Delhi’s Yamuna cruise service is being prepared for a possible launch before the Chhath festival after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inspected a trial run on the river stretch between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur on Monday. The proposed service will operate along a roughly six-kilometre waterway and is intended to create a new tourism and recreation facility in the capital.
Gupta reviewed the project’s progress, operating arrangements and passenger facilities during the inspection. Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra was also present. Officials briefed the chief minister on the proposed cruise route, the facilities being developed around it and the arrangements required for passenger operations.
The initial cruise will have a capacity of 30 passengers. The complete journey from Sonia Vihar to the Shani temple at Jagatpur and back is expected to take between 35 and 45 minutes. According to the report, the trial run is planned to continue for about a week, after which the formal launch could take place in the first week of November. The government has also said it is planning to begin the service before Chhath, but no final launch date was specified.
The proposed pricing structure includes an entry fee of ₹50 for the premises and a proposed charge of ₹500 for a complete cruise journey. The report does not specify whether the cruise fare will include the entry fee or whether separate booking and operating conditions will apply.
The project is being developed with passenger-oriented amenities around the riverfront. These include food kiosks, a restaurant, a children’s play zone and other public facilities. The government has said the surrounding area is also being developed as a tourism and entertainment destination, with the aim of creating additional local economic activity and employment opportunities.
The project has been described by the Delhi government as a river safari and an effort to create a new experience on the Yamuna. Gupta said boating on rivers in other cities gives visitors an opportunity to experience nature and quiet surroundings, and that the Delhi service would offer passengers views of the Yamuna during the cruise.
Mishra said the project was being developed through the combined efforts of the central government, the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi government and Delhi Tourism. He also referred to plans involving boat rides, a music fountain, water sports and a food park. According to his statement, the project has been developed in compliance with National Green Tribunal and environmental standards.
The proposed service places passenger operations, riverfront amenities and environmental compliance within a single public project. Its immediate milestones are the completion of the trial run, finalisation of operating arrangements and a decision on the formal opening before the Chhath festival or in the first week of November.
