Vijayawada to Amaravati by Boat: Inside the Proposed Krishna Water Metro

Andhra Pradesh Seeks IWAI Nod for 30-km Krishna Water Metro Linking Vijayawada and Amaravati

Amaravati/Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has sought clearance from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) for a proposed 30-km Krishna River Water Metro connecting Vijayawada and Amaravati, with the project planned to be executed in two phases.

The service would run along the Krishna between the state's commercial hub and its capital region. It is meant to offer commuters and tourists a river-based public transport option alongside road and rail.

The clearance is a key step because the Krishna stretch falls within the central inland waterways framework. The Muktyala to Vijayawada section is part of National Waterway 4, which IWAI is developing under the Sagarmala programme. The earlier plan for that corridor included cargo and passenger terminals, including one at Amaravati.

The proposal comes as the Vijayawada-Amaravati region grows rapidly. Vijayawada's metro rail project, whose first phase covers 38.4 km across two corridors, is also moving forward. Officials are expected to position the water metro as a complementary mode in an integrated transport network.

Phasing lets the state build and test one section before extending to the full route. That matters on a river whose flow swings sharply with the monsoon and which is controlled by the Prakasam Barrage at Vijayawada.

Details such as project cost, the split between the two phases, terminal locations, fleet size and timelines have not been confirmed in the sources I could find. They are expected to become clearer once IWAI responds and a detailed project report is finalised.