Water Metro Coming To Srinagar? Dal Lake, Jhelum Among Routes Under Centre’s Big Mobility Plan | Exclusive

Last Updated:June 24, 2026, 15:08 IST

From Dal Lake to Dakshineswar, Centre explores water metro routes in Srinagar, Guwahati and Kolkata, with Detailed Project Reports now underway

In a move that could bring waterways back into the daily commute of three major Indian cities, the government has initiated plans to develop Urban Water Transport Systems in Srinagar, Guwahati and Kolkata, with detailed studies now being commissioned to assess the viability of water metro services.

The proposal goes beyond tourism and aims to integrate rivers and lakes into the urban transport network, offering an alternative to increasingly congested roads.

As part of the exercise, government has started preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) that will examine everything from passenger demand and route planning to financial viability, terminal infrastructure, and regulatory requirements. The studies will also pave the way for Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) work and the preparation for eventual construction, documents with CNN-News18 show.

For Srinagar, the plan taps into the city’s historic relationship with water. The proposed network spans both the River Jhelum and Dal Lake, potentially reconnecting neighbourhoods that were once linked primarily through waterways.

Eleven locations along the Jhelum have been identified during the feasibility stage, including Pantha Chowk, Zero Bridge, Amira Kadal, Maharaj Gunj, Chhatabal, Sumbal, Hajin and even Wular Lake. Another 10 locations have been shortlisted on Dal Lake, including Nehru Park, Char Chinar, Nishat Garden, Shalimar Bagh, Naseem Bagh and the Hazratbal Shrine.

If implemented, the project could transform how residents and visitors move across Srinagar, while also reducing pressure on the city’s increasingly crowded road network.

Kolkata, which already has a long history of ferry services on the Hooghly, could see a more structured urban water metro network emerge. Sixteen locations have been shortlisted, including Babughat, Princep Ghat, Belur Math, Dakshineswar, Howrah Station Jetty, Bagbazar, Shovabazar and Shalimar Ghat.

Officials say the DPRs will evaluate potential passenger traffic, identify suitable terminal locations, recommend vessel requirements and assess the institutional framework needed to operate the services.

In Guwahati, the proposed routes seek to leverage the vast expanse of the Brahmaputra. Twelve locations have been identified, stretching from the Gateway of Guwahati and Uzaan Bazar to Pandu Port, North Guwahati, IIT Guwahati, Sualkuchi and Palashbari. Notably, the study will also examine connectivity between the city and Guwahati Airport through water-based transport.

Alongside the water metro plans, the government has also indicated its intention to develop cruise terminals in all three cities — on the Jhelum in Srinagar, the Brahmaputra in Guwahati and the Hooghly in Kolkata — potentially boosting tourism and leisure travel as well.

The proposal comes amid a broader push by the Centre to expand inland waterways as a viable mode of transportation. Inspired in part by the success of the Water Metro model in Kochi, policymakers are increasingly looking at rivers and lakes not merely as scenic assets, but as transport corridors capable of easing urban congestion and offering cleaner mobility options.

Whether daily commuters in Srinagar could one day board a ferry at Pantha Chowk and disembark near Dal Lake, or office goers in Guwahati and Kolkata swap traffic jams for river routes, will depend on what the upcoming studies reveal. For now, the first step has been taken toward bringing water transport back into the heart of urban mobility.

About the Author

Aman Sharma

Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Minister...Read More

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