Delhi’s Yamuna electric cruise carried 230 passengers on its second day of operations, more than double the reported ridership on the opening day, as visitors from Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurugram turned up for the new river experience. Online ticket booking is expected to begin soon, while school and college groups will be offered a 50 per cent discount on non-holiday days.
The Namo Yamuna Cruise Safari began operations on Tuesday, when around 100 people took the ride. On Wednesday, visitors started arriving at about 10am and some had to wait between 30 and 40 minutes. The cruise carries 30 passengers at a time and offers a 30-minute journey on the Yamuna, according to the report by Jagran – New Delhi.
The vessel has been equipped with two air-conditioners and four fans to make the ride more comfortable during Delhi’s warmer months. A gaming zone on board is also attracting children and young visitors. Passengers were seen recording the journey on their mobile phones, with some comparing the experience with river cruises in Goa, Mumbai and Varanasi.
The cruise’s popularity is closely linked to the changing public perception of the Yamuna. Visitors told the newspaper that the river had earlier been associated with visibly polluted, dark water, while the stretch seen during the cruise appeared considerably cleaner to them. Their response also showed that recreational use has not displaced concerns about the river’s underlying pollution. Passengers reportedly discussed the need to prevent drains near Wazirabad from discharging into the Yamuna.
The cruise is being operated by MG Sky Adventure. Its chairman, Gaurav Garg, said the increasing crowd reflected the public interest in the service. The operator has said that school and college groups will receive a 50 per cent ticket discount, except on holidays, as part of an effort to encourage group visits and support tourism.
The service is also drawing attention beyond the immediate riverfront because it creates a new public-facing use for a waterway that has largely been experienced as an environmental and civic challenge. However, the reported visitor response reflects what passengers saw during the cruise and does not establish a broader assessment of the Yamuna’s water quality or the status of pollution-control measures.
Officials said a second cruise could arrive on the Yamuna by February or March 2027. The immediate next steps are the start of online booking and the implementation of the announced student-group discount.
