Delhi is set to receive its first Namo Yamuna cruise service on 10 November, with a 6-kilometre round trip between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur’s Shani Temple expected to add a new waterfront tourism facility to the capital. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal is scheduled to inaugurate the service ahead of Chhath celebrations.
The cruise will travel from Sonia Vihar to Jagatpur and return to the starting point. The complete journey is expected to take between 35 and 40 minutes. The service is being positioned as a water tourism initiative that could create a new leisure destination for Delhi residents while supporting tourism, local businesses and employment around the route.
According to the report, one cruise trip will accommodate up to 30 tourists in line with safety requirements. The vessel is expected to complete at least four round trips a day. Several trial runs were conducted before the launch, and the report said those trials were successful.
The onboard facilities are designed to make the service more than a basic boat ride. Passengers will be provided with safety jackets, while an announcement system will be used to communicate important updates during the journey. The cruise will also have specially designed onboard bio-toilets intended to prevent waste from entering the river.
Other proposed facilities include a restaurant, food park, children’s zone and musical fountain. Seating arrangements have also been provided for passengers. Together, these features indicate that the service is being developed as a packaged leisure experience rather than only as a short river journey.
The reported ticket price is Rs 500 per person, while entry to the premises is expected to cost Rs 50. However, the ticket price had not been officially announced at the time of publication. Tickets are expected to be made available online through the Delhi Tourism website, subject to confirmation by the authorities.
The project follows an agreement signed in March 2025 between the Inland Waterways Authority of India and agencies of the Delhi government to promote cruise tourism in the city. That agreement created the institutional basis for the new service, while the scheduled inauguration marks its transition from planning and trials to public operations.
The launch also brings attention to the operational challenge of introducing leisure activity on an urban river. The service will depend on safe passenger handling, reliable scheduling, waste management and continued coordination between the waterways authority and Delhi government agencies. The authorities’ next formal step is the inauguration on 10 November, after which the service’s confirmed fare, booking process and operating schedule will determine how residents can access the cruise.
