The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) may resume hot air balloon rides at Baansera from November 14, with the operator planning to offer discounts to schools, corporate groups and individual visitors in a bid to boost footfall after a lukewarm response during the first phase of operations. The rides were launched last November from Baanseera park in Sarai Kale Khan area.
“We plan to start the rides from November 14 for the public, the weather is ideal for the launch of the rides and it will be in the same format like last year,” a private organiser said. Ticket prices are likely to be less than last year to attract more customers, he added.
The organisers set the ticket price at around Rs 2,300 per person last time. DDA, last year, finalised the Yamuna Sports Complex, the Commonwealth Games sports complexes, and Asita and Baansera, two sites along the Yamuna Bank, for balloon rides. Expansion plans, beyond Baanseera, are on hold. A trip normally lasts between 7 and 12 minutes, with four people in the balloon. In December last year, the service had been restricted to weekends because of poor weekday footfall, with only four or five people turning up on some weekdays.
The initiative was part of the DDA’s efforts to develop recreational and eco-tourism facilities along the Yamuna floodplains. The rides were initially planned at four locations - Asita East Park, Baansera Park, the Yamuna Sports Complex in Surajmal Vihar and the Commonwealth Games Village Sports Complex.
With the relaunch, the operator will seek to build demand through group bookings and discounted tickets, while the response at Baansera will offer an indication of whether the attraction can draw a more consistent stream of visitors during the winter seasonal, officials said.