The Delhi government has launched the Namo Yamuna River Safari at Sonia Vihar, introducing a 6-km round-trip cruise between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur as part of an effort to create a new recreational and tourism destination on the Yamuna.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated the facility on Tuesday in the presence of Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Delhi cabinet minister Kapil Mishra and Deputy Chief Minister Parvesh Verma. Following the launch, Gupta, Sonowal and Mishra took a cruise ride on the river.
The facility includes a recreational zone, food outlets, children’s activities, entertainment options and a musical fountain show. Mishra said the show would be held every evening and would narrate stories associated with Lord Krishna and the Yamuna River. He also said more boats would be added in the future and that water sports activities were planned.
Gupta described the initiative as a new recreational experience for Delhi residents, saying people had previously travelled to other cities and rivers for similar activities. She said the site would offer a light-and-sound show, recreational activities and amenities for children and adults.
The route is located at Sonia Vihar and is within walking distance of Sonia Vihar Metro Station, according to Mishra. The project therefore places the river-based attraction close to an existing public transport connection, although the supplied report does not provide details of ticket prices, operating hours, passenger capacity or the number of boats currently in service.
The launch also brought the condition of the Yamuna into the centre of the event. Verma said the river had gradually lost its identity over the past two decades and had been reduced to what he described as a large open drain. He urged residents not to throw plastic waste or religious offerings into the river, while saying that the government would undertake its part of the work.
Verma said the initiative should become a tourist destination while helping revive the cultural connection between residents and the river. The comments highlight the operational challenge facing a recreational facility on an urban river whose cleanliness remains a public concern: tourism activity and visitor amenities will operate alongside the government’s stated objective of improving environmental conditions.
Sonowal said the launch reflected the potential of inland waterways and the Centre’s focus on exploring their use. Parvesh Verma described the project as an example of coordination between the Delhi government and the Union government.
The Delhi government has also linked the launch to wider infrastructure development in the capital. Gupta said projects worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore had been implemented in Delhi under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in collaboration with Union minister Nitin Gadkari, to reduce congestion. The report did not provide a project-wise breakdown of that figure or specify how the river safari was funded.
The Namo Yamuna River Safari is expected to operate as a combined cruise and recreational destination, with additional boats and water sports activities planned for a later stage. The supplied report does not specify the timeline for those additions or provide details of the environmental clearances and water-quality safeguards governing operations on the route.
