3 min readPanajiJun 26, 2026 07:38 PM IST
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said Friday the proposed water metro project in Goa will improve daily transportation and enhance tourism in the coastal state.
On the sidelines of inauguration of the new building of the Captain of Ports department in Panaji, Sonowal said: “I’m particularly happy to share that the Goa water metro project, which was earlier envisaged in a later phase, has now been brought into phase 1 implementation priority. It is because the [Goa] chief minister visited Delhi and he requested me that it should be done for Goa. If a water metro can be implemented successfully in Kochi, then along the same lines, it should be specifically promoted in Goa too”.
“I’m confident that people of Goa will soon witness the transformative project becoming a reality, improving daily transportation, while enhancing the tourism experience of the state,” the Minister added.
At the event, the Minister said India’s maritime sector has witnessed transformational growth over the past 12 years, adding that the government has taken a strong step towards preserving and promoting Goa’s maritime heritage.
“Goa’s relationship with the sea is unique and timeless. For centuries, its rivers and coastline have connected communities, supported livelihoods and attracted visitors from across the world. Maritime activity is woven into the social, cultural and economic fabric of the state,” he said.
Sonowal said Goa became the first state in the country to implement the Inland Vessels Act 2021. “The major ports have nearly doubled their capacity and significantly improved efficiency with the vessel turnaround time reducing from 95 hours to 41 hours. The coastal cargo movement has more than doubled. The number of cruise passengers has increased more than four times. Inland waterways have emerged as a major growth engine, with operational waterways increasing from three to 32 and cargo movement growing more than seven-fold. India is emerging as a major maritime nation with a clear roadmap under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047,” he added.
The Goa government had earlier tasked Kochi Metro Rail Limited to prepare a detailed project report for a proposed water metro project. As per a feasibility study conducted by Kochi Metro Rail Limited to assess potential routes and passenger demand for a water taxi network across the state, at least 28 locations were surveyed and eight feasible routes were identified to operate 87 vessels along a 111-km route. These included Panaji-Narve, Betim-Old Goa, Old Goa-Sarmanas, Vasco-Cortalim, Cortalim-Durbhat, Old Goa-Cumbarjua, Panaji-Dona Paula-Vasco and Panaji-Chapora.
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The feasibility report projected daily ridership to rise from over 43,240 passengers in 2025 to 60,639 passengers by 2041.