Delhi Government Begins Trial Runs for First Yamuna River Cruise Service

Delhi is set to begin trial runs for its first-ever Yamuna River Cruise on Monday, marking the soft launch of the 'Namo Yamuna - River Safari' service. The initiative is designed to offer residents and visitors a new way to experience the capital's skyline and heritage from the water, while transforming a stretch of the Yamuna into a leisure corridor.

The ferry safari will cover a distance of five kilometres, running from Sonia Vihar to Jagatpur. Each ride is expected to last approximately 40 minutes. The fare has been fixed at ₹500 per person, and each cruise will operate with a maximum capacity of 30 passengers. The service will undergo trial runs for four to five days prior to its formal inauguration.

This project forms part of broader efforts to promote inland water transport and river-based tourism in the national capital. The Yamuna has been notified as National Waterway 110 (NW-110), stretching 1,080 kilometres from Jagatpur in Delhi to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is developing facilities along a six to seven-kilometre round-trip corridor between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur to support short-distance urban tourism and inland water transport. To facilitate the project, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed a memorandum of understanding with several key Delhi government departments.

These departments include the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC). The agreement focuses on developing cruise tourism along a four-kilometre stretch of NW-110.

The planned corridor is intended to serve as a hub for eco-friendly cruise operations, utilising electric-solar hybrid boats designed to accommodate between 30 and 40 passengers. The vessels will be equipped with standard safety features, including life jackets and public announcement systems. Overall, the project aims to revitalise recreational activities, promote green mobility, and expand Delhi's tourism offerings through structured river-based experiences.

"The introduction of the Yamuna River Cruise highlights the growing economic potential of urban riverfront development and sustainable public-private collaboration. By integrating eco-friendly electric-solar hybrid vessels into a structured urban tourism corridor, this initiative opens up new commercial avenues for local transport, leisure infrastructure, and green mobility services. For entrepreneurs and businesses operating in the sustainability and tourism sectors, public infrastructure projects of this scale create valuable ancillary opportunities in leisure management, hospitality, and clean technology." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes