Union Minister Inspects Yamuna Cruise Project, Signals Final Execution Phase for Delhi Initiative
High-level review fast-tracks Yamuna cruise between Sonia Vihar-Jagatpur.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, accompanied by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and senior cabinet ministers Parvesh Verma and Kapil Mishra, undertook a detailed on-ground inspection of the much-awaited Yamuna river cruise project at Sonia Vihar on Tuesday, signalling that the long-pending initiative has entered its final execution phase.
During the visit, the dignitaries closely examined the ongoing construction of state-of-the-art floating and fixed jetties, installation of navigational aids, deployment of enhanced safety and security systems, development of passenger amenities including ticketing counters and waiting lounges, and the precise demarcation of the operational cruise corridor stretching from Sonia Vihar in northeast Delhi to Jagatpur near Wazirabad.
Envisioned as a flagship urban mobility and tourism venture, the Yamuna cruise service is designed to establish a clean, congestion-free water transport link within the national capital while simultaneously unlocking the river’s vast tourism potential and reinforcing ongoing efforts to restore its ecological health through increased public engagement and sustained monitoring.
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Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra termed the project a watershed moment in the city’s history, asserting that regular cruise operations will not only showcase Delhi’s historic ghats, bridges and riverside monuments from a fresh vantage point but also rekindle the cultural and spiritual connect that the Yamuna once enjoyed as the lifeline of the capital before decades of industrial pollution diminished its stature.
Union Minister Sonowal underlined that the initiative aligns seamlessly with the Centre’s nationwide push to develop 111 inland waterways under the Sagarmala and Jal Marg Vikas programmes, adding that successful implementation in Delhi will serve as a replicable model for other metropolitan centres, promoting eco-friendly mass transport, generating employment along the riverfront, and channelling greater resources and public attention toward the comprehensive rejuvenation of the Yamuna ecosystem.
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