The mission goals to introduce leisure boat cruises and ferry providers on the River Yamuna. File. , Photograph Credit score: ANI
Union Minister for Ports, Delivery and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, reviewed the progress of the Yamuna Boat Tourism and Ferry Infrastructure Growth Mission on Tuesday (November 18, 2025). The mission goals to introduce leisure boat cruises and ferry providers on the River Yamuna.
Based on the Ministry of Ports, Delivery and Waterways, the mission, positioned upstream of the Wazirabad Barrage between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur, seeks to supply a brand new inexperienced tourism expertise whereas bettering connectivity by means of eco-friendly river journey. It’s being developed at an estimated price of ₹20 crore.
This stretch of the Yamuna, notified as Nationwide Waterway 110 (NW-110), extends over 1,080 kilometers from Jagatpur in Delhi to Prayagraj. To advertise inland water transport and short-distance city tourism, the Ministry of Ports, Delivery and Waterways is creating services alongside a 6–7 km round-trip hall between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur.
After inspecting the on-ground progress, Mr. Sonowal mentioned the initiative embodies the federal government’s dedication to fashionable and sustainable waterways. “Underneath the dynamic management of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s waterways have witnessed a transformational revival after a long time of neglect. Eco-friendly cruise tourism on the Yamuna is a significant milestone,” he mentioned.
cruise tourism
To allow implementation, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed an MoU with key Delhi authorities companies, together with the Irrigation and Flood Management Division, DDA, DJB and DTTDC. The settlement focuses on creating cruise tourism alongside a four-kilometre stretch of NW-110, supported by electric-solar hybrid vessels that may carry 30–40 passengers. IWAI has already put in two floating jetties of 50-passenger capability at Sonia Vihar, with further facilities akin to parking and leisure areas deliberate.
Mr. Sonowal mentioned the mission would open “a brand new chapter for Delhi” by selling cleaner modes of journey and enriching the town’s tourism panorama with river-cruise experiences. The assessment assembly was additionally attended by Delhi Ministers Pravesh Sahib Singh and Kapil Mishra, together with senior IWAI and Delhi authorities officers.
Throughout India, IWAI continues to strengthen nationwide waterways by means of terminals, improved fairways, night time navigation techniques and sustainable vessels. Underneath the Harit Nauka initiative, electrical catamarans have been launched in Varanasi and Ayodhya, with new deployments deliberate in Patna and Guwahati. The authority additionally not too long ago examined India’s first indigenous hydrogen fuel-cell vessel.
Highlighting the sector’s enlargement, Sonowal famous that operational nationwide waterways have elevated by 767%, cargo motion by 635%, and investments by 233% over the previous decade — marking a dramatic turnaround for a sector as soon as missed.
Printed – November 19, 2025 03:53 am IST