India's Inland Waterways
River Trade in History
How rivers like the Ganga were major trade routes for centuries, and how railways and roads replaced river transport under British rule and after.
Rivers were once India’s trade highways.
Ancient and medieval
The Ganga, Brahmaputra and other rivers carried grain, salt, textiles and people.
Colonial era
- Steamers on the Ganga and Brahmaputra in the 1800s.
- Railways from the 1850s gradually took over.
Decline
- Railways were faster and more reliable.
- Siltation and dams reduced navigability.
- Partition cut routes through East Bengal.
After independence
Roads and rail got most investment; waterways were neglected.
The steamer
In the 1800s, steamers carried goods from Kolkata up the Ganga to Allahabad.
Thinking river transport is new in India
It's ancient but declined.
Key takeaways
- Rivers were major trade routes.
- Steamers ran in the 1800s.
- Railways took over.
- Siltation and Partition hurt waterways.
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