Inland waterways have played an important role in the Indian transport system since ancient times. However, in the decades after independence, the importance of this mode of transport has declined considerably with the expansion of road and rail transport. Nevertheless, there is a growing realization that inland water transport has to be an integral component of the overall transport system of any region/country since it is one of the most advantageous transport modes, having the least impact on environment, the lowest cost for domestic and international transport, enormous capacity reserves and the least energy consumption.