Delhi is set to get its first recreational river cruise service along the Yamuna, with Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal scheduled to inaugurate the facility at Sonia Vihar on November 10.
The inauguration will take place in the presence of Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Developed along the Sonia Vihar–Jagatpur stretch of the Yamuna, the initiative aims to promote river-based tourism and provide residents and visitors with a new recreational attraction in the national capital.
Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur and Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra will also attend the ceremony. Delhi Ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh, who handles the Public Works Department and Irrigation and Flood Control, and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra are expected to be present, along with Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari and senior officials from the Central and Delhi Governments.
Yamuna’s potential as a tourism waterway
The Yamuna has been designated as National Waterway-110 under the National Waterways Act, 2016. The development of the cruise service along the Sonia Vihar–Jagatpur stretch marks a step towards utilising the waterway’s potential for recreational navigation and tourism.
Trial runs of the cruise vessel were successfully conducted last month in the presence of senior officials from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and the Delhi Government, ahead of the scheduled launch.
The project is being spearheaded by IWAI under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. It reflects the government’s efforts to promote inland water transport and develop waterways as part of urban mobility and tourism infrastructure.
Electric vessels to promote sustainable mobility
The recreational cruise service is expected to offer Delhi residents and tourists a distinctive experience while encouraging greater public engagement with the Yamuna. The use of electric-powered cruise vessels is also intended to demonstrate the potential of inland waterways for clean and sustainable mobility.
The initiative is being developed by IWAI in collaboration with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Delhi Government.
With the launch, the authorities aim to add a new dimension to Delhi’s tourism offerings while exploring the recreational and navigational potential of the Yamuna.
(PIB)
