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.