In a bid to boost tourism, the Yamuna is set to witness a transformation. A four-kilometre stretch between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur will soon host eco-friendly river cruises- a plan that was on the back burner since 2016. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on Tuesday signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with multiple agencies of Delhi government including Irrigation and Flood Control department, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). Under the plan, the ferry services will operate on about a five-km stretch between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur (Shani Mandir).
The MoU signing ceremony was held at Asita Park. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of State (MoPSW), Shantanu Thakur, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta among otherw were present at the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said that the introduction of eco-friendly cruise tourism on the Yamuna is yet another milestone in this journey, paving the way for cleaner, greener, and more efficient waterways that will boost both connectivity and tourism in the heart of Delhi.
“For years, the people of Delhi were saddened to see dirt and neglect floating on the Yamuna, but this initiative marks the beginning of a long-overdue correction. With the launch of these cruises, Delhiites along with scores of tourists, who flock to the capital, will once again fall in love with their river, experiencing its beauty in a way they never imagined,” he said.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena accused the previous AAP government for delaying the project.
The project will see the introduction of hybrid boats designed to carry 20-30 passengers at a time. These vessels will be equipped with bio-toilets, public announcement systems, and life jackets to ensure both safety and convenience. Additionally, two high-density polyethylene (HDPE) jetties will be installed to facilitate smooth ferry operations.
The initiative is expected to encourage short-distance water travel and recreational activities, making the river more accessible for both tourists and locals. The solar powered hybrid boats - designed to carry 20 to 30 passengers at a time - are planned to be run between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur, upstream of Wazirabad.
The stretch of Yamuna from Jagatpur Delhi to Sangam in Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) has been declared as NW-110 with the enactment of Inland Waterways Act in March, 2016. A draft of the MoU was sent to the departments concerned, including Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in September 2024. However, the Delhi government demanded some changes in the MoU conditions.
The same month, the IWAI also issued an expression of interest (EOI) for the operation of a ferry service between Sonia Vihar and Wazirabad barrage (eight km).The project involves developing high-density polyethylene jetties with shore facility for embarking and disembarking of passengers and tourists. The plan is to use non-polluting solar or electric hybrid cruise boats with provisions of seating capacity of 20-30 people and maximum draft requirement of 1.2m with a speed of 5-7 knots. It also involved navigation aids for safe vessel movements and shore-charging stations for cruise boats.
The idea to operate the service on a section of the Yamuna was first floated in 2016 when the IWAI moved the National Green Tribunal for its nod. The Centre’s plan was to launch and operate a water taxi from Delhi’s Wazirabad barrage to Fatehpur Jat in Uttar Pradesh. The 16-km distance is expected to be covered by the water taxi in about 45 minutes.
Paper work started in December 2018 under the Yamuna Water Taxi project (YWTP) for boat services between Sonia Vihar, Jagatpur and Tronica city (Ghaziabad). A letter was written by the IWAI to the Delhi government seeking permission to use land on lease for terminal facilities in Sonia Vihar.
In 2019, the Delhi government’s irrigation and flood control (I&FC) department gave its nod to the IWAI to use a shank at Sonia Vihar for the project.However, last year, the department informed NGT that it is yet to receive an affidavit and an indemnity bond from the IWAI, even as it sent two reminders post its NOC in 2019 - one in 2021 and another in 2024.
According to the MoU, IWAI will provide infrastructure facilities consisting of floating jetties and available design details for onshore side development; Passenger safety, fire-fighting requirement, and services of emergency responses etc’; Developing shore side facility including setting up of charging station for solar/ electric hybrid boats and undertaking any study/ reports, hydrographic survey and installation of navigational aids. The DDA will provide land for shore side facility in consultation with IWAI and last mile connectivity for passengers/ tourists. DJB will provide guidelines for permissible activities / water quality restrictions and monitoring water quality in view of the intake point for their plant being in vicinity, etc and management of Barrage for availability of navigable depth in the project stretch. The Irrigation and Flood will undertake maintenance of the embankments and provide permission to use the spur approach road to access the berthing facilities.
Expanding its reach across India-from Arunachal to Gujarat and J&K to Kerala-IWAI is enhancing NW 1, NW 2, NW 3, and NW 16 with new IWT terminals, fairways, night navigation aids, and locks. Emphasising sustainability under the “Harit Nauka Guidelines,” the Authority has introduced electric catamarans in Varanasi and Ayodhya, with six more set for Mathura and Guwahati.
