The Yamuna Boat Tourism Project will provide a green tourism experience with solar electric boats

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

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

Notified as National Waterway 110 (NW-110), this section of the Yamuna stretches for 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 a 6-7 km return corridor between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur.

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

Cruise tourism

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

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

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

Highlighting the expansion of the sector, Sonowal noted that over the past decade, operational national waterways have increased by 767%, freight traffic by 635% and investment by 233% – marking a dramatic turnaround for a sector that was once overlooked.