, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj for the initial rollout. In Assam, Tezpur and Dibrugarh have been proposed under Phase II.
The Ministry has also circulated the Draft National Water Metro Policy, 2026 for inter-ministerial consultations, aiming to establish a modern, sustainable and integrated framework for water-based urban transport across the country.
Building on the success of the Kochi Water Metro, the initiative seeks to promote green mobility through electric and hybrid ferries, reduce urban congestion, strengthen multimodal connectivity and improve accessibility through navigable waterways.
The proposed Water Metro ecosystem will feature modern terminals, charging infrastructure, navigational aids and enhanced passenger amenities, while also promoting indigenisation and incorporating regional architectural identity into infrastructure development.
Feasibility studies for all 18 cities are currently underway, with reports for Srinagar, Patna, Guwahati, Varanasi and Ayodhya already accepted by the Ministry.