Delhi has its first river cruise, with the Namo Yamuna Cruise Safari launched on Tuesday, 10 November, by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The recreational service runs on the Yamuna along a route of about 30 minutes between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur, and officials presented it as a new public attraction for the national capital.
The project is a joint initiative of the Centre, the Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The boat in operation is electric-powered and has been described as compliant with the norms of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The current vessel can carry about 40 passengers, and more boats are planned in the coming days to increase capacity, so that the number of people able to take the ride at one time is expected to rise as the fleet grows.
Beyond the boat ride, the riverside site is being developed as a recreation zone. Planned features include a musical fountain show held in the evening, which draws on the stories of Krishna and the Yamuna, and a riverbank area with gaming and food facilities. Water sports are to be added in the near future, and a riverfront walkway of about 5 kilometres is also planned along the banks, extending the space available to walkers and visitors beyond the cruise itself.
Officials linked the launch to the wider effort to clean up the Yamuna, which has long been among the most polluted rivers flowing through the capital. By positioning the river as a place for leisure and public use, the government is seeking to draw residents to its banks. The notes do not specify how the cruise service will be expanded beyond the initial boat and route, nor a timetable for the water sports or the walkway.
The launch also carried a political edge. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, speaking at the event, cited Delhi's population as about 2.5 crore, a figure that frames the scale of demand the new public spaces are meant to serve. Remarks made during the launch were critical of the opposition, with both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) named in the criticism. The specific charges made against either party were not detailed in the reporting available, so the substance of those exchanges cannot be set out beyond the fact that they were made.
The reporting on the launch was carried by IANS from New Delhi. Taken together, the details point to a project still in its first phase: one electric boat in operation, a route of about 30 minutes, and a set of planned additions including more boats, evening entertainment, a recreation zone, water sports and a riverfront walkway, all of which officials have tied to the goal of cleaning up the Yamuna.