The electric-powered service will operate along the Sonia Vihar-Jagatpur stretch to promote river-based tourism.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate Delhi's first recreational Yamuna river cruise service at Sonia Vihar on Tuesday, according to ANI. The service will operate along the Sonia Vihar-Jagatpur stretch of the river.
The inauguration will be attended by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and several other officials. Other attendees include Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra, Public Works Department and Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh, and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is spearheading the project, which uses electric-powered vessels. The River Yamuna is designated as National Waterway-110 under the National Waterways Act, 2016. Officials completed testing of the cruise boats last month with representatives from the IWAI and the Delhi Government.
The service, named Namo Yamuna River Safari, will accommodate up to 30 passengers per ride. The project is a collaboration between the IWAI, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
The initiative aims to develop the area into a tourism destination with facilities including a restaurant, food kiosks, and a kids' zone. The service is expected to increase public engagement with the river and create new employment opportunities.
