Jaipur: Rajasthan will develop its first inland port in Jalore through a 262-kilometre waterway connecting it to Kandla, marking a major push for cargo movement, logistics efficiency and industrial expansion in the state. Suresh Rawat, Minister of Water Resources for the Rajasthan government, said the inland port will be linked to the Arabian Sea via the Kandla port in Gujarat.

The project involves dredging costs of over Rs 10,000 crore and aims to ease pressure on road and rail networks while improving trade and industrial connectivity. The state government will provide about 14 kilometres of land for the facility, which it will operate upon completion.

IIT Madras has submitted the draft Detailed Project Report and the Rajasthan government is reviewing the document through field assessments before moving to the next stage.

Rawat said, “The inland port will open new avenues for industries in Jalore, Barmer, and surrounding regions, including textiles, stone, agricultural products, oilseeds, guar, pulses, and millet.” He added that the ongoing HPCL-Rajasthan oil refinery projects in Pachpadra (Balotra) will also benefit from faster and more cost-effective transportation.

The waterway will link the Jawai-Luni-Run of the Kutch river system, which has been declared National Waterway-48 by the Government of India. The connectivity is expected to support new industries, warehouses, cold storage units and industrial clusters. Direct maritime access is also likely to attract fresh investments.

Last month, an MoU was signed in Mumbai between the Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority and the Inland Waterways Authority of India, laying the groundwork for the project’s development.

BI Bureau