Delhi’s Yamuna cruise service between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur is expected to open to the public before Chhath Puja, even as Chief Minister Rekha Gupta directed officials to address sanitation, lighting, water supply and safety shortcomings at Soor Ghat before the festival.
Gupta inspected the proposed cruise route and reviewed a trial run of the service on Monday. The approximately six-kilometre cruise will carry up to 30 passengers and cover a round trip to the Shani Temple in Jagatpur and back in an estimated 35 to 45 minutes, according to officials.
The trial run is expected to continue for about a week. Preparations for the formal launch are scheduled to be completed in the first week of November, although the final launch date has not yet been announced. The government is aiming to make the Yamuna Safari available to the public before Chhath Puja.
Under the proposed pricing structure, visitors will pay Rs 50 for entry to the premises, while the complete cruise trip will cost Rs 500. The development is planned to include food kiosks, a restaurant, a children’s zone and other public amenities around the service area.
Gupta said the initiative would build on Delhi’s cultural relationship with the Yamuna while creating tourism and recreational opportunities. “Delhi shares a deep emotional and cultural bond with the Yamuna. The launch of Yamuna Safari will give this bond a new dimension while opening up fresh opportunities for tourism and recreation in the capital,” she said.
The project involves coordination between the Inland Waterways Authority of India, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Delhi Jal Board. Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said the initiative was being developed through coordination between the Centre, the Delhi government and other agencies.
The cruise inspection coincided with a separate review of Chhath preparations at Soor Ghat. Gupta directed officials to repair damaged gates and rusted structures, improve sanitation, restore water connections and ensure adequate lighting. She also raised concerns about the condition of toilets and other public facilities at the ghat.
Officials were instructed to complete cleaning, repairs, painting, lighting, security arrangements and other facilities before the festival. Gupta said temporary repairs would not be sufficient and asked departments to resolve shortcomings in advance rather than wait until Chhath.
“Chhath is a celebration of faith, emotions and traditions connected to their roots for lakhs of families from Purvanchal living in Delhi. Providing every devotee with a clean, safe and convenient environment is the government’s responsibility,” she said.
The cruise launch and the ghat preparations now have separate but overlapping deadlines before Chhath. The administration’s immediate next steps are to complete the cruise trial, finalise operational arrangements and finish repairs and amenity upgrades at Soor Ghat. The formal launch date for the Yamuna service remains pending.
