Yamuna Boat Tourism Project will offer a green tourism experience with electric-solar boats

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena reviewed the progress of the Yamuna Boat Tourism and Ferry Infrastructure Development Project on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. The project aims to introduce recreational boating and ferry services on the Yamuna River.

According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the project, located upstream of the Wazirabad Dam between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur, aims to offer a new green tourism experience while enhancing connectivity through eco-friendly river travel. It is being developed at an estimated cost of ₹20 crore.

This stretch of the Yamuna, notified as National Waterway 110 (NW-110), stretches for more than 1,080 kilometers from Jagatpur in Delhi to Prayagraj. To promote inland water transport and short-distance urban tourism, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is developing facilities along the 6-7 km round trip corridor between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur.

After reviewing the progress at the site, Mr Sonowal said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to modern and sustainable waterways. “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s waterways have witnessed a transformational revival after decades of neglect. Eco-friendly cruise tourism on the Yamuna is a significant milestone,” he said.

cruise tourism

To enable the implementation, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed an MoU with key Delhi government agencies, including the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control, DDA, DJB and DTTDC. The agreement focuses on developing cruise tourism along a four-kilometer stretch of NW-110, supported by electric-solar hybrid ships that can carry 30-40 passengers. IWAI has already installed two floating docks with a capacity of 50 passengers in Sonia Vihar, and additional amenities such as parking and recreational areas are also planned.

Mr. Sonowal said the project will open a “new chapter for Delhi” by promoting cleaner modes of travel and enriching the city’s tourism landscape with river cruise experiences. Delhi Ministers Pravesh Sahib Singh and Kapil Mishra along with senior IWAI and Delhi government officials also attended the review meeting.

IWAI continues to strengthen national waterways through terminals, improved causeways, night navigation systems and sustainable vessels across India. Under the Harit Nauka initiative, electric catamarans have been launched in Varanasi and Ayodhya, while further deployments are planned in Patna and Guwahati. The authority also recently tested India’s first indigenous hydrogen fuel cell ship.

Drawing attention to the expansion of the sector, Sonowal stated that in the last decade, operational national waterways increased by 767%, cargo movement by 635% and investments by 233%; This marks a dramatic turnaround for a once overlooked industry.