Delhi took a significant step towards expanding its river-based tourism offerings with the inauguration of its first recreational Yamuna River Cruise service on the Yamuna by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal in presence of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at Sonia Vihar here today.

Developed along the Sonia Vihar-Jagatpur stretch, the initiative aims to unlock the tourism and recreational potential of the Yamuna while offering residents and visitors a new way to experience the national capital. The launch also marks another milestone in the Centre's efforts to develop India's rivers as vibrant avenues for tourism, passenger movement and economic activity.

The inauguration was attended by 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; Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra; Forest & Environment and Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and MP Manoj Tiwari, along with senior officials including Vijay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways; Rajeev Verma, Chief Secretary, Delhi Govt and Sushil Kumar Lohani, Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) among others from the Central and Delhi governments.

Speaking at the inauguration, Sarbananda Sonowal said the project reflected the government's commitment to harnessing India's vast inland waterways potential under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's rivers and inland waterways are emerging as important drivers of economic growth, tourism and sustainable connectivity. The launch of Delhi's first recreational cruise service on the Yamuna is another step towards reconnecting people with our rivers and unlocking their immense potential. This launch signals a new wave of river tourism in the city. We are transforming waterways into avenues for tourism, trade and livelihoods while advancing our commitment to cleaner and more efficient mobility. This is an important part of our vision of building a Viksit Bharat,” Sarbananda Sonowal said.

The project features a 30-seater electric cruise vessel offering visitors a scenic experience along an approximately 6-kilometer round-trip stretch of the river. The use of electric-powered vessels highlights the potential of inland waterways for clean and sustainable mobility.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative would add a new dimension to Delhi's tourism landscape and strengthen public engagement with the Yamuna.

“The Yamuna is an integral part of Delhi's history, culture and identity. This recreational cruise service will offer residents and visitors a new way to experience the river while creating fresh opportunities for tourism and local economic activity. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we remain committed to develop Delhi's riverfront as an attractive public destination, with better amenities, sustainable infrastructure and experiences that celebrate the city's heritage,” Rekha Gupta said.

Envisioned as a wider eco-tourism destination, the Yamuna project includes a range of recreational attractions and visitor amenities. A key attraction is a musical fountain featuring a coordinated light and sound show depicting the history and spiritual significance of the Yamuna, including its association with Surya Dev, Yama and the divine leela of Shri Krishna, particularly the legendary Kaliya Daman.

The destination also includes a food court, shopping area, children's play zone and adventure sports facilities, including skating and rock climbing. Modern floating jetties, dedicated ticket counters and online booking facilities, restrooms, waiting areas and illuminated approach pathways have been incorporated to provide visitors with a convenient experience.

The Yamuna has been designated as National Waterway-110 under the National Waterways Act, 2016. The launch of the cruise service marks an important step towards developing the waterway for recreational navigation and river-based tourism in the national capital.

The initiative is part of a wider national transformation of India's inland waterways. Cargo movement on national waterways has increased from 18 million metric tonnes in 2013-14 to 218 million metric tonnes in 2025-26, reflecting the growing role of waterways in the country's logistics network. With freight movement costing an estimated ₹1.06 per tonne-kilometer on waterways, compared with ₹1.41 by rail and ₹2.28 by road, inland navigation offers a cost-effective alternative for transporting cargo.

River cruise tourism is another emerging dimension of this expansion. The number of river cruise vessels offering overnight journeys has increased from five in 2013-14 to 26 in 2025-26. The landmark journey of MV Ganga Vilas, recognised in the Limca Book of Records as the world's longest river cruise. Covering more than 3,200 kms across India and Bangladesh, the journey connected 50 tourist destinations, traversed two countries, five states and 27 river systems.

The Recreational Yamuna River Cruise Service has been developed by the Inland Waterways Authority of India under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in collaboration with the Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi Jal Board and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Delhi government.

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MI/Indu